- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration was given to the stability of the local government funding system, as required under the Settlement and Distribution Group’s remit, when proposing changes that may result in significant year-on-year losses for individual local authorities.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42080 by Angela Constance on 9 December 2025, whether all 21 transgender people in the prison estate are housed in the women's prison estate.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
As explained in the answer to S6W-42080; as a public body we must uphold our statutory obligation to ensure everyone in our care has their personal information protected. Given that the 21 transgender people in our custody represent only 0.3% of the total prison population, we are unable to provide any further disaggregation of this data into which estate they are held in as there is a potential risk of identification of individuals due to the very small numbers involved.
You are aware of the current trans policy as set out in S6W-42080 ensures that no trans woman with a risk of violence against women and girls is placed in the female estate and that the relevant data on trans prison numbers is part of the data we publish on a quarterly basis, the last of which can be found here.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether directors of finance or officials raised any concerns about the quality or suitability of the new data used in the revised social care funding formula, and, if so, how those concerns were addressed before the proposal was put to COSLA leaders for approval.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the new data underpinning the revised social care funding formula accurately reflects demographic pressures and service delivery costs in rural local authorities, and how this was tested before the formula was agreed.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any financial impact of the revised social care funding formula, including the estimated gross gain or loss prior to the application of any floor mechanism, for each local authority.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government when officials first became aware that census data from 2001 and 2011 continued to be used in the social care funding formula after more recent census data was available, and what action was taken at that point.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42760 on 16 January 2026. 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
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports regarding poor housing standards experienced by seasonal farm workers, what consideration it has given to implementing section 315(6) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987.
Answer
Section 315 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 provisions are already in force which allows a local authority to take forward byelaws for the standard of accommodation for seasonal workers within its area should it decide it is the most appropriate route for its local area.
- Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards implementing the concluding observations of the seventh state party review of the UK by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, where they apply to devolved matters.
Answer
The Scottish Government published a High-Level Action Plan in November 2025, outlining current and planned actions in response to the UN Committee’s Concluding Observations. This Plan reaffirms Scotland’s commitment to advancing economic, social and cultural rights and provides a framework for collaboration and accountability. It includes actions we are taking in areas such as social security, housing, health, and education.
Later this year we intend to launch a new Human Rights Tracker – this will further strengthen our ability to take coordinated action on the devolved recommendations we receive from international human rights treaty bodies and to monitor progress.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) the Scottish Ministers and (b) civil servants have had with representatives of Lomond Banks, and on what dates.
Answer
Scottish Ministers and civil servants involved in handling the Lomond Banks recalled appeal have not held any meetings with representatives of Lomond Banks regarding this appeal. The Scottish Government conducts its planning casework responsibilities in accordance with the principles set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 January 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Public Finance will take a decision on the Lomond Banks planning application before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Scottish Ministers are giving full and proper consideration to the Reporter’s findings and recommendation on the Lomond Banks recalled appeal. The final decision will be issued as soon as possible. Updates will be published on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) website: Scottish Government - DPEA - Case Details.