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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: S6W-44022

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on developing a method to capture and measure the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses.

The Scottish Government does not currently gather data specifically relating to the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses, however we know from Scotland’s Census in 2022 that around 10,000 veterans identified as self-employed.

With a new UK wide Veterans’ Strategy published in November 2025 and a Scottish Government commitment to refresh the 2022 Action Plan this year, the range of information gathered in relation to veterans in Scotland will be considered. We will, in formulating our Action Plan, be considering whether we need data to either assess whether there is any disadvantage faced by veterans in establishing businesses or in order to pinpoint success worth celebrating.

Question reference: S6W-44021

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish Veterans Commissioner to discuss matters relating to veterans' housing, and what the outcome of that meeting was.

I last met with the Scottish Veterans Commissioner (SVC) on 4 December 2025 to discuss matters relating to veterans housing.

At that meeting, several actions were agreed, which are now being taken forward by Scottish Government officials. These include, updating the housing guide for service leavers on the Scottish Government website and working with the Scottish Veterans Housing Group on the top priorities for the veterans’ homelessness prevention pathway.

Question reference: S6W-44327

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what progress has been made towards reviewing allowances for paternity and parental partner leave for all staff.

Question reference: S6O-05644

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, regarding its role in staffing and resourcing the Lobbying Register, what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the register in its current form.

Question reference: S6O-05682

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its response is to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee announcement on pastoral support for MSPs that was made in the Chamber on 10 March.

Question reference: S6O-05680

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether MSP staff and SPS staff will benefit from the new national bank holiday introduced to mark Scotland’s participation in the men's football World Cup.

Question reference: S6O-05643

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will reinstate the bust of Michael "Mick" McGahey previously displayed in the Garden Lobby.

Question reference: S6O-05647

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the Edinburgh accommodation allowance for MSPs will be reviewed, in light of the City of Edinburgh Council announcing that, from 1 April 2026, the premium applied to council tax on second homes will increase from 100% to 300%.

Question reference: S6O-05646

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the estimated annual staff resource cost is to the SPCB of administering the random selection and processing system for oral questions that result in a "not lodged" status.

Question reference: S6O-05683

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will initiate a review of how the scheduling of parliamentary business during the current session has impacted on parliamentary resources, particularly in light of the large volume of stage 3 proceedings in the final weeks.