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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-41428

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a flexible delivery model for roofing apprenticeships, including in South Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-41427

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage an uptake in construction apprenticeships, including in South Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-41429

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the (a) accessibility and (b) affordability of scaffolding training, including in South Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-41436

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its compliance with, including ministerial performance, section 315 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, which refers to byelaws with respect to accommodation for seasonal workers.

Question reference: S6W-40863

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce strengthened legal duties for parents and carers to take reasonable steps to prevent and address harmful behaviour from their children, particularly online.

The Scottish Government does not propose introducing additional legal duties specifically requiring parents and carers to take reasonable steps to prevent and address harmful behaviour by their children online. Instead, our approach focuses on supporting families through education, guidance, and early intervention.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of preventing children and young people from being involved in harmful behaviour, including online. We are committed to promoting the wellbeing and safety of all children through a rights-based approach, as set out in our national child protection policies and the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) framework.

Prevention is key to tackling harmful behaviour, including online and we are taking a range of actions to raise awareness about online safety with parents and carers, including providing advice and support through the Scottish Government’s Parent Club website: Online Behaviour & Safety | Parent Club and Online Behaviour & Safety | Parent Club and through Education Scotland’s Digital learning, digital life and digital work | My child | Parentzone Scotland | Education Scotland.

The We’re here for you | Parent Club website provides advice and information for parents and carers on online safety, including signposting to support when things go wrong. This includes advice on what to do if there are concerns about children being involved in harmful behaviour. There is also advice on what to do if there are concerns about a child being involved in bullying others.

Parentzone Scotland | Education Scotland provides information and advice primarily for parents and carers about education in Scotland from early years to beyond school. The site includes practical ideas to support learning at home in a variety of curriculum areas such as literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and science, as well as information on additional support needs; and also tips on how parents can get involved in their child’s school and education. It includes information, guidance and signposting for parents including on harmful online behaviour. The website also has information on how parents and carers can help protect their child and understand online dangers.

We continue to work with partners across education, health, social work, and law enforcement to strengthen child protection responses, including addressing inappropriate or harmful online behaviour. This includes:

The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, which outlines responsibilities for professionals and agencies.
Supporting the implementation of the Online Safety Act, which places new duties on tech companies to protect children from harmful content online.
Promoting digital literacy and responsible online behaviour through schools

We will continue to monitor developments in this area and engage with stakeholders to ensure our policies remain responsive to emerging challenges.

Question reference: S6W-40860

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish detailed statistics regarding youth perpetrated sexual offences, including non-contact crimes such as unsolicited sexual image sending.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of youth perpetrated sexual offences as the data we receive from Police Scotland for the Recorded Crime statistics is a simple count of the number of recorded crimes by crime type.

Police Scotland have provided the following management information on the number of people under the age of 18 who were accused of any sexual crime between 1st January 2025 to 30th September 2025.

It should be noted that the totals presented in the following table for crime types (and overall) are not necessarily all unique individuals as it is possible an accused may have committed more than one sexual crime during the period. Furthermore, the table below is not a total of sexual crimes as some crimes may have had multiple perpetrators.

Number of Accused aged under 18 at time of Offence

Crime type	Jan-Sep 2025
Rape & attempted rape	246
Sexual assault	429
Causing to view sexual activity or images	184
Communicating indecently	91
Threatening to or disclosing intimate images	87
Indecent photos of children	121
Crimes associated with prostitution	0
Other sexual crimes	116
Total	1,274

Source: Police Scotland, Management Information, extracted from internal systems and correct as of 14 October 2025.

Notes:

Data presented here is provisional and should be treated as management information.

Question reference: S6W-40862

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will classify non-consensual image sending by under-16s as a serious sexual offence.

The current sharing of intimate images offence already carries a maximum penalty of up to five years in custody. It is an operational police matter to investigate all alleged offences and for independent prosecutors to decide what action to take upon receiving reports of crimes being committed. In cases that are prosecuted, it is for the independent court to sentence upon conviction within the legal framework.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners to raise awareness of online risks and harm. The Scottish Government’s We’re here for you | Parent Club website provides advice and information for parents and carers on online safety, including signposting to support when things go wrong. As the Scottish Government's key portal for parents and carers, it offers policy-led, empathetic advice and support on a wide range of topics to help families navigate the complexities of family life, this includes a comprehensive online safety section, with information for children aged 3-18: Online Behaviour & Safety | Parent Club.

Question reference: S6W-40853

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding the Supreme Court judgment in the case, For Women Scotland Ltd v the Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-40794

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for the Scottish economy, what its current position is in relation to seeking devolved powers over immigration and asylum; whether its position on this matter has changed since May 2025, and, if this is the case, whether its previous statements on a separate approach to immigration in Scotland remain its policy; what the reasons are for any change; whether all of its ministers were consulted prior to any change of position, and whether it has informed the Scottish Parliament of any change.

The Scottish Government’s position remains that the current UK immigration system is not working for Scotland.

We continue to call on the UK Government for urgent changes to ensure that the immigration system reflects Scotland’s distinct demographic and economic needs. Our tailored migration proposals including a Scottish Visa, a Rural Visa Pilot and a Scottish Graduate Visa are designed to operate within the existing UK immigration framework. They have, however unfortunately been repeatedly dismissed by the UK Government.

Labour's immigration policies are damaging to our National Health Service, public services and our economy. They have refused to work with us on our proposals. It is clear that Scotland requires a tailored approach to migration which can only be delivered through a fresh start with independence.

Question reference: S6W-40844

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure consistent access to early diagnostics and treatment for people living with pancreatic cancer to avoid a so-called postcode lottery.

Our 10-year Cancer Strategy is committed to ensuring excellent, equitably accessible, care for all people facing cancer across Scotland. The strategy continues to focus on those cancer types that have poorer survival, including pancreatic cancer, and improving their outcomes. The strategy has a specific tackling inequalities ambition aimed at reducing inequality in cancer incidence, access to services, experience, and outcomes.

Further to this, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meet with NHS Boards’ Cancer Management Teams monthly to identify challenges, explore solutions and share best practice. These meetings have recently been reviewed and now incorporate wider planned care and diagnostic teams, as necessary, to ensure collaborative improvement plans are made.