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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-39297

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what proportion of new cars registered in Scotland in 2024 were acquired through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme.

As of year-end 2024 there were 36,884 new cars registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme, representing 22% of all cars registered in Scotland throughout the year. We are proud to have delivered vital mobility support to disabled people through the AVE Scheme.

The AVE Scheme offers disabled people a range of vehicles on affordable leasing terms, including vehicles with no advanced payment required, a comprehensive package of care and maintenance for no more than the weekly cost of the mobility component of their qualifying benefit.

Question reference: S6W-39262

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that Scottish SPCA guidance stating that, in the event of an animal requiring euthanasia, a vet should perform the injection rather than Scottish SPCA staff could result in increased animal suffering due to difficulties accessing a vet for the animal.

The Scottish Government is aware of the changes introduced by the Scottish SPCA in respect to how it deals with the euthanasia of wild animals. The Society has assured the Scottish Government that it is taking every step to ensure that animal welfare is not compromised by its recent decision and that its National Wildlife Rescue Centre is operating normally and continues to receive animals in need of care.

Question reference: S6W-39247

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to better enforce the Agent of Change principle, in light of reports that 72% of fans in Scotland strongly or somewhat agreed that laws should prevent new residents near music venues from filing noise complaints.

The Agent of Change principle is enshrined in both the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (the Planning Act) and National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4).

Section 41A of the Planning Act sets out that, if residents or occupiers of any proposed development are likely to be affected by significant noise from an existing activity, the planning authority must take account of whether the proposed development includes sufficient measures to minimise or manage the effect of noise between the development and any existing cultural venues or facilities (including in particular, but not limited to, live music venues). A planning authority may not, as a condition of granting planning permission for a noise-sensitive development, impose on a noise source additional costs relating to acoustic design measures to mitigate, minimise or manage the effects of noise.

Policy 31 (Culture and Creativity) of NPF4 states that development proposals within the vicinity of existing arts venues will fully reflect the Agent of Change principle and will only be supported where they can demonstrate that measures can be put in place to ensure that existing noise and disturbance impacts on the proposed development would be acceptable and that existing venues and facilities can continue without additional restrictions being placed on them as a result of the proposed new development.

It is the responsibility of planning authorities to ensure they comply with their statutory duties, including in relation to the determination of planning applications.

Question reference: S6W-39266

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund have (a) been approved and (b) not been approved in each year since it was established, broken down by local authority area.

The Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund is distributed as part of the General Revenue Grant to island local authorities which decide where, and how, funding will be directed based on their local knowledge and understanding of the impacts of the cost crisis on their island populations.

There is no requirement for local authorities to use an application process to distribute monies, although some may choose to. The Scottish Government does not, therefore, hold this information.

Question reference: S6W-39272

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering introducing a new offence of misconduct in public office.

The Scottish Government is aware of the Law Commission’s report on the common law offence of misconduct in public office in England and Wales and its recommendation that this is replaced with two statutory offences. The common law offence of misconduct in public office does not exist in Scots law. However, there is a comparable common law offence in Scots law of wilful neglect of duty. The Government is actively considering the Law Commission’s recommendations. Any changes to this area of law will require further examination.

Question reference: S6W-39265

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed to (a) public, (b) private, (c) third sector and (d) community organisations from the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund since it was established, broken down by local authority area.

The Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund (ICCEF) is distributed to island local authorities, which decide where funding will be directed based on their local knowledge and understanding of the impacts of the cost crisis on their island populations.

The six island local authorities have provided, where possible, a breakdown of how the monies have been distributed.

Several recipients could reasonably be classified as both third sector and community organisations. For the purposes of this question, local authorities have assigned each recipient to the category they consider most appropriate.

