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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-39115

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what training or guidance is provided to head teachers on the appropriate use of national symbols, including the Union Flag, in educational settings.

Question reference: S6W-39113

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to schools on how to promote national pride through the act of flag flying with symbols such as the Saltire and the Union Flag.

Question reference: S6W-39114

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place to ensure that schools remain politically neutral in how they present national symbols such as the Union Flag.

Question reference: S6W-39116

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what resources are provided to schools to teach the meaning and significance of national symbols such as the Saltire and Union Flag.

Question reference: S6W-39117

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Renfrewshire Council regarding a letter from the headteacher of Cross Arthurlie Primary School to families of P7 pupils, which reportedly implied that their use of the Union Flag at an event may have been perceived as offensive or sectarian.

Question reference: S6W-37780

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords in circumstances where a tenant is the liable person for council tax but they are not making payments to ensure that the bills are covered and any situation of arrears can be addressed.

In Scotland, typically the responsibility for Council Tax liability falls to the occupier of the property, not the owner. The exceptions to this general position may apply in specific circumstances, such as where a property is exempt, or let as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) where the owner has the responsibility to pay Council Tax.

Generally, landlords are not expected to take responsibility for ensuring that tenants pay Council Tax, and would not be aware of the payments arrangements between the council and the occupant for Council Tax purposes.

The collection and enforcement of Council Tax is governed by legislation and administered by local authorities. Collection rates for Council Tax are consistently high compared to other forms of taxation, averaging around 97% in recent years.

Question reference: S6W-37778

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average timescale is for an application that is submitted by a private landlord to evict a tenant to be heard at the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).

Question reference: S6W-37779

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords who are considering issuing a tenant with a notice to leave on the grounds of abandonment because they are no longer believed to be living at a property, but mail is occasionally collected from the building.

In Scotland, if a private residential tenant abandons a property, the landlord must follow a specific legal procedure to regain possession. They must serve a formal notice to leave, which sets out the ground for eviction (the reason why they are asking the tenant to leave), and provide them with the correct legal notice period.

The ground “Not occupying let property” is intended to cover cases where the tenant has abandoned the property.

When issuing the notice to end a tenancy, the landlord should use the communication method agreed set out in the Tenancy Agreement. They should keep records of all attempts to contact the tenant. Where post is being collected and rent continues to be paid, this may indicate a tenant continues to occupy the let property.

Once the notice period has ended, the landlord can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland an Order granting permission to repossess the property.

Question reference: S6W-36031

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will legislate to ensure that all local authorities observe a "10-minute parking grace period" in their car parks, similar to that implemented in England.

Local authorities in Scotland have the powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices if the vehicle has been left beyond the period of parking which has been paid for, as per the Road Traffic Act 1991. Legislation to allow an additional 10 minutes grace period has not been considered in Scotland as there has not been sufficient interest from members of the public or local authorities to do so, however all local authorities can use their own discretion whether to apply a grace period or not.

Question reference: S6W-36033

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the approach of local authorities to issuing parking fines, and what its position is on whether any local authority has introduced policies in relation to penalty charge notices specifically to make a profit and not to respond to illegal or inappropriate parking.

A public consultation was undertaken in 2021, which looked at levels of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Following this, on 1 April 2023, the maximum PCN amount was raised to £100. Local authorities must ensure that they issue PCNs only when it is lawful to do so. It is important to note that PCNs are a penalty for illegal parking and are not to be used specifically to generate income, though any profit from PCNs is ring-fenced and must only be used by the local authority for transport related purposes. Local authorities also report the income and expenditure annually and these reports are published on the Transport Scotland website.