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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-04976

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether its current above-inflation public sector pay deals have appropriate contingencies in place, in light of the recent rise in the Consumer Price Index and reported concerns regarding inflation.

Question reference: S6O-04967

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its current priorities are for international trading links.

Question reference: S6O-04989

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the UK Government’s energy policy, including licensing decisions and investment priorities, on jobs in Scotland’s offshore energy sector and on progress towards a just transition.

Question reference: S6O-04968

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how the Glasgow City Region Deal can support improvements to transport and connectivity across the region.

Question reference: S6W-40318

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide core funding for essential roles on brain tumour research, such as clinical research nurses and data analysts.

The Scottish Government, through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) provides core funding to promote and support excellence in clinical and translational research.

Within NRS, the Scottish Cancer Research Network works to increase, support and sustain cancer clinical trial activity across the NHS in Scotland. This work is underpinned by core funding from the Scottish Government.

The Scottish Cancer Research Network employs Clinical Research Nurses and Data Managers based on operational needs. The Network currently employs 2 dedicated Neuro-oncology Research Nurses and 2 specialist Data Managers.

Question reference: S6W-40328

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to colleges that are facing a material reduction in income following changes of policy in relation to the transfer of funds between revenue and capital departmental expenditure limit budgets.

In 2024-25 the Scottish Government worked with the Scottish Funding Council and enabled a £13.4m ‘swap’ of capital for resource funding, recognising that colleges required additional resource funding for maintenance purposes.

Aware of the maintenance pressures colleges continue to face, actions are underway through the College Tripartite Alignment Group, comprising of Scottish Government, the SFC and Colleges Scotland, to consider options for a current year and longer term solution. These discussions sit in the context of SFC’s ongoing work with the sector to develop a College Infrastructure Investment Plan, due to publish in autumn 2026.

The Tripartite Alignment Group provides strategic direction on the pressures and opportunities facing colleges. More can be found about its work here on the Scottish Government’s website. For example, the Group has increased the flexibility in the system with the introduction of the SFC’s College Transformation Framework in Academic Year 2025-26 which offers options around bespoke funding arrangements between colleges and the SFC to enable colleges to plan their curriculum more effectively over a number of years. The Group has also agreed a new asset disposals process which enables most colleges to retain a significant proportion of the value of any sale to invest locally.

Question reference: S6W-40330

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to colleges seeking to reduce costs or increase income in order to remain financially viable.

With public finances at their most strained since devolution, this government has made a long-term commitment to supporting the college sector by increasing teaching funding by 2.1% and capital maintenance by 4.9% compared to 2024-25.

In addition, £3.5 million of targeted support for skills pathways in offshore wind and social care has been provided.

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) continuously monitors the college sector to ensure sustainable and coherent provision, engaging with institutions as needed. The Scottish Government also works collaboratively with the SFC and Colleges Scotland through the Tripartite Alignment Group to identify and implement flexibilities to support colleges.

To date, the Group has created the conditions to improve the financial sustainability of the sector with the introduction of the SFC’s College Transformation Framework and new asset disposals process; and is supporting colleges to maximise commercial income.

Question reference: S6W-40314

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that passengers from Lockerbie train station can benefit from the removal of peak fares.

ScotRail is not currently contracted or funded by Transport Scotland to operate rail services to Lockerbie. This has been investigated several times in the past but cannot be delivered efficiently by extending an existing service to Lockerbie.

It would require the leasing of additional trains and recruitment of staff resulting in an increased cost of several million pounds each year. It is therefore most cost efficient to the taxpayer, for cross-border operators to serve the station.

Options were explored to find a solution for Lockerbie station, however due to a range of factors, no sensible solution could be progressed at this time.

Question reference: S6W-40313

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish, for each year since 2020, school-level data showing the (a) number and (b) percentage of pupils attaining (i) SQA National Qualifications at SCQF Level 6 (Highers and equivalent) and (ii) other SCQF Level 6 awards, such as Foundation Apprenticeships and National Progression Awards.

The Scottish Government has published school-level information in the Schools Information Dashboard covering the percentage of pupils attaining qualifications at each SCQF level. This covers all SCQF qualifications including National Qualifications and vocational and technical qualifications and awards such as (but not limited to) Foundation Apprenticeships and National Progression Awards.

The dashboard is available via the following link: Secondary School Information Dashboard

Question reference: S6W-40316

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports collaborative research on brain tumours.

In March 2025 the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office and the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission (TJBCM) announced a partnership to advance brain tumour treatment, care and research through Scotland's first dedicated neuro-oncology fellowships.

Two TJBCM fellowships have to date been funded via this collaboration: a neuro-oncology fellowship hosted jointly in Glasgow and Edinburgh, and a brain tumour neurology fellowship hosted in Glasgow.