In this instance, the Scottish Government has assumed ‘private’ to mean private individuals and families

2022-23	Public	Private	Third Sector	Community Organisations	Total allocation
Argyll and Bute	£0	£169,449	£0	£27,551	£197,000
Na h-Eileanan Siar	£0	£227,800	£0	£132,200	£360,000
Highland	£0	£115,000	£0	£32,000	£147,000
North Ayrshire	£43,000	£10,000	£10,000	£17,000	£80,000
Orkney Islands	£0	£0	£305,000	£0	£305,000
Shetland Islands	£85,795	£47,549	£158,143	£19,514	£311,000
Total	£128,795	£569,798	£473,143	£228,265	£1,400,000

2023-24	Public	Private	Third Sector	Community Organisations	Total allocation
Argyll and Bute	£0	£125,000	£0	£16,000	£141,000
Na h-Eileanan Siar	£20,000	£48,000	£97,000	£92,000	£257,000
Highland	£0	£105,000	£0	£0	£105,000
North Ayrshire	£25,000	£10,000	£0	£22,000	£57,000
Orkney Islands	£46,000	£9,600	£104,400	£58,000	£218,000
Shetland Islands	£32,815	£159,900	£0	£29,285	£222,000
Total	£123,815	£457,500	£201,400	£217,285	£1,000,000

2024-25	Public	Private	Third Sector	Community Organisations	Total allocation
Argyll and Bute	£0	£125,000	£0	£16,000	£141,000
Na h-Eileanan Siar	£0	£0	£0	£257,000	£257,000
Highland*	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	£105,000
North Ayrshire	£0	£0	£0	£57,000	£57,000
Orkney Islands	£62,529	£0	£105,471	£50,000	£218,000
Shetland Islands	£13,500	£195,506	£0	£12,994	£222,000
Total	£76,029	£320,506	£105,471	£392,994	£1,000,000

*Note: Information regarding the Highland Council’s 2024-25 distribution of funds has not been provided to date.

Question reference: S6W-39271

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any discussions that it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a new offence of misconduct in public office.

The Scottish Government has been engaging in ongoing discussions with the UK Government regarding the introduction of a “Hillsborough Law”, including a legal duty of candour for public servants and accompanying criminal sanctions. The Scottish Government is considering the extension of this to Scotland and the work in relation to this is ongoing.

The Scottish Government is aware of the Law Commission’s report on the common law offence of misconduct in public office in England and Wales and its recommendation that this is replaced with two statutory offences. The common law offence of misconduct in public office does not exist in Scots law. However, there is a comparable common law offence in Scots law of wilful neglect of duty. The Scottish Government has had some early engagement with the UK Government in relation to the Law Commission’s report.

Question reference: S6W-39264

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in total to the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund in each year since it was established.

Question reference: S6W-39231

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government was assessment it has made of any impact on cross-border trade of measures introduced to prevent the bluetongue virus entering Scotland.

The Scottish Government's Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks (EPIC) have undertaken studies into the levels of cross border trade between Scotland and England, with input from the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers Scotland (IAAS) to determine an economic evaluation of that trade on a monthly basis. EPIC have also conducted a study to assess the impacts on Scottish livestock movements in response to the England-wide restriction zone, with consideration to the control strategy which includes the requirement for pre-movement testing. The findings of these reports have been shared with key industry stakeholders in Scotland, devolved administrations and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) colleagues for further analysis and discussion.

Question reference: S6W-39153

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence it undertook prior to it reportedly approving £300,000 of public funding for the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Ministers took the decision on 28 March 2025 to provide this funding for the Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) to support their Schools Programme.

This programme aims to provide each of the 5,000 children participating annually with a range of free, in-person events, free books and supporting accessibility through a Transport Fund. Engaging children with reading is an aim that the Scottish Government strongly supports.

There was a range of engagement between the EIBF and officials regarding the programme. The organisation’s past performance in delivering educational and community projects was considered, alongside its financial governance and reporting processes. The review found that the proposal was financially robust and achievable, with a clear plan for sustainable delivery.

Analysis concluded that, without the aforementioned support, the festival would need to stop their schools programme, a key part of their strategic plan. Therefore the decision was taken to protect the schools programme following the loss of corporate sponsors.