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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: S6F-04477

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04483

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 November 2025

To ask the First Minister, in light of ExxonMobil's announcement of the closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant, what action the Scottish Government is taking to mitigate any damage this will cause to the Cowdenbeath area and the wider Scottish economy.

Question reference: S6W-41784

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what specific outcomes have been achieved from the Glasgow City Region Deal since its inception in 2014.

The Deal publishes both Annual and Quarterly Performance Reports to Governments and the City Region Cabinet, which are publicly available and report on delivery of the Deal.

Our investment has delivered significant outcomes to date including 34.9 hectares of enhanced public realm, more than 68 kilometres of new cycling and pedestrian routes, and over 63 hectares of vacant and derelict land reclaimed. At the tenth anniversary last year, partners announced that £880 million of follow-on investment has been secured.

Further benefits, including jobs, will be assessed as projects are completed and evaluated.

Question reference: S6W-41770

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the prevalence of organised crime involvement in small retail businesses across the country.

The Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of the prevalence of organised crime in small retail businesses.

The Scottish Government works with members of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCT) to detect and disrupt organised crime in Scotland. I chaired a meeting of the SOCT on 13 November where members heard an update from Police Scotland and other law enforcement partners on Operation Machinize followed by a presentation from Trading Standards officials on organised crime on the high streets.

Operation Machinize was launched by law enforcements partners in England earlier this year. This was in response to growing intelligence reports that some retail premises are being used for money laundering and other criminal activity. These include vape shops, Turkish barbers, mini-markets and other cash-intensive businesses, which can be fronts for organised crime. The second phase, which included Police Scotland and other partners based at the Scottish Crime Campus, took place during the month of October and has achieved some successful results.

Question reference: S6W-41777

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure all youth organisations receiving public funds have robust safeguarding standards.

Scottish Government’s grant conditions require all funded youth organisations to comply with the clauses as set out in their grant letter. Clause 4.7 requires them to: have robust safeguarding policies and procedures in place to protect vulnerable adults and children which comply with current national guidance in Scotland; report all and any cases of suspected abuse or malpractice relating to anyone involved in delivery of the agreed Activities or any beneficiary of these Activities to Scottish Ministers and the relevant authorities immediately; and provide, upon request, copies of their policies and procedures.

It is a legal requirement for people carrying out regulated roles with children or protected adults to be in the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. Organisations must not offer a regulated role to an individual without confirming scheme membership.

Disclosure Scotland carried out a major public communications campaign earlier this year to ensure that stakeholders, including youth groups, understand that the PVG Scheme is now a legal requirement for people doing regulated roles with children and protected adults.

In 2025-26, the Scottish Government are providing grant funding to Youth Scotland to deliver capacity-building for youth workers and volunteers through training and workforce development. This includes further development of a suite of online resources including safeguarding policies and procedures.

Question reference: S6W-41778

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic impact of greater fiscal devolution for city regions.

As outlined in the Programme for Government, we are committed to further regional devolution through Regional Partnerships. We see empowering regions as a key lever to strengthen Scotland’s economy – and we will provide more detail on how we plan to do that before the end of this parliament.

We have already seen the impact of our £1.9 billion investment in Regional Growth and City Region Deals across Scotland. These deals have demonstrated the effectiveness of regional delivery and partnership working in upgrading public infrastructure and driving regional growth.

There is also great progress being made on the Investment Zones being delivered by Regional Partnerships in Glasgow City Region and the North East. The Scottish Government is providing an additional package of non-domestic rates retention which Regional Partnerships will decide how to invest in the area over a 25 year period.

Any proposals to formal empower regional partnerships will of course be formed with active input from local and regional partners, and robust impact assessment by officials.

Question reference: S6W-41796

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government and law enforcement agencies regarding the role of organised crime in money laundering through retail premises in Scotland.

The Scottish Government regularly liaises with the UK Government and law enforcement partners about money laundering.

As I referred to in my answer to S6W-41770 on 24 November 2025, Operation Machinize has had successful results in relation to disrupting activity within shops that are being used for money laundering.

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-41781

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures value for money and accountability of existing City Region and Growth Deal investments.

The Scottish Government assesses value for money and accountability on all City Region and Growth Deal projects. Each project must develop a robust business case, aligned with HM Treasury’s Green Book which is reviewed by Government officials to ensure it delivers social and economic benefits, is deliverable and sustainable. The economic case of each project business case in particular must demonstrate associated cost-benefit and value for money assessments.

Accountability rests primarily with regional partners, who are empowered to identify, manage and deliver projects which deliver economic growth opportunities within their geographical areas. A strong governance framework underpins each Deal which includes locally elected member oversight and regular performance reporting at quarterly and annual junctures with Government officials where progress is rigorously reviewed.

The Scottish Government also provides oversight via co-chairing the Scottish City Region and Growth Deals Delivery Board, ensuring appropriate scrutiny and oversight of this £3.4 billion programme of investment.

Question reference: S6W-41772

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding universities will receive to offset any loss of international student income.

Decisions around the Scottish Government’s Budget are being considered over the coming months. The Scottish Government will continue to work collaboratively with Universities Scotland on developing a framework for the sustainability of universities, including considering future funding needs.

Through our International Education Strategy, we are committed to strengthening global connections through education and research exchange, in working collaboratively with our world leading universities and colleges, while promoting Scotland as a destination to live, work, and study.

Question reference: S6W-41769

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Teachers’ Side of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers has reportedly not received a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to its proposal regarding teacher class contact time, which was tabled at the committee on 18 September 2025.

The Scottish Government is represented at all meetings of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) by nominated government officials. Scottish Ministers do not sit on SNCT committees or sub groups and do not respond directly to tabled papers for these meetings.

I am pleased that earlier this year the SNCT subgroup on Reducing Class Contact Time agreed with the Scottish Government proposal to develop a workplan to deliver a route map towards reducing class contact time, at pace.

We will continue working with teacher union and local government colleagues through the SNCT to reach agreement on next steps towards the reduction.