Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-40000

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) will publish a list of all the ownerless property that it currently holds within the Glasgow City Council area by virtue of (a) ultimus haeres (estates of people who died without heirs or a will) and (b) bona vacantia (property last owned by dissolved companies).

The King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) has an administrative function only and he does not hold or own property which has fallen to him as bona vacantia or ultimus haeres.

The KLTR already publishes a list of properties which have fallen to the Crown as bona vacantia which are (or were) suitable for consideration through the KLTR’s Ownerless Property Transfer Scheme (OPTS). These properties, including those currently under consideration within the Glasgow City Council area, can be viewed on the KLTR’s website at: Cases | KLTR.

The OPTS was launched in March 2024. During this process, the KLTR circulates information on properties to public bodies, local authorities and communities to ascertain if there is a local interest in taking ownership. The OPTS then provides for the property to be transferred to the applicant at a nominal value where there is a public interest in doing so. OPTS Guidance can be viewed on the KLTR’s website at: OPTS Guidance | KLTR

The KLTR’s website also includes a list of estates which the KLTR has administered (or is presently administering) which appear to have fallen to the Crown as ultimus haeres in the absence of a will or identifiable heirs. This can be viewed at Find an estate | KLTR

Question reference: S6W-39781

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote financial literacy to young people in schools.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Financial Education in equipping learners with key life skills. Financial literacy is embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and maths, business studies and personal and social education classes. Financial Education is a key feature of Curriculum for Excellence “Experiences and Outcomes” for Numeracy and Mathematics, assisting learners in understanding the benefits and risks of bank cards, effectively managing money, making appropriate use of technology and appreciating the importance of budgeting.

Education Scotland provides professional learning resources enabling educators to reflect on their own understanding and knowledge and to support future learning and teaching about money. Guidance is available for primary and secondary schools highlighting the links between financial education and Curriculum for Excellence. In addition, a wide range of teaching resources are provided by the private and Third Sector. These include Barclays LifeSkills, financial education guidance from the Money & Pension Service and the work of the charity, Money Ready.

Education Scotland are currently reviewing the curriculum in line with the Curriculum Improvement Cycle programme. As part of this review, work is taking place to review the place of financial education within the curriculum. Education Scotland are engaging with a wide range of practitioners and stakeholders, including children and young people, to review current Financial Education teaching and practice and plan how it can most effectively be integrated into the curriculum, ensuring an equitable approach.

Question reference: S6W-39877

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many energy consent applications have been lodged with the Energy Consents Unit in each year since 2021 in the (a) Highlands and Islands Region and (b) the rest of Scotland.

Details of applications made to the Energy Consents Unit under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act (1989) in the last five years are as follows:

Highlands and Islands planning authorities	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Section 36 applications (electricity generating station)	10	15	16	20	25
Section 37 applications (overhead lines)	21	51	41	33	17

Rest of Scotland planning authorities	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
Section 36 applications (electricity generating station)	20	31	39	51	32
Section 37 applications (overhead lines)	34	30	34	29	18

Question reference: S6W-39823

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has conducted on the issue of the cancellation of police officers’ rest days, which has reportedly had a detrimental impact on officers’ mental health.

The deployment and management of Police Officers are matters for the Chief Constable. However, I am aware that the cancellation of rest days can be due to a number of reasons, including attendance at court and the policing of events.

The Scottish Government is supporting its justice partners in achieving the outcomes described in the Vision for Justice in Scotland by taking forward a programme to drive key areas of reform, including criminal justice efficiency.

One element of this is the Summary Case Management currently being rolled out across Scotland. This initiative aims to improve the management of summary criminal cases in Scotland and reduce the number of unnecessary hearings. A pilot evaluation report published in September shows a significant reduction in the volume of witness citations being issued, this relates to police officers, victims and witnesses. The impact on police witnesses has been positive with a reduction of citations for domestic cases by up to 34% in all pilot courts. This equates to around 5000 citations not being served on operational officers in pilot areas.

Police Scotland are also progressing work to reduce the impact policing of events on officers such as the Force Mobilisation Model.

Question reference: S6W-40124

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding paragraph 8 in part 2 of The Primary Medical Services - (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004, whether it plans to strengthen the requirement to “consider” an application to one where there would be a presumption for NHS boards to support a proposal for new or improved premises if a suitable proposal and adequate funding package can be formulated.

Paragraph 8 in part 2 of the Primary Medical Services (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 sets out that:

Health Boards must have in place a plan for the development of premises to support the provision of Primary Medical Services. This plan must be approved in consultation with the local Area Medical Committee. This plan should be updated annually and be consistent with the Health Board’s wider Property Strategy.

The Scottish Government does not believe that including a presumption in the directions that NHS boards should support proposals for new or improved premises if a suitable proposal and adequate funding package can be formulated would be a material improvement on the general requirement for NHS boards’ wider property strategies to cover the needs of primary medical services.

Question reference: S6W-40123

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed The Primary Medical Services - (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004, and whether there are plans to update the existing directive.

Question reference: S6W-40125

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will amend The Primary Medical Services - (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 to introduce guidance for NHS boards to consider marking projects as a priority for funding based on (a) the age of an existing premises, for example, if a building is more than 100 years old and (b) population growth related to any increase in house building that is placing a strain on local practices and necessitating the delivery of expanded or new-build medical facilities.

Paragraph 8 in part 2 of the Primary Medical Services (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 sets out that:

Health Boards must have in place a plan for the development of premises to support the provision of Primary Medical Services. This plan must be approved in consultation with the local Area Medical Committee. This plan should be updated annually and be consistent with the Health Board’s wider Property Strategy.

The Scottish Government does not believe that including guidance in the directions that NHS boards should make projects a priority for funding based on the age of existing buildings and population growth would be a material improvement on the general requirement for NHS boards’ wider property strategies to cover the needs of primary medical services.

Question reference: S6W-40267

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-39894

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31416 by Neil Gray on 28 November 2024, how many Scottish Graduate Entry Medicine (ScotGEM) graduates from summer 2023 have since taken up GPST 1 posts in Scotland following completion of their foundation year 2, broken down by NHS board area.

At the time of response six ScotGEM 2023 graduates have already taken up GPST 1 posts in Scotland, these are broken down by health board in the following table.

Health board	GPST 1 post taken up by 2023 ScotGEM graduate
NHS Borders	1
NHS Forth Valley	1
NHS Grampian	1
NHS Highland	1
NHS Lanarkshire	1
NHS Lothian	1

The Scottish Government is currently undertaking an initial evaluation of the ScotGEM programme, which will include analysis of student destinations following undergraduate study.

Question reference: S6W-39764

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it received before its ministers publicly stated its position that Israel is committing genocide.

Seòmar agus comataidhean