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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.

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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.

Question reference: S6W-39146

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on a tenure-neutral housing standard, and whether a public consultation on this issue will take place in 2025.

The quality of housing in Scotland has improved over the years due to the action of this Government. The introduction of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard in social housing in 2012 and strengthening of the Repairing Standard for the private rental sector in 2024 shows our commitment to making improvements. The Scottish House Condition Survey shows that the condition of our housing across all tenures continues to rise. However, we recognise that different sectors are moving at different speeds, and some types of housing need particular attention, which is why the government committed to having a tenure-neutral standard.

However, the work on the tenure-neutral housing standard was paused last year to prioritise key actions required to respond to the housing emergency declared in June 2024, putting additional pressure on household finances whilst the cost-of-living pressures persisted.

While our focus remains on responding to the Housing Emergency, Scottish Government has an ambition to ensure full alignment of housing standards in the future.

Question reference: S6W-38968

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding Scottish Enterprise’s review of its human rights due diligence checks.

Following the parliamentary debate on 26 February, and in line with Scottish Labour’s motion, Scottish Enterprise began a review of its human rights due diligence checks.

Scottish Enterprise wrote to update me on its review on 19 June.

That letter advised that the review included a thorough appraisal of Scottish Enterprise’s existing policy, and a retrospective assessment of checks and associated grant payments. As a result, it identified a number of opportunities for improvements to ensure Scottish Enterprise’s human rights due diligence procedures continue to align with good practice and respond consistently to the current dynamic risk environment.

Scottish Enterprise will therefore seek to enhance its approach and strengthen management assurance by taking the following steps, which will be rolled out incrementally over 2025-26:

Establishing more explicit customer checks and assurance relating to the Export Control Act 2002, as informed by international law. These will include specific customer declarations on items, activities and end use that are controlled under the UK export control regime. Scottish Enterprise will have the right to clawback grants where false declarations have been made.
Updating its policy to enhance the existing checks it undertakes on companies who might be in receipt of Scottish Enterprise funds or other assistance. This will include reduced exemptions from checks, increased frequency of checks, and more explicit requirements to ensure these checks address changes in risk.
Establishing an internal Senior Review Group to provide greater strategic input and support risk-based decision-making.
Developing a new digital platform for all due diligence checks which will improve reporting and oversight more generally.

Scottish Enterprise’s letter also confirms that its internal assessment of past practice found no evidence that grant money had gone towards funding the manufacture of munitions.

I have written to Scottish Enterprise to thank it for its work so far, and to ask for a further report after the summer recess, once it has developed detailed operational guidance. I have asked that Scottish Government officials are involved in that work, and will provide a further update to Parliament in due course. Finally, Scottish Government officials will discuss with its other Enterprise Agencies any potential implications Scottish Enterprise’s review might suggest for their processes.

Question reference: S6W-38897

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will report on the outcome of the recent Summit of the British-Irish Council, held in Northern Ireland.

On 13 June 2025, I represented the Scottish Government at the summit meeting of the British-Irish Council hosted by the Northern Ireland Executive and jointly chaired by the First Minister – Michelle O’Neill and the deputy First Minister – Emma Little-Pengelly. The meeting was attended by Ministers from all eight of the BIC Member Administrations.

The theme of the summit focussed on “The role of AI in reform and transformation” which offered the opportunity to share and learn from the range of initiatives being taken across these islands to maximise the benefits presented by this rapidly evolving technology.

On the Latest Political Developments item, the Council reflected on international issues including the situation in Gaza as well as the concerning escalation of conflict between Israel and Iran. I also welcomed the recent trade deals with the European Union and the United States and called for better engagement with the UK Government to ensure that the deals take Scotland’s needs into account.

During the summit, I held bilateral meetings with the Taoiseach, the Tnaiste, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Northern Ireland First Minister and deputy First Minister, the First Minister of Wales and the Chief Minister of the Isle of Man.

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

43rd British-Irish Council Summit

Newcastle, County Down, 13 June 2025

Communiqué

The British-Irish Council (BIC) held its 43rd Summit meeting today, Friday 13 June 2025, hosted by the Northern Ireland Executive in Newcastle, County Down.

The Summit meeting had a thematic focus on The Role of AI in Reform and Transformation and was co-chaired by First Minister, Michelle O’Neill MLA and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.

The Role of AI in Reform and Transformation

The Council discussed the approaches of the British-Irish Council’s Member Administrations to harnessing AI technologies for public sector reform and transformation in the provision of public services across these islands.

The Council discussed the potential benefits, and the associated challenges, of the more widespread and scaled-up use of AI technologies in public administration.

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 Welsh Government in late 2025.

BIC Secretariat

13 June 2025

Plenary Participants

Government of Guernsey
Deputy Lyndon Trott OBE	Chief Minister

Government of Ireland
Michel Martin TD	Taoiseach
Simon Harris TD	Tnaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Minister for Defence

Isle of Man Government
Hon Alfred Cannan MHK	Chief Minister

Government of Jersey
Deputy Lyndon Farnham	Chief Minister
Deputy Ian Gorst	Minister for External Relations

Northern Ireland Executive
Michelle O’Neill MLA	First Minister
Emma Little-Pengelly MLA	Deputy First Minister
John O’Dowd MLA	Minister of Finance
Mike Nesbitt MLA	Minister of Health
Paul Givan MLA	Minister for Education
Pam Cameron MLA	Junior Minister
Aisling Reilly MLA	Junior Minister

Scottish Government
Rt Hon John Swinney MSP	First Minister

UK Government
Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP	Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP	Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

Welsh Government
Eluned Morgan MS	First Minister

Question reference: S6O-04845

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with North Lanarkshire Council on addressing antisocial behaviour involving the use of off-road vehicles in Motherwell and Wishaw.

Question reference: S6F-04125

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s latest engagement with the UK Government regarding its plans for the winter fuel payment and any implications for the Scottish Government’s work to deliver a universal Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04719

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies support people with premenstrual dysphoric disorder.

Question reference: S6O-04672

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scotland’s economic growth of the UK Government white paper on immigration.