- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39198 by Neil Gray on 22 July 2025, whether the deadline of end of June 2025 for the roll-out of the new theatre scheduling tool was met.
Answer
The Scottish Government has met the stated commitment confirming all territorial NHS boards and the National Hospital Golden Jubilee were scheduled into the national theatre scheduling tool rollout plan by the end of June 2025, in line with the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan (https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-scotland-operational-improvement-plan/pages/1/).
The tool is now live in seven territorial boards – NHS Lothian, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Highland, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Borders, NHS Ayrshire and Arran, and NHS Tayside – and implementation continues across the remaining Health Boards.
The remaining Health Boards are on track to go live by the end of March 2026.
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to continue supporting solar energy in Scotland, and what specific measures it proposes to support its deployment.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to support solar deployment through our Heat in Buildings Programme, with targeted solar PV assistance for households in or at risk of fuel poverty delivered via Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes.
Households can also access loan funding of up to £5,000 for solar thermal technology.
We will consider all relevant evidence when making decisions about how best to support solar deployment in Scotland, and we keep emerging research and analysis under review. We currently have no plans to publish additional analysis at this time, but our policy development will continue to be informed by up-to-date, robust, and proportionate evidence.
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-05505 on 12 February 2026. All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 12/02/2026 | Scottish Parliament Website
- Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice is ashamed that the written case for Scottish ministers and the Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody did not include a single mention of women’s rights.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-05505 on 12 February 2026. All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 12/02/2026 | Scottish Parliament Website
- Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the extent of land required to deliver 3.5GW of solar farms and meet its 2030 solar deployment ambition, expressed as a percentage of Scotland’s land area, and whether it will publish any such information.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43703 on 20 February 2026. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34551 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2025, whether it will provide (a) the same information for 2024-25, and (b) real-terms average Additional Support for Learning (ASL) spend per pupil for each year from 2012-13 to 2024-25.
Answer
Spending data on Additional Support for Learning (ASL) is collected from local authorities via the 2024-25 Local Financial Returns (LFR). These figures show that almost £1.1bn was spent on ASL by local authorities in 2024-25.
Local authorities are asked to record all centrally funded ASL expenditure under Special Education, irrespective of where it is delivered. Decisions about prioritisation and budgets, including those for the provision of services for pupils with additional support needs, are a matter for individual councils. It is important to note when making comparisons between local authorities and years that there may be variations in local accounting practices.
Table 1 shows gross revenue expenditure on (ASL) education for 2024-25, split by Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Special Education.
Table 1 – 2024-25 ASL expenditure by Local Authority (£000)
Local Authority | Pre-Primary Education | Primary Education | Secondary Education | Special Education | Total |
Aberdeen City | 1,063 | 6,800 | 7,536 | 21,184 | 36,583 |
Aberdeenshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60,955 | 60,955 |
Angus | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18,696 | 18,696 |
Argyll and Bute | 846 | 5,009 | 5,710 | 4,246 | 15,811 |
City of Edinburgh | 4,722 | 26,378 | 15,770 | 62,006 | 108,876 |
Clackmannanshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16,924 | 16,924 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26,033 | 26,033 |
Dundee City | 186 | 7,688 | 3,442 | 11,331 | 22,647 |
East Ayrshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24,729 | 24,729 |
East Dunbartonshire | 341 | 2,542 | 2,070 | 15,783 | 20,736 |
East Lothian | 0 | 3,296 | 2,330 | 14,648 | 20,274 |
East Renfrewshire | 1,035 | 1,816 | 1,608 | 12,895 | 17,354 |
Falkirk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31,115 | 31,115 |
Fife | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50,181 | 50,181 |
Glasgow City | 6,907 | 21,452 | 28,335 | 103,723 | 160,417 |
Highland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 52,884 | 52,884 |
Inverclyde | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17,167 | 17,167 |
Midlothian | 61 | 4,103 | 3,424 | 21,404 | 28,992 |
Moray | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21,561 | 21,561 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6,442 | 6,442 |
North Ayrshire | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18,675 | 18,675 |
North Lanarkshire | 245 | 13,281 | 5,586 | 62,367 | 81,479 |
Orkney Islands | 148 | 964 | 1,279 | 3,900 | 6,291 |
Perth and Kinross | 686 | 6,852 | 5,642 | 12,982 | 26,162 |
Renfrewshire | 1,842 | 6,949 | 3,848 | 17,947 | 30,586 |
Scottish Borders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15,493 | 15,493 |
Shetland Islands | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10,204 | 10,204 |
South Ayrshire | 2 | 2,831 | 1,829 | 19,224 | 23,886 |
South Lanarkshire | 0 | 12,285 | 10,993 | 35,353 | 58,631 |
Stirling | 0 | 1,726 | 2,954 | 11,352 | 16,032 |
West Dunbartonshire | 691 | 4,594 | 2,456 | 14,257 | 21,998 |
West Lothian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31,833 | 31,833 |
All local authorities | 18,775 | 128,566 | 104,812 | 847,494 | 1,099,647 |
Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Table 2 shows the percentage of total gross revenue expenditure on education which was accounted for by spending on additional support for learning in 2024-25.
