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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: S6O-04881

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly spending over £1 million every week on agency staff, in light of it having announced plans to reduce corporate costs.

Question reference: S6O-04873

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with UK Government ministers regarding the potential impact on the Scottish economy of recent developments with the Grangemouth cluster.

Question reference: S6O-04896

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the abolition of peak rail fares is likely to have on people living in, working in or visiting the Maryhill and Springburn constituency.

Question reference: S6O-04866

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with business leaders regarding work to maximise the economic impact of Edinburgh's festivals.

Question reference: S6O-04874

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on the public finances of working age economic inactivity.

Question reference: S6W-39722

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that the contractual commitment of around £70 million that is reportedly still outstanding on the Glasgow Subway modernisation project is fully funded so that the key milestone of achieving unattended train operation by the third quarter of 2026 is achieved.

The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role that the Subway plays in Glasgow’s transport system and the importance of the modernisation programme.

By the end of 2024-25 it had contributed £199.9 million to this vital project. With a further £25.1 million allocated for 2025-26, cumulatively this will discharge the Scottish Government’s £225 million commitment to the programme in full. Transport Scotland officials continue to engage regularly with SPT. The most recent meeting took place on 19 June 2025, focusing on the current financial profile of the Subway Modernisation Programme and ensuring ongoing dialogue is maintained.

We remain strongly committed to infrastructure investment as a cornerstone of economic growth and the delivery of high-quality public services across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-39896

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the topic of Scottish independence was discussed in the meeting between the First Minister and the President of the European Commission on 26 July 2025.

The First Minister met President Von der Leyen in Scotland on 26 July.

They discussed transatlantic trade talks, the current state of the UK/EU relationship, the UK/EU Summit held in May 2025, energy cooperation and Scotland’s potential as a centre for renewable energy production, Gaza and Ukraine.

President Von der