Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 320 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-42518

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will report on the outcome of the recent summit meeting of the British-Irish Council in Wales.

I attended the 44^th British-Irish Council meeting held in the Vale Resort, Cardiff, Wales on 5 December.

The summit was hosted by the First Minister of Wales and attended by ministers from across the UK and Ireland. The Prime Minister attended, as did the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland and the Chief Ministers of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.

The theme of this year’s summit was a creative future: unlocking the potential of the creative industries across these islands.

The main summit plenary provided an opportunity to highlight the strength of Scotland’s creative industries as well as outline the Scottish Government support extended to our creative sector.

During the main plenary discussion on latest political developments, I took the opportunity to restate the Scottish Government’s ongoing concerns over the intolerable situation in Gaza.

I also welcomed the UK government’s headline agreement with the European Union, while making clear that further progress was required to address trade barriers and promote freedom of movement.

Ahead of the main summit I held bilateral meetings with the Tánaiste and Irish Trade Minister (Helen McEntee).

We discussed the close relationship between Scotland and Ireland; whisky tariffs and the United Kingdom’s new approach to the European Union.

I also held a wide-ranging discussion with the Prime Minister, during which I raised the impact of the UK Budget on Scotland’s oil and gas and renewables sectors and pressed for immediate action on the Energy Profits Levy.

I also discussed the future key economic infrastructure including Grangemouth and Mossmorran, and pressed for an update on UK-US Trade negotiations including the tariff on whisky.

Finally, I welcomed the recent UK Government announcement on the lifting of the two-child benefit cap, noting that this would allow the Scottish Government to further deliver on our commitment to address child poverty.

The Communiqué that was issued by the British-Irish Council after the meeting can be found on its website at: www.britishirishcouncil.org/resources/

44th British-Irish Council Summit

Vale of Glamorgan, Wales

5 December 2025

Communiqué

The British-Irish Council (BIC) held its 44th Summit meeting today, Friday 5 December 2025, hosted by the Welsh Government in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.

The theme of the Summit was A Creative Future: Unlocking the Potential of the Creative Industries Across These Islands. The meeting was chaired by the Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS, Prif Weinidog Cymru (First Minister), Welsh Government.

A Creative Future: Unlocking the Potential of the Creative Industries Across These Islands.

The Summit plenary focussed on Member Administrations’ respective screen sectors. Leaders discussed the importance of the sector to the Creative Industries, both culturally and economically, as well as the opportunities and challenges facing the sector, and efforts by administrations to support the industry and those working within it.

Latest Political Developments

Council members reflected on significant recent developments within their administrations and discussed a number of domestic and international topics of mutual interest.

Next Summit Meeting

The Council noted that the next BIC Summit will be hosted by the Government of Guernsey in summer 2026.

BIC Secretariat

5 December 2025

Plenary Participants

Government of Guernsey
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez	Chief Minister

Government of Ireland
Micheál Martin TD	Taoiseach
Simon Harris TD	Tánaiste and Minister for Finance
Helen McEntee TD	Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Minister for Defence

Isle of Man Government
Hon Alfred Cannan MHK	Chief Minister

Government of Jersey
Deputy Lyndon Farnham	Chief Minister

Northern Ireland Executive
Michelle O’Neill MLA	First Minister
Emma Little-Pengelly MLA	Deputy First Minister

Scottish Government
Rt Hon John Swinney MSP	First Minister

UK Government
Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP	Prime Minister
Rt Hon Darren Jones MP	Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations

Welsh Government
Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS	Prif Weinidog Cymru/First Minister
Jack Sargeant MS	Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Rebecca Evans MS	Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning

Question reference: S6W-42409

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 5 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Culture Fair Work Taskforce will publish its recommendations.

Question reference: S6O-05233

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on touring artists in Scotland, including any plans for discussion with the UK Government on this matter in advance of the forthcoming review of the agreement.

Question reference: S6W-42134

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-42126

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to a review of Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-41942

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been to “develop the next iteration of the Digital Strategy”, which was the undertaking made in the 2024 publication, A Changing Nation – how Scotland will thrive in a Digital World – progress report 2021-2024.

The Digital Strategy for Scotland Vision and the Sustainable Digital Public Services Delivery Plan (2025-2025) will both be published today (18 November 2025). Tomorrow, I will be attending the Digital Scotland conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, where I will give the joint keynote with Cllr Katie Hagmann.

The Digital Strategy for Scotland Vision is available here:
https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806433698
The Sustainable Digital Public Services Delivery Plan is available here:
https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806433704

Question reference: S6O-05150

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-05086

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any outcomes and key actions agreed at the recent Wildfire Summit that will contribute to Scotland’s climate adaptation and resilience strategies.

Question reference: S6F-04378

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any implications for its work to mitigate the two-child benefit cap of the UK Government's reported proposals to replace the cap with a tapered system.

Question reference: S6W-39836

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what devolved powers could be used to limit youth access to all nicotine products, including nicotine pouches, for example through restrictions on advertising, public awareness campaigns, or voluntary agreements with retailers, in light of reported concerns that these products, which can contain high levels of nicotine, are currently unregulated and can be sold legally to under-18s in Scotland.

Children and young people learn about a variety of substances, including nicotine products, through Curriculum for Excellence. Through educating young people about substance use and the impact it can have on their life and health, this will help prevent them making unhealthy choices

The Scottish Government continue to work with Young Scot and other third sector organisations to ensure that young people, their teachers, parents and carers have access to accurate, evidence based, information on nicotine products.

The powers in the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 could have been exercised to make regulations to prohibit or restrict domestic advertising and promotion of vapes, however this would not have captured the range of nicotine products now available on the market. The UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill (“the Bill”), if passed, will introduce new restrictions on age of sale for all nicotine products and the advertising, sponsorship, free distribution and nominal pricing of vapes and nicotine products across the 4 nations.

New powers in the Bill will also empower the Secretary of State to regulate brand sharing in relation to vapes and nicotine products across the UK, with the consent of Scottish Ministers. The Bill will extend the Tobacco and Vapes retailer register in Scotland to cover all nicotine products

An update on implementation timescales for the Bill will be provided following Royal Assent.