Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 46064 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-37435

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it conducts any assessments of the condition of general practice (a) buildings and (b) facilities, and, if so, whether it can provide details of those assessments.

Question reference: S6W-37436

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to (a) modernise and (b) expand the general practice estate in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-37230

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many property factors have applied to join the Scottish Property Factor Register in each year since 2011.

Due to a change in the system used to record applications to the Scottish Property Factor Register, information on the number of property factors who have applied to join the Register in each year since 2011 is not available.

However, the number of registered property factors at 31 December each year is provided in the following table.

Whilst the number of applications submitted in each year is likely to be higher than the number of registered property factors, due to applications being withdrawn before they are fully assessed, these figures should provide an approximation of the number of applications submitted to the Scottish Property Factor Register.

Year	Number of Registered Property Factors
2011	0 (the register opened in 2012)
2012	248
2013	330
2014	366
2015	382
2016	385
2017	404
2018	406
2019	389
2020	394
2021	397
2022	358
2023	367
2024	371
2025 (at 6th May 2025)	368

Question reference: S6W-37178

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that any changes to practice that may be required by NHS boards are undertaken in order that women who wish to be treated by other women, based on biological sex, can be treated in that way.

The Scottish Government has set up a short life working group to consider existing policies, guidance and legislation which may be impacted by the recent Supreme Court judgment. This work will position us towards a state of readiness to take all necessary steps when the EHRC’s revised Statutory Code of Practice on services, public functions and associations and updated guidance are published.

All public bodies must comply with the law.

Question reference: S6W-37148

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports a UK-wide framework to safeguard universities against intellectual property and technology transfers to foreign military regimes.

Scottish Government officials are engaging closely with UK Government, via the Department for Education, Department for Science Innovation and Technology, and the Home Office, on the development of the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme due to come into force on 1 July.

Officials also continue to engage with the UK Government on UK-wide frameworks and guidance regarding the management of international partnerships.

Whilst national security is reserved to the UK Government, the Scottish Government expect universities, as autonomous bodies, to conduct due diligence on managing risks associated with international partnerships and comply with relevant legal requirements, including the National Security Act 2023, and National Security and Investment Act 2021.

The Scottish Government also expects that universities will carefully consider guidance published by Universities UK, and the UK Government’s Research Collaboration Advice Team, to support them in managing risks of international partnerships.

Question reference: S6W-37231

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many property factors in total are currently on the Scottish Property Factor Register.

Question reference: S6W-37294

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the time limit for potential judicial review regarding planning consent in Scotland is 12 weeks, in light of it reportedly being six weeks in England.

The law underpinning judicial review of administrative action in Scotland is devolved and within the control of the Scottish Parliament. Judicial review functions are within the framework of Scots administrative law, with the power held by the Court of Session.

The time limit for judicial review is set out in the Court of Session Act 1988. The Act provides a three-month time limit for actions to be brought and where it is equitable to do so, allows the court to accept petitions out with this time limit.

The three-month time limit was introduced via the Court Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, following consultation, as this struck an appropriate balance of avoiding unnecessary delay whilst maintaining access to justice.

While the three-month time limit is the ‘standard’ period for bringing a judicial review, the 2014 Act allows for different periods to be set for particular cases. This is relevant as the time period for bringing a judicial review against any decision on any planning application or appeal determined by the Scottish Ministers is six weeks. This is set out in section 239 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.

The substantive laws regarding the grounds of judicial review in Scotland are similar to those in England and Wales, however the Scottish Government will not express a view about the position in England and Wales.

Question reference: S6O-04663

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the NHS and local authorities to support disabled people and carers in the North East Scotland region.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting disabled people and carers across Scotland.

This is demonstrated by our record investment of £21.7 billion in health and social care in 2025-26 which includes almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration and £88.4m per year in local carer support through the local authority Carers Act funding.

We will continue to work with Health and Social Care Partnerships, local authorities, and other partners across North East Scotland in the delivery of the NHS Renewal Framework, social care reform and Disability Equality Plan to drive improvements in support for disabled people and carers.

Question reference: S6O-04662

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress towards a national smart ticketing scheme for public transport.

The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will publish its first annual report in June, including progress on its year one 'Quick Wins'. This includes, for the first time, provision of digital integrated tickets for the Aberdeenshire and Dundee bus to bus schemes, due to launch this summer.

Consideration of a digital platform for our biggest national scheme, free bus travel, is also underway, with the intention of a pilot scheme in 2026, unlocking the use of mobile devices for concessionary travel. This aligns with the milestones as set out in our Smart Delivery Strategy in August 2024.

Question reference: S6O-04695

Current Status: Withdrawn