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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: S6W-38063

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 1(1) of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, by what date the Scottish Ministers must (a) publish and (b) lay before the Scottish Parliament a national good food nation plan.

The national Good Food Nation Plan must be published and laid in Parliament before the end of the period of 3 months, beginning with the expiry of the 60 day period of parliamentary scrutiny. For example, if the proposed plan is laid on Friday 27 June, the 3 month period would begin on 30 September, meaning that the final plan would need to be published and laid within the period of 3 months from that date.

Question reference: S6W-37972

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to each of the key messages identified in the Just Transition Commission's report, Just Transition for Aberdeen and the North East, and whether it will provide a timeline for initiating a planning process for regions that sets out the (a) scope, (b) core objectives, (c) principles, (d) roles and responsibilities and (e) governance arrangements to "enable rapid progress in bringing together key stakeholders to begin joint planning efforts".

The Scottish Government set out its response to the Just Transition Commission Report A Just Transition for Aberdeen and the North East in a statement to parliament on 3 June. This confirmed that we accept the headline recommendations in principle and will take time to consider the report in detail before providing a full response.

Before we can undertake some of the planning that the sector needs, we need clarity from the UK Government in several key reserved areas, including the future regulatory and fiscal regimes for North Sea oil and gas.

The Scottish Government will also continue to provide support to the region and energy workforces within our devolved competence. This support includes the new £8.5 million round of the Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray and our £125 million investment in the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

Question reference: S6W-38273

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any proposal for a bypass at Girvan, South Ayrshire.

A Girvan Bypass was considered as part of the transport appraisal that supported the second Strategic Transport Project Review (STPR2). However, this option is not one of the 45 STPR2 recommendations, which make up our long term framework for investment in transport infrastructure.

Specifically, a bypass was not recommended as, taking account of the accident history and the volume of traffic on the sections of the route where a bypass may be considered, other options to maintain and safely operate the existing asset were considered more appropriate within communities compared to constructing new road infrastructure. This includes speed enforcement, options to reduce trunk road severance and expansion of 20mph zones / limits.

It should also be noted, the second phase of the Girvan speed management scheme commenced early in the 2025-26 financial year. This phase includes measures to improve the road layout through improved road markings, which will in turn encourage positive driver behaviours.

Question reference: S6W-38265

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the population of Glasgow city will recover to one million people.

I have asked Alison Byrne, Chief Executive of NRS to respond. Her response is:

As of mid-2023 (30 June 2023), the population of Glasgow City council area was estimated at 631,970. National Records of Scotland (NRS) has produced mid-year population estimates for Scotland’s 32 council areas on a consistent basis dating back to 1981. During this period, Glasgow City’s population was highest in mid-1981 at 712,370.

According to the 2018-based subnational population projections, which project the population of council areas up to mid-2043, the population of Glasgow City is projected to rise, reaching 662,740 by mid-2043. New, 2022-based sub-national population projections are due to be published later this year.

Population estimates are also produced for settlements. Scotland’s Census 2022 estimated the population of the Greater Glasgow settlement at 1,023,870 as of March 2022. Settlements are defined as groups of adjacent, high-density postcodes. For example, the Greater Glasgow settlement is larger than Glasgow City and includes areas like Paisley and Cambuslang.

Question reference: S6W-38271

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what performance reporting information it holds regarding the Home Energy Scotland service, specifically in relation to the transparency and accessibility of the customer journey for individual applications for grants and loans, and what opportunities are available for the public to review or track any such journeys.

The application, claim and repayment processes for the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme are currently administered by Energy Saving Trust (EST) via a competitively tendered contract. EST report their performance to the Scottish Government monthly against set Key Performance Indicators, which is monitored closely.

The Scottish Government is working to collate new data which will provide more detailed analysis of average application and claim processing timescales to assess the impact of recent and future streamlining improvements. This will be published in the longer term once it has been assured for accuracy.

Applicants to the scheme are able to track their journey and progress at any point through the application and claims portal.

Question reference: S6W-38262

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to eliminate bogus self-employment practices in Scottish public sector construction contracts.

Question reference: S6W-38639

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its reported plans to downgrade the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will have on existing staffing levels.

Question reference: S6W-38603

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that less than 10% of patients survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Scotland, what action Ministers are taking to improve CPR training and defibrillator familiarisation in schools, to improve citizen response to an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Question reference: S6W-38634

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to assess the interaction of section 20 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill with deer management powers in the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6W-38643

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the age range was of people reported to police for alleged illegal use of air guns in each of the last four years, also broken down by local authority area.