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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-41445

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many secret plans it is currently working on.

Question reference: S6W-41718

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the launch of the procurement process for ScotRail's new suburban train fleet on 5 November 2025, whether this will include having Scotland-based social value requirements or other incentives to deliver local manufacturing and assembly work, similar to the plan announced by the Welsh Government to have a train production facility in Newport, and how it will prioritise supply chains and job creation in Scotland as part of the tender process.

The procurement of ScotRail’s new suburban fleet will comply with the Scottish Government’s Sustainable Procurement Duty, requiring bidders to demonstrate social, environmental and economic benefits, including community benefits and reducing inequality.

While legislation does not permit mandating Scottish-based manufacturing, bidders must engage with the Scottish Rail Cluster Builder and are encouraged to maximise local supply chain opportunities.

The inclusion of a Technical Support and Spares Supply Agreement will create high-quality engineering jobs in Scotland for at least 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-41724

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that public investment is evenly distributed across (a) north east Scotland and (b) Scotland.

The Scottish Government plan to publish a new infrastructure delivery pipeline alongside the Scottish Spending Review in January which will set out our future investment plans underpinned by a 30-year needs assessment and a draft infrastructure strategy for consultation. The draft strategy will set out a ten-year framework to guide infrastructure planning, investment, and delivery across the country and seek views on how we can better embed local priorities into investment decisions in line with our National Planning Framework 4.

We are committed to delivering key infrastructure projects and we have a proven track record of successfully doing so across Scotland. In the north east this has included the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route/Balmedie to Tipperty scheme, the Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvement Project, and the A92/A96 Haudagain Junction Improvement project.

The Scottish Government is also investing significant amounts of funding in City and Regional Growth Deals across Scotland including the Tay Cities Region Deal, the Moray Growth Deal, and the Aberdeen City Region Deal. In addition, we are also investing further funding in the north east of Scotland’s infrastructure over the same time span as the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

Question reference: S6W-41790

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the sustainability of education budgets over the next three years.

The vast majority of funding allocated to councils by Scottish Government is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, in the spirit of the Verity House Agreement, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

Local Authorities’ gross revenue expenditure for Education has now increased in real terms for nine consecutive years, up to 2023-24, the most recent year for which we have this data. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated in February 2025 that in 2024-25 school spending per pupil was around £1,700, or 20%, higher in Scotland than in England. This is welcome, given the additional funding the Scottish Government has provided for this purpose.

Decisions on future local government finance settlements, will, as in previous years, be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 local authorities and announced as part of the outcome of future Scottish Budgets. However it is then for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-41720

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what outcomes were reached regarding provision for children and young people with autism at the meetings between the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland on 1 April and 30 October 2025.

Education provision for children and young people with autism was not discussed at these meetings. However, the Scottish Government continues to work closely with local government partners, including the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) to improve the education provision and outcomes for children and young people with additional support needs, including those with autism.

This includes partnership working, to deliver the Additional Support for Learning Action (ASL) Plan in response to the recommendations of the 2020 Morgan Review and ADES participation in our ASL Data Summit on 12 November, which marked the beginning of a phased approach to improving data at both national and local levels.

ADES is represented on the ASL Action Plan Project Board which has oversight of delivery of the ASL Action Plan, to ensure transparency in the delivery of our work and to ensure our accountability and that of our partners. We have committed to delivering the recommendations of the review by March 2026 and we are working with our local government partners to meet this commitment.

Question reference: S6W-41719

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6F-04008 by John Swinney on 24 April 2025 and S6O-04959 by Natalie Don on 18 September 2025 regarding the mothballing of rural nurseries and the ongoing review of the guidance given to local authorities on this, in light of local authorities being required by legislation to review their nursery provision and the minister's commitment that the Scottish Government would aim "to provide an update to Parliament [on the review] as soon as possible during the autumn term", whether it will confirm by what date the review will be published.

The review of the national guidance on the mothballing of schools and Council-run nurseries has required extensive engagement work with groups including councils and parents’ representatives. This work is nearing completion, and the Scottish Government will update Parliament as soon as possible.

The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (section 50) requires local authorities to consult every two years with families in their area about how they should make ELC available and then publish a service delivery plan. This duty helps local authorities to ensure an appropriate mix of provision within their area that reflects local circumstances and allows for choice.

Question reference: S6W-41728

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a potential £3.5 million budget shortfall at Forth Valley College, concerns regarding the loss of the Alloa Campus, and college budgets reducing by 20% in real terms over the last five years, whether it will provide further details of what it is doing to (a) retain students at the college and (b) maintain skills and secure college facilities across the region.

The Cabinet Secretary and I met the Principal of Forth Valley College and the Scottish Funding Council on 29 October to discuss progress, next steps and how the Scottish Government can help. I have subsequently visited Alloa Campus on 18th November.

The SFC continues to support the College and has provided additional funding to support an urgent feasibility study to identify all possible options for the campus in Alloa.

Operational decisions on matters such as course provision and campus footprint are the responsibility of individual colleges, and I remain assured that the Principal is committed to finding a solution, taking into account the needs of the community, local employers and wider region.

As decisions around the Scottish Government’s Budget are being considered in the months ahead, I will continue to work closely and collaboratively with Colleges Scotland, leaners, and the wider sector, to support skills development and ensure a successful and sustainable future for our colleges.

Question reference: S6W-41714

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40762 by Gillian Martin on 9 October 2025, what indicators it uses to evidence “a deeper level of engagement” at international events, and what evidence it will publish from the September 2025 programme in (a) Japan and (b) New York to demonstrate progress against those indicators, including baselines, targets and timescales.

I refer the Member to the answer detail for question S6W-40762, which sets out the key objectives for participation and engagements undertaken during Scotland’s programme in Osaka and Tokyo across the 6 months and also confirms the intention to publish an evaluation of Scotland’s Expo Osaka programme. We are currently working on the evaluation, which we aim to publish in early 2026.

With regard to indicators used to evidence a deeper level of engagement, I once again refer the Member to the answer to S6W-40762, particularly the stated objectives identified for the Scottish Government’s attendance at Climate Week NYC. As an example of impact, opportunities at NYCW lead directly to Ms. Martin receiving invitations to a wider range of opportunities to engage, especially at UN-sponsored events at COP30. Detail on the Scottish Government programme at COP30 will be published in due course.

Question reference: S6O-05203

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether patient complaints and feedback about the care they have received from NHS boards are used to inform inspections undertaken by Health Improvement Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-05192

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of NatureScot's species licensing review, including timelines for producing and implementing recommendations for improvements alongside charging for licensing services.