Table 2 – 2024-25 share of education expenditure accounted for by ASL
Local Authority | ASL Spend as a share of Education Spend |
Aberdeen City | 13% |
Aberdeenshire | 14% |
Angus | 11% |
Argyll & Bute | 10% |
City of Edinburgh | 18% |
Clackmannanshire | 19% |
Dumfries & Galloway | 12% |
Dundee City | 11% |
East Ayrshire | 13% |
East Dunbartonshire | 10% |
East Lothian | 13% |
East Renfrewshire | 10% |
Falkirk | 13% |
Fife | 9% |
Glasgow City | 18% |
Highland | 14% |
Inverclyde | 14% |
Midlothian | 16% |
Moray | 15% |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 10% |
North Ayrshire | 9% |
North Lanarkshire | 15% |
Orkney Islands | 12% |
Perth & Kinross | 12% |
Renfrewshire | 11% |
Scottish Borders | 9% |
Shetland Islands | 16% |
South Ayrshire | 14% |
South Lanarkshire | 12% |
Stirling | 10% |
West Dunbartonshire | 15% |
West Lothian | 11% |
All local authorities | 13% |
Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
All figures in tables 1 and 2 are based on gross expenditure on a funding basis. This means they have not been adjusted for inter/intra authority transfers.
Table 3 provides total spend per primary and secondary school pupil in 2024-25 at the national level. Rather than focusing on ASL spending alone, this calculation shows total gross revenue expenditure in primary and secondary education from the local financial returns, divided by the number of pupils attending primary and secondary schools recorded in the Pupil Census.
Table 3 – Average spending per pupil (£)
Year | Primary Education | Secondary Education |
2024-25 | 7,880 | 9,651 |
Primary and secondary education figures are adjusted to exclude inter-authority transfers. However, this breakdown is not available for ASL spending, therefore ASL figures in Tables 4 and 5 are based on gross expenditure on a funding basis.
Sources:
1.Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
2.Pupil Census - published annually - for further details go to: Pupil census: supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Table 4 shows average spending on ASL per ASL pupil by local authority in 2024-25. More precisely, this calculation shows gross revenue expenditure on ASL in primary, secondary and special education from the local financial returns, divided by the number of pupils identified as having additional support needs recorded in the Pupil Census.
Table 4 – 2024-25 ASL spending per pupil (£)
Local Authority | ASL Spend per ASL Pupil |
Aberdeen City | 3,233 |
Aberdeenshire | 3,546 |
Angus | 3,745 |
Argyll and Bute | 3,942 |
City of Edinburgh | 4,195 |
Clackmannanshire | 6,767 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 3,180 |
Dundee City | 2,921 |
East Ayrshire | 4,989 |
East Dunbartonshire | 4,354 |
East Lothian | 3,551 |
East Renfrewshire | 3,202 |
Falkirk | 3,816 |
Fife | 2,724 |
Glasgow City | 4,124 |
Highland | 4,125 |
Inverclyde | 4,292 |
Midlothian | 4,809 |
Moray | 4,385 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 5,483 |
North Ayrshire | 2,785 |
North Lanarkshire | 4,743 |
Orkney Islands | 4,930 |
Perth and Kinross | 3,661 |
Renfrewshire | 3,340 |
Scottish Borders | 2,628 |
Shetland Islands | 7,470 |
South Ayrshire | 4,056 |
South Lanarkshire | 3,654 |
Stirling | 3,352 |
West Dunbartonshire | 3,921 |
West Lothian | 2,963 |
All local authorities | 3,804 |
Sources:
1. Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
2. Pupil Census – published annually - for further details go to: Pupil census: supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Table 5 provides real terms average spending on ASL per ASL pupil at the national level between 2012-13 and 2024-25. The figure below does not represent all spending benefitting ASL pupils, who also benefit from spending incurred in delivering the wider school system.
