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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-43305

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the phase 3 of the Permitted Development Rights review that was carried out in 2023, whether it plans to amend Permitted Development Rights, particularly in relation to energy efficiency measures in conservation areas.

Following consultation, in May 2024 the Scottish Government expanded permitted development rights to allow, amongst other measures, solar panels and replacement windows to be installed on domestic and non-domestic buildings in conservation areas without the need for a planning application.

These rights are subject to certain restrictions and conditions in order to strike an appropriate balance between tackling climate change and protecting the character and appearance of conservation areas.

Guidance on the revised and extended permitted development rights can be found in Planning Circular 1/2024: Householder Permitted Development Rights and Planning Circular 2/2024: non-domestic permitted development rights

Our recent consultation related to permitted development rights, which closed in October 2025, sought views on various options, including the potential further expansion of permitted development rights for domestic air source heat pumps. The responses to that consultation are currently being considered and a consultation report will be published in due course.

Question reference: S6W-43333

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin the review of council tax arrears for victims of domestic abuse, as required by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.

The Scottish Government recognise that joint and several liability for Council Tax can create very difficult circumstances for those experiencing or who have experienced abuse.

We want to understand this better, which is why we supported the inclusion of provisions during the passage of The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 which require a review of how joint and several liability for Council Tax arrears affects people experiencing domestic abuse.

As set out in Section 76(2) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, Scottish Ministers must complete this review no later than the 6th of November 2026, which is the end of the period of one year beginning with the day of Royal Assent.

This review would aim to help councils navigate these complex cases with greater care and understanding, ensuring that support is available.

Question reference: S6W-43363

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42929 by Jenny Gilruth on 26 January 2026, what its position is on requiring schools to maintain a stock of spare adrenaline auto-injectors, in light of their importance in responding to a severe allergic reaction in a pupil who has not been diagnosed or experienced such a reaction previously.

Question reference: S6W-43362

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ScotRail had with the Department for Transport regarding the issue of minimum railcard fares before 10.00 am for passengers in Scotland prior to the subsequent removal of peak fares from all ScotRail services.

Question reference: S6W-43314

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support increased judicial discretion in the timescales for the making of orders under Regulation 9 of the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011, particularly in cases of admitted, or ongoing instances of, regulatory non-compliance from landlords.

Question reference: S6W-43326

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on efforts made to connect the Golden Jubilee Hospital to the Queens Quay district heating network.

Question reference: S6W-43315

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend Regulation 9(2) of the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 to allow tribunals to make orders more than three months after the end of a tenancy.

Question reference: S6W-42929

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42426 by Jenny Gilruth on 22 December 2025, and in light of reports that one in four first-time episodes of life-threatening reactions (anaphylaxis) in the UK occur in schools, for what reason its current guidance on dealing with allergies in schools is focused on supporting children whose allergy has already been diagnosed.

The guidance on supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools includes advice on what to do in the event of a possible severe allergic reaction from a pupil who has not been diagnosed with, or experienced, this reaction previously and also advice on what to do for those where an allergy is known.

The guidance states that schools may administer their "spare" adrenaline auto-injector (AAI) device for a pupil at risk of anaphylaxis, where both medical authorisation and written parental consent for use of the spare AAI device has been provided.

Paragraph 25 of the guidance also sets out what schools should do in the event of a possible severe allergic reaction in a pupil who has not been diagnosed or experienced this reaction previously. This paragraph states that in these circumstances the emergency services should be contacted on 999 and advice sought from them as to whether administration of the school’s spare emergency AAI would be appropriate. The Healthcare in Schools Guidance is available from Supporting children and young people with healthcare needs in schools: guidance - gov.scot.

Question reference: S6W-42976

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ben Macpherson on 13 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Fair Work is embedded in practice in tertiary education in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to seeing Fair Work embedded in practice across the public sector and beyond in Scotland. Implementation of Fair Work First must be the guiding criteria to promote fairer work practices for staff within tertiary education, and in particular in colleges and universities. The Scottish Government made this clear in its most recent Letter of Guidance to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The SFC monitors compliance of fundable bodies through annual reporting and accounts, and as part of their Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model, and considers any appropriate interventions to support compliance.

Colleges and universities in receipt of government funding through SFC are currently expected to meet two mandatory Fair Work First criteria (payment of at least the real Living Wage; and provision of appropriate channels for effective workers’ voice, such as trade union recognition), while being encouraged to meet all other non-mandatory Fair Work First criteria.

I can announce today that, from April 2027, fundable post-16 education bodies in Scotland will be expected to adopt all Fair Work First criteria and that SFC will look to include these as a condition of grant. In acknowledgement of the fact that these bodies will be at different stages of implementing the five currently non-mandatory Fair Work First criteria, the SFC will take forward appropriate transition periods for planning. Therefore, an individual body may be given a longer lead-in time to implement a specific criterion, where they, in partnership with recognised trade unions or work representatives, can make a case to do so. This will be done alongside ongoing work by the SFC to undertake closer monitoring of governance at colleges and universities, and consider enhancements to its current processes, including in relation to Fair Work, through its Outcomes Framework and Assurance Model.

Question reference: S6W-42426

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is to ensure that schools are fully prepared to deal with allergy incidents, including staff training on anaphylaxis and adequate supplies of spare adrenaline auto-injectors (AAIs), and whether it will consider making these measures mandatory rather than only guidance.

Schools must arrange specialist anaphylaxis training for staff where a pupil within the school has been diagnosed as being at risk of anaphylaxis. Where this happens, schools should ensure there are a reasonable number of designated members of staff available to provide sufficient coverage, including times when staff are on leave. Furthermore, schools also have the authority to buy and hold spare Adrenaline Auto-injector (AAI) devices without the need for a prescription to use in emergency situations.

The Scottish Government believes there is currently sufficient legislation in place to require schools in Scotland to take appropriate action to safeguard children and young people with allergies. The Schools (Safety and Supervision of Pupils) (Scotland) Regulations 1990 provide that "without prejudice to any duties of education authorities arising under statute or any rule of law, every education authority shall take reasonable care for the safety of pupils when under their charge". This includes protecting pupils at risk of allergy from potential harm, therefore we have no plans to introduce further legislation relating to this matter.