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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-41866

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with UK-wide agencies, industry bodies and the EU to ensure that there is as smooth a transition as possible to the new EU traceability regime, which comes into effect on 10 January 2026, to allow Scotland's seafood businesses to maintain competitive access to its largest market.

The programme of informing the UK industry of these changes is being led by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) with input and support by Devolved Governments.

We would encourage industry to engage with the process and attend the virtual engagement sessions raising any concerns or questions they may have. The changes being introduced by the EU are mandatory for all imports of fisheries products entering the EU from all third countries after 10 January 2026 so there is no alternative to compliance when trading.

Alongside other Fisheries Administrations, we have been seeking clarity, via UKG engagement with the EU, on the most pressing areas where questions remain, so responses can then be passed to industry.

Marine Directorate compliance officials are also flagging the MMO guidance as part of their routine engagement with industry. A dedicated Scottish mailing address has also been created and communicated to industry to field direct queries to.

For those impacted, they should talk with other industry representatives and their associations to ensure as many as possible are aware of the changes and what additional actions will be required from each other to facilitate continued trade.

Question reference: S6W-41826

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has done of historic population movement and projected labour market shortages in the South of Scotland region, broken down by sector.

National Records of Scotland publish a wide range of statistical data with regards to population and migration in Scotland.

Skills Development Scotland publish annual Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs), which provide detailed information on regional labour markets. The latest RSA for the South of Scotland region was published in October 2025. The data included in these publications, including Oxford Economics forecast data, is the most up-to-date available at the time of writing. Forecasts are provided by sector, occupation and for the medium and longer term up to 2035.

rsa-college-region-report-scottish-borders.pdf

rsa-college-region-report-dumfries-and-galloway.pdf

rsa-college-region-report-south-of-scotland.pdf

Question reference: S6W-41812

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) schools and (b) (i) hospital and (ii) other buildings were damaged during Storm Eowyn in January 2025, also broken down by what assessment it has made of how much it will cost to repair these, and what additional resources it has provided to assist with this.

Question reference: S6W-41827

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has spoken with businesses about labour shortages in the South of Scotland region.

The Convention of the South of Scotland (CoSS) aims to strengthen alignment between the Scottish Government, Dumfries and Galloway Council, the Scottish Borders Council and public agencies delivering in the South of Scotland to drive inclusive growth. Labour market shortages are regularly discussed, most recently at its last meeting in Spring 2025, when the focus was on Transport. Local businesses joined the previous meeting in Autumn 2024, which was chaired by the Deputy First Minister, where the agenda focussed on skills and employment issues in the region. Minutes from the meeting can be found Convention of the South of Scotland minutes: October 2024 - gov.scot

Labour market and skills shortages, and the impact that this has on businesses is something that Ministers discuss frequently, including with business directly, and has also been the focus of discussion at the NSET Delivery Board.

Question reference: S6W-41828

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help businesses unable to fill vacancies in the South of Scotland region.

As part of our £85 million commitment to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal, Scottish Government will invest up to £7 million in developing skills in the South of Scotland. The project will work with regional partners to respond to the identified future skills and knowledge exchange needs.

Our enterprise agencies play a key role in promoting economic and business growth and supporting capital investment in Scotland’s places and industries of the future. They also work closely with partners to resolve issues which can present a barrier to business growth, such as skills and training, transport and local housing provision, helping businesses expand, remain in their local area and employ more people. Last year (2024-25) South of Scotland Enterprise invested £12.5 million in business and community enterprises, supporting 377 full-time equivalent jobs and leveraging £23.5m of funding for the region.

Question reference: S6W-41816

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the number of prisoners developing drug problems has compared between private and publicly-run prisons in each of the last five years.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The healthcare provisions within Scottish Prisons have been the responsibility of NHS since 2011, this includes but is not limited to, the delivery of Alcohol and Drug services and all clinical assessments used to develop individual care plans or referrals. SPS are therefore unable to provide the information required.

Question reference: S6W-41811

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) legal and (b) illegal sewage discharges there have been in Argyll coastal waters in each of the last five years, and what estimate it has made of the expected number of such discharges by 2030.

Question reference: S6W-41829

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any analysis relating to the impact of population decline on apprenticeship uptake in the South of Scotland region.

Question reference: S6T-02771

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns and frustration of the Educational Institute of Scotland about its four-day working week proposal for teachers.

Question reference: S6T-02767

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the TRANSFORM prostate cancer screening trial, including any implications this may have for improving prostate cancer screening in Scotland.