Table 5 – Average ASL spend per ASL pupil in real terms (£)
Year | ASL Pupils at Primary, Secondary and Special Schools |
2012-13 | 6,322 |
2013-14 | 5,803 |
2014-15 | 5,504 |
2015-16 | 5,060 |
2016-17 | 4,662 |
2017-18 | 4,440 |
2018-19 | 4,195 |
2019-20 | 3,994 |
2020-21 | 4,007 |
2021-22 | 4,115 |
2022-23 | 4,122 |
2023-24 | 4,005 |
2024-25 | 3,804 |
ASL spending figures are based on gross expenditure on a funding basis. Note that because figures in Table 5 are based on 2024-25 prices, they are not comparable to the figures based on 2023-24 prices provided in S6W-34551.
Sources:
1.Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 01) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
2.Pupil Census - published annually - for further details go to: Pupil census: supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
3.GDP deflators at market prices: GDP deflators at market prices, and money GDP - GOV.UK.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Independent
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support (a) local authorities, (b) regional transport partnerships and (c) the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland to identify areas where there are lower levels of accessible buses that are compliant with the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR), and how it will support local operators to increase the proportion of buses in their fleets that meet PSVAR accessibility standards.
Answer
Vehicle accessibility legislation is set out in the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) 2000.PSVAR applies in England, Scotland and Wales and are the responsibility of the UK Government Department for Transport. The Department for Transport provides the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) with a specific fund to enforce the requirements outlined in the PSVAR. It is the responsibility of DVSA to ensure that PSVAR compliance is monitored closely and that any bus or coach operator found to be in breach of these regulations is dealt with accordingly.
The Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) accelerates Scotland’s shift to cleaner, greener buses. Phase 3 of ScotZEB3 aims to maximise the number of accessible zero emission Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) operating on local public bus services. Financial support for new buses and coaches within the ScotZeb subsidy cap may include the integration of accessibility and safety systems required for public service operation, as well as modifications to provide wheelchair-accessible spaces in vehicle classes not covered by Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) 2000.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment of the condition of Scotland's trunk roads it has (a) made and (b) published since the discontinuation of the Performance Audit Group annual audit in 2021-22.
Answer
Transport Scotland conducts machine-based based surveys of the trunk road network each year using specialist vehicles to gather information on the surface integrity of the road; the friction characteristics of the surface; and the structural capacity (strength) of the underlying road construction. This is similar in nature to the Scottish Road Maintenance Condition Survey conducted by Scottish Local Authorities and it provides an annual snapshot of the road condition across the network. Output from these condition surveys is published each year in the National Transport Statistics
The Performance Audit Group (PAG) is employed to audit, monitor and report on the performance of the Operating Companies who manage, maintain and operate Scotland’s trunk roads. PAG continues to monitor Operating Company performance, deliver an annual programme of audits and publish annual reports.
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Independent
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what the response of the Scottish Funding Council Apprenticeship Committee is to the recommendations of the Commission on Race in Apprenticeships, including how it will implement these.
Answer
The Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill made provision for the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to establish an apprenticeship committee. The transfer of apprenticeship responsibilities to the Scottish Funding Council is planned to be in place by 1 April 2027, the apprenticeship committee will also be established by this date.
Work is already underway across the apprenticeship system to consider the Commission's findings and to integrate its recommendations into ongoing improvement activity.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next commission a national audit on maintaining Scotland's road network.
Answer
National Audits on road maintenance are the responsibility of Audit Scotland on behalf of the Auditor General for Scotland (for Scottish Government bodies) and the Accounts Commission (for Councils and local government). The Auditor General for Scotland (AGS) is a Crown appointment and both the AGS and Accounts Commission are independent of both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament. More information including their Corporate Plan and their planned audit work can be found on their website: Our work programme | Audit Scotland