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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-42599

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the current staffing complement is in the Office of the Public Guardian, and what its position is on whether this is sufficient to meet demand for power of attorney registrations.

Question reference: S6W-42600

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what performance measures it uses to monitor the timeliness of power of attorney registrations, and how often the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) reports progress to ministers.

Question reference: S6W-42388

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the status is of the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund; whether it is closed, and, if so, when it will reopen for applications.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) was launched by the Scottish and UK Governments in July 2025. Financial year 2025-26 represents a pilot phase for the TTF.

In September, the Scottish Government confirmed further funding of up to £450,000 to process additional applications during the pilot phase.

As of 8 December, all applications on the waitlist are being processed and Skills Development Scotland are contacting further prospective applicants who have already registered their interest to invite them to proceed with an application. The TTF is not open to entirely new applications at this stage.

We expect the TTF to open again for entirely new applications early in the next financial year. The Scottish Government, in partnership with the UK Government, has also announced joint funding of up to £18 million to extend and expand the TTF over the next three financial years (2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29), subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget and Spending Review.

Question reference: S6W-42390

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £18 million Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has been spent to date.

The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) was launched by the Scottish and UK Governments in July 2025. Financial year 2025-26 represents a pilot phase for the TTF. The pilot phase has been supported by up to £1.35 million of combined funding from the UK and Scottish Governments. As of 8 December, Skills Development Scotland are continuing to process applications and have approved approximately £750,000 of training for successful applicants.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with the UK Government, has also announced future joint funding of up to £18 million (on a match funding basis between the two governments) to extend and expand the TTF over the next three financial years (2026-27, 2027-28 and 2028-29), subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget and Spending Review.

Question reference: S6W-42389

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has received since it opened.

Question reference: S6W-42166

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Public Finance has taken to ensure the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) is meeting acceptable processing times.

The Scottish Government engages regularly with SPPA, I have met with the SPPA Chief Executive 11 times in 2025. I visited SPPA on 27 August 2025 to gain first-hand insight on the latest developments aimed at improving service delivery and progressing the remedy programme. The budget allocation to SPPA has been increased year-on-year to support delivery of remedy while maintaining core business delivery. This additional funding is allowing investment in automation and the recruitment of additional staff.

Question reference: S6W-42165

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of delays by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) on members’ financial planning and retirement decisions.

Through regular engagement, the Scottish Government has received assurance from the SPPA that they are prioritising pension estimates where the member is retiring in the next six months, or the information is required for ill-health or divorce purposes. Decisions about administration and service delivery are made by the SPPA in consultation with the Scheme Pension Boards, which consist of representatives from both members and employers.

SPPA also advise that 2025 Annual Benefit Statements have been issued to 90.19% of all active scheme members. These statements provide a pension valuation as of 31 March and enable members to access calculators on the SPPA website, allowing them to produce a retirement estimate.

Question reference: S6W-42163

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) has not published clear performance milestones for reducing delays in pension valuations and transfers.

Question reference: S6W-42164

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted a review of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency's (SPPA) quality of service, in light of any increases in complaints about transfer and valuation delays.

Question reference: S6O-05238

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it is choosing not to answer any questions on the court proceedings in relation to its policy on transgender prisoners, which allows biological male prisoners to be housed in women’s prisons, despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, in light of section 5 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 allowing matters of general public interest to be discussed.