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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-38884

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the use of bioenergy fuels, such as renewable liquid gases, in heating systems will be permitted as part of its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.

The provisions of our proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will take a technology-neutral approach to decarbonising Scotland’s buildings, enabling building owners to choose the technology which is right for them. While not appropriate for most homes, bioenergy – as a low carbon, renewable energy source – can be the best solution to decarbonise heating heat homes in some communities. We intend to ensure that sustainable bioenergy and biofuels remain an option for these communities.

Question reference: S6W-38903

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is any statutory impediment to Glasgow City Council or any of its network of wholly and partly owned arm's-length external organisations (ALEOs) becoming a registered social landlord.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 sets out the legislative criteria for becoming a Registered Social Landlord (RSL) and the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) sets regulatory criteria under section 25 of the 2010 Act. A prospective RSL must meet both sets of criteria to be eligible for registration. The SHR have set out their registration criteria and constitutional requirements for social landlords in their Regulatory Framework. They will assess each application to determine whether the applicant body will be a viable organisation that can meet the demands of managing a social landlord’s business and providing services to tenants.

Question reference: S6W-38885

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to ensure that its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will be technology-neutral.

Question reference: S6W-38895

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the total current round of funding for the Housing Infrastructure Fund has been distributed to date.

Question reference: S6W-38883

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.

Question reference: S6W-39038

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to address any regional disparities in the investment or export support provided by Scottish Development International.

In Scotland, we provide a range of targeted support to Scottish businesses via our various agencies and partners as they progress through their internationalisation journey. This includes investment and resources to grow their exports, build resilience and compete on the global stage. This support is Scotland wide, and as such is accessible to all businesses regardless of their location.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the importance of addressing any regional disparities in the investment and/or export support provided by Scottish Development International (SDI). This commitment is reinforced in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation, which highlights the need to address current geographical disparities to deliver prosperity for all Scotland’s people and places, and emphasises that every region must both benefit from and contribute to a more productive and innovative economy. By recognising the distinct strengths and opportunities across Scotland’s diverse regions, the strategy underlines a clear intent to shape local economic plans that reflect and unlock regional potential—ensuring that export growth, investment and internationalisation are Scotland wide.

To ensure this is supported, a range of oversight mechanisms are in place. These include structured project management and performance indicators tracked through SDIs statistical reporting, and close collaboration with regional Enterprise Agencies and designated Trade and Investment leads to support activities for businesses across all regions in Scotland.

Additional support is also available through our wider partnership working and networks, such as Department for Business and Trade Scotland, including their export Champions, and the Scottish Chambers of Commerce network based in region, who play an active role in delivering this support.

Scotland continues to attract high quality investment projects and has retained its position as the UK’s top-performing region for foreign direct investment (FDI) outside London for a record tenth year, according to the EY UK Attractiveness Survey (June 2025). The Scottish Government actively continues to evaluate support programmes through structured assessments and independent reviews, confirming their effectiveness. Updated evaluations have already commenced for both inward and export promotion and are expected to complete this financial year.

Question reference: S6W-39086

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm the process and timescale for its consideration of the recalled appeal PPA-002-2021 at West Riverside and Woodbank House, Balloch.

The recalled appeal is currently with Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) with further procedures being carried out, with a revised target date of 11 September 2025 to provide a report to Ministers.

Once Ministers receive a reporter’s report from DPEA, we normally aim to issue decisions within 3 months, although the timescale can sometimes increase where there are more complex issues involved.

Question reference: S6W-39087

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Scotland in each of the last 10 years have been mergers and acquisitions of Scottish-headquartered businesses.

The Scottish Government uses a variety of sources to measure Scotland’s inward investment performance, including data from Scottish Enterprise and independent analysis published annually in the EY UK Attractiveness Survey for Scotland. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) is not a classification that the Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise use when measuring the performance of inward investment projects into Scotland. Scottish Enterprise classifies projects as new, expansion and safeguarding projects and as such, does not collect information on M&A activity. The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) provides estimates for M&A activity in Scotland based on their own internal definitions, classifications and methodology.

Scotland continues to attract new high quality investment projects, according to the latest EY survey published in June 2025. Scotland has maintained its position as the top performing region or nation of the UK for foreign direct investment (FDI) projects outside of London, for a record tenth year and is the sixth best performing region in Europe.

Question reference: S6W-39175

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the delay in the delivery of a treatment centre at Carrick Glen Hospital.

Question reference: S6W-39174

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the delay in the delivery of a treatment centre at Carrick Glen Hospital.

We are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan. This will reflect on needs across Scotland and support the continued safe operation of existing facilities, as well as the determination of longer term investment priorities. The National Treatment Centre (NTC) programme is currently paused and the development of the NTC Ayrshire and Arran remains under review at the current time; no assessment has made on the impact of the delay in the delivery of a centre at Carrick Glen.