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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-37622

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to reform governance arrangements for growth deals to ensure greater transparency and accountability to local communities.

We have put a number of measures in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the Growth Deals.

The activities supported by Regional Growth Deals are designed by Local Authorities in consultation with the communities they serve. The decision-making structures supporting the Deals include elected members chosen by communities to serve their areas.

Information on Deal delivery is provided through published annual reports and regular updates on specific projects and programmes, all made available on each individual Growth Deal’s website.

Question reference: S6W-37625

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of funding it expects to commit to growth deals in the next financial year, and how this funding will be distributed regionally.

Question reference: S6W-37624

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to ensuring that the small business sector is given a formal role in the design and delivery of any future growth deals.

Question reference: S6W-37764

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when its review into nursing student finance will conclude, and when it will publish the findings.

The Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery (PNM) student financial support review is currently ongoing. This review will take time, as it is important that we clearly understand how we can support our PNM students to complete their studies. The options for consideration will be presented to the me before the end of the year. An equalities impact assessment will be published once the review has concluded.

Question reference: S6W-37710

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the evaluations from the pilots of a "single-case flow" approach to planning and SEPA Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licences from the Shetland Islands Council and Highland Council areas.

Question reference: S6W-37600

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that maternity pay for firefighters in Scotland is £16,400 less than other regions of the UK, whether this is compatible with its commitment to fair work.

The pay and conditions of firefighters are negotiated through well-established collective bargaining arrangements at a UK wide level. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Maternity Policy provides maternity leave for 26 weeks at full pay and 13 weeks at Statutory Maternity Pay in line with the current terms and conditions agreed at the National Joint Council.

SFRS is committed to the national collective bargaining arrangements for the sector and therefore this remains the Service's preferred route to agree changes to terms and conditions.

As SFRS is complying in full with the terms and conditions negotiated with trade unions in 2024, it is compatible with its commitment to fair work.

Question reference: S6W-37061

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently published Fisheries Management and Conservation Group stakeholder survey showing that 21 out of 23 participating marine stakeholders believe that FMAC is not delivering on its current aims and responsibilities, what conclusions it has drawn from the stakeholder response, and what specific changes it is planning to make to co-management arrangements to address the issues raised in the survey.

I refer the member to the answers to questions S6W-36304 on 9 April 2025 and S6W-37060 on 30 April 2025. The Scottish Government has concluded that, as the primary issue with the functioning of FMAC appears to lie with its current structure, the decision to split the FMAC group should make the group more effective and help address the issues raised within the stakeholder survey.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-37623

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of the economic outcomes achieved through the first round of City and Regional Growth Deals.

Each Deal is required to produce a Benefits Realisation Plan setting both quantitative and qualitative objectives and measures for the programme. Each Deal produces an annual report detailing progress made on the delivery of agreed projects and programmes and on their intended outputs and outcomes. We monitor progress on outcomes on a regular basis via Annual Conversations which involve senior staff from both governments and local authority partners to review the past year’s activity and look ahead to future milestones. Annual reports for all deals are made publicly available on each deal’s website enabling visibility of what is being achieved.

Question reference: S6W-37573

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce legislation to require all public buildings and those supported by public funding to connect to district heating, to help provide demand assurance for heat networks.

Question reference: S6W-37461

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) support and (b) compensation is available to people affected by wildfires.

The Scottish Government does not operate a compensation scheme for those affected by wildfires. Standard UK home insurance policies generally cover fire damage to both the building and its contents. Coverage can include structural repairs, personal belongings, damage caused by emergency services, and temporary accommodation if required.

During a large multi agency incident a local Emergency Liaison, Local or Regional Resilience Partnership (RRP) may be stood up by any agency. These are established by multi-agency partnerships comprising representatives from local public services, including emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, and others. These partners, known as Category 1 Responders, are mandated by the Civil Contingencies Act. RRPs also collaborate with Category 2 responders, such as utility companies and the Highways Agency, to ensure comprehensive preparedness, response and recovery to emergencies.