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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-05074

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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 the modernisation of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S6W-41417

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the release of reserve funds to pension scheme members of the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

Question reference: S6O-05051

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported jobs and cuts crisis in further and higher education.

Question reference: S6W-40730

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39984 by Fiona Hyslop on 16 September 2023, in relation to the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 (CHFS3) contract, whether (a) detailed specification of the contract will be published on the Transport Scotland website before 1 October 2025, and (b) it will instruct CalMac to share a copy of the contract with the recognised trades unions as soon as possible.

Question reference: S6W-40729

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the partners that Transport Scotland shared the initial specification with of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 (CHFS3) contract, as recorded in the 7 March 2025 minutes of the Ferries Community Board.

Transport Scotland engaged with a number of partners on the development of the specification. This included sharing the draft specification with CalMac Ferries Ltd, in addition to discussing specific elements with CMAL, to ensure that operational and technical issues were appropriately addressed to reflect current practice.

Some elements of the specification were also shared and discussed with the Ferries Community Board, specifically regarding key performance indicators and the embedding of the Ferries Community Board in the specification. This input was invaluable to inform the suite of performance indicators, and the Ferries Community Board will continue to be engaged on strategic matters throughout the life of the contract to provide us with an independent community voice.

Question reference: S6W-40731

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39984 by Fiona Hyslop on 16 September 2025, in relation to the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services 3 (CHFS3) contract, what discussions of the detailed specifications of the contract Transport Scotland officials have had with the (a) the Chair of the Ferries Community Board, (b) local authorities and (c) CMAL since 8 March 2025, and what the outcome was.

Since 8 March 2025, Transport Scotland have continued to engage with the Ferries Community Board, both in relation to performance management of the new contract, and also the nature of their ongoing role post-award. This was invaluable to inform the suite of performance indicators, and the role of the Ferries Community Board has been formally embedded within the new arrangements, ensuring that the Ferries Community Board will continue to be engaged on strategic matters throughout the life of the contract.

Since 8 March 2025 officials have engaged with local authorities, including at the Roundtable event on 19 March 2025, and through the Islands Transport Forum, local area ferry groups such as the Argyll Ferry Infrastructure Group and Western Isles Ferry Group, and vessel and infrastructure project working groups, but have not discussed the detailed specification with them; whilst CMAL, as owners of the fleet, have been engaged on a number of technical matters relating to the specification.

Question reference: S6W-40523

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in light of the reported threatened closure of Forth Valley College’s Alloa campus.

Question reference: S6W-40524

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an outline of the discussions it has had with the Scottish Funding Council to ensure that Forth Valley College is funded sufficiently to keep the Alloa campus open and operational.

Question reference: S6W-40522

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the Scottish Funding Council and (b) Forth Valley College regarding a bailout to save its Alloa campus.

Ministers have been in communication with both the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and Forth Valley College regarding the Alloa campus, and the SFC is working intensively to seek a resolution with the College regarding the campus and to support the College’s financial sustainability.

Although colleges operate independently of Government, and it is ultimately for them to decide on operational matters such as their campus footprint, Ministers recognise the vital role the campus in Alloa plays in providing access to services for the people in that community, and are keen that everything possible is done to keep the campus open.

In this year's allocations from the SFC, and in recognition of the vital role colleges play in communities across Scotland, all colleges received a 4.9% increase to support college maintenance in 2025-26, and Forth Valley College received a 2.3% uplift to the College's teaching allocation.

The Scottish Government is working collaboratively with the SFC and Colleges Scotland through the Tripartite Alignment Group to identify and implement flexibilities to support colleges. To date, the Group has created the conditions to improve the financial sustainability of the sector with the introduction of the SFC’s College Transformation Framework, and the new asset disposals process; and is supporting colleges to maximise commercial income.

Question reference: S6O-04995

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when information on farming payments will be publicly available, in accordance with section 19 of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024.