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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-43895

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to support gynaecological cancer research.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports open competitive grant and fellowship schemes for applied health research in Scotland across a wide remit that is inclusive of consideration of research projects relating to gynaecological cancers. Applications submitted to these schemes are assessed through independent expert peer-review with funding recommendations made by independent expert committees. CSO has funded six projects relating to gynaecological cancers, four of which are ongoing. Funding of £975,496 has been committed to the active studies.

Question reference: S6W-43836

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision in the case Raeshaw Farms Limited vs The Scottish Ministers and Energiekontor UK Ltd, whether any changes will be made to the processes followed by planning reporters.

Question reference: S6W-43868

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38780 by Mairi McAllan on 11 July 2025, by what date it will publish data relating to the average application and claim processing timescales for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-43901

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its decision to refuse on appeal the planning application for Flamingo Land, whether it will now end Scottish Enterprise’s exclusivity agreement with Lomond Banks.

Question reference: S6W-43808

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of residential buildings affected by unsafe cladding, and what proportion of remediation costs it expects to be met through levy funding.

The precise number of buildings is dependent on the outcome of the Single Building Assessment process and whether that assessment deems a building of tolerable risk. Assessment and remediation progress is published in the Cladding remediation - gov.scot.

The Scottish Government’s Key points - Scotland’s cladding remediation estimates: June 2025 - gov.scot that around 250 of the residential high-rise (18m+) buildings in Scotland and around 1,020-1,200 of the mid-rise (11-18m) residential buildings in Scotland might require work to alleviate external wall system (EWS) life-safety fire risk.

Using these estimated figures, early, indicative forecasts: Cladding remediation: capital spend forecasting - gov.scot suggest it could require public capital funding in the range of £1.7 billion to £3.1 billion over a potential 15-year programme of work. This estimate includes adjustments for construction price inflation and for optimism bias, which reflects the usual tendency to underestimate costs at the outset of a capital project.

The Scottish Building Safety Levy (SBSL) is intended to raise between £360 million and £450 million over 12 to 15 years: Building Safety Levy - Taxes - gov.scot. Using the lower ends of both ranges (£360 million compared with £1.7 billion) and the upper ends (£450 million compared with £3.1 billion), the levy is estimated to contribute around 15% to 21% of the total capital funding required for the Cladding Remediation Programme.

Question reference: S6W-43772

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on the lack of funding for rural bus transportation on the provision of competitive sports, including rugby in schools in rural areas.

No specific assessment has been undertaken. However, improving young people’s access to sport remains a priority, and a key element of this is the nationwide free bus travel scheme for under-22s, which aims to reduce travel barriers for children and young people, including those in rural and island communities.

Through the under-22s concessionary scheme, eligible young people can travel at no cost on registered bus services, helping to ease the financial burden of travelling to training sessions, matches, and competitions. This is part of a wider Scottish Government investment in bus services and concessionary travel, which will rise to over £530 million in 2026–27. In addition to this, sportscotland works with local authorities and island communities to improve access to facilities and support athlete travel. This includes the Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS), which provides up to £1,500 to help schools, sports clubs, and talented athletes with travel and accommodation for mainland training and competitions.

Most local bus services operate commercially, with operators determining routes and frequency. Local authorities can also subsidise services they consider socially necessary, at their discretion; £56 million on subsidised services in 2023–24. Community transport may also be provided locally by schools, local authorities, or community groups, supported through the local government finance settlement, and annual funding to Community Transport Association Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43770

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of poor local transport connectivity on the ability of school-aged children in rural areas to access grassroots sport.

The Scottish Government understands the important role that sport and leisure services play in improving people’s lives and believes everyone should have access to these services locally.

The Scottish Government has not carried out any specific assessment on the impact of transport connectivity on the ability of school-aged children’s access to grassroots sport in rural areas. However, we recognise that travel time and cost can be barriers for young athletes in rural and island areas.

To help address these challenges, sportscotland works with local authorities to improve local facilities, and the Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS) provides up to £1,500 to support travel and accommodation for talented athletes in remote communities.

In addition, the provision of free bus travel for under-22s reduces the cost burden on young people and their families and helps make regular participation in grassroots sport more achievable, particularly in areas where distances between home, school, and sporting opportunities are greater. This sits alongside wider support, including local authority powers to subsidise socially necessary bus routes, and funding for community transport through local government resources and Community Transport Association (CTA) Scotland, which helps ensure that young people have more reliable and affordable options to reach sporting opportunities.

Question reference: S6W-43771

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is in place to provide access to bus transportation to sporting clubs that support school-aged children in rural areas.

The Scottish Government supports access to transport for school-aged children and young people in rural areas primarily through its nationwide commitment to free bus travel for under-22s. This universal entitlement allows all young people aged 5–21 to travel by bus at no cost, helping them reach sporting clubs, training sessions, and competitions across Scotland. This is part of a wider Scottish Government investment in bus services and concessionary travel, which will rise to over £530 million in 2026–27.

Alongside this, sportscotland, our national agency for sport, provides targeted support through the Athlete Travel Award Scheme (ATAS), delivered in partnership with the four Highlands and Islands local authorities. ATAS offers up to £1,500 to schools, clubs and young athletes to help with the additional travel and accommodation costs often faced when travelling for training or competition from rural and island areas.

Local authorities can also subsidise socially necessary bus services at their discretion through funding provided in the general revenue grant. Authorities spent £56 million on such services in 2023–24. Local authorities and schools may also provide community transport where required, supported through the local government finance settlement, and Community Transport Association Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43804

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Social Housing Net Zero Standard.

We consulted on proposals for a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard (SHNZS), co-developed with the social housing sector, alongside proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. Since then we have been progressing the foundational work needed to underpin the future standard. This includes reforming Energy Performance Certificates, which will provide a more accurate basis for assessing the energy performance of buildings, which will be important to equip building owners and tenants.

We will confirm next steps following further engagement with partners in the social housing sector, taking into account wider developments, including standards that are being developed for the private rented sector. Our overarching aim is to ensure a fair and proportionate approach across all tenures, supporting decarbonisation whilst tackling fuel poverty.

Question reference: S6T-02930

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care’s letter to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee regarding the funding required for the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill on 26 February, what current NHS services would potentially be reduced to meet such costs.