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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6O-05126

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support the creative industries in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6O-05154

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-41421

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent analysis Transport Scotland has undertaken of trends in wave height on subsidised ferry routes.

The ICP Vessels and Port Plan notes that vessel and infrastructure project design development should consider issues such as wind and wave/swell modelling data to ensure and provide an optimum solution for ferry services to island communities. We will continue to work closely with all port owners and both our subsidised operators to ensure that climate change adaption is an integral part of the design and delivery of all projects.

Both CalMac and CMAL have also conducted wave height analysis at specific ports as part of project development and as part of ongoing service operation. Information is gathered from a number of sources including installed wave buoys to inform day to day operational decisions. CMAL intend to continue gathering wave data at certain ports which will enable monitoring for any trends over time. This will be complementary to the wind, weather and tidal data that CMAL and operators already gather across the network from a range of sources.

CMAL have recently discussed trends in wave heights with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as part of the SVRP Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects, with data primarily sourced from the Met Office. This approach is also taken on other vessel and infrastructure projects to inform potential service review and design requirements. CalMac will be producing a weather resilience and climate adaptation plan which will look at the wider impact of climate change on services.

Question reference: S6W-41398

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the temporary barriers will be removed from the carriageway at the railway overbridge at Whitevale Street in Dennistoun.

Question reference: S6W-41331

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications in each local authority area are currently under review by the Energy Consents Unit.

Details of applications in each local authority area currently under review for consideration by the Energy Consents Unit are as follows:

Local Planning Authority	Section 36 applications (electricity generating station)
Aberdeenshire	3
Dumfries and Galloway	6
East Ayrshire	1
East Lothian	1
Highland	5
Midlothian	1
Moray	4
Scottish Borders	1
South Ayrshire	3
South Lanarkshire	3
Stirling	1

Local Planning Authority	Section 37 applications (overhead lines)
Angus	1
East Renfrewshire	1
Fife	1
Perth and Kinross	2

Question reference: S6W-41335

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will produce an island communities impact assessment to evaluate any impact of its proposed Air Departure Tax on island communities.

Question reference: S6W-41165

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding what progress has been made in assigning a share of VAT revenues raised in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament, in light of the provisions set aside at section16 of the Scotland Act 2016 to allow this.

VAT Assignment was most recently discussed with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury at a meeting of the Joint Exchequer Committee on 17 October 2025.

The Scottish Government has noted the comments from the House of Commons Scottish Affairs Committee and the Scottish Parliament Finance and Public Administration Committee on the risks and challenges regarding the implementation of VAT Assignment and the governments will have further discussions on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-41401

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct CMAL to disregard any tenders from Chinese shipbuilding firms, in light of reported concerns regarding unfair, market-distorting state support for Chinese shipbuilding firms, and the lack of a trade agreement between the UK and China as defined by section 89 of the Procurement Act 2023.

There is no policy or approach that excludes Chinese companies from bidding for work on Scottish Government led or funded projects. CMAL, as the Procuring Authority, considers bids for vessel contracts in accordance with the requirements of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

We expect CMAL, as the Procuring Authority, to carry out appropriate due diligence, including financial and other checks on all of the companies they invite to tender

Question reference: S6W-41334

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider updating its economic impact assessment for its proposed Air Departure Tax, in light of the reported delays to its implementation.

Question reference: S6W-41420

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected cost is of CalMac Ferries time charter of MV Arrow for additional freight capacity on the Ullapool-Stornoway route between October and November 2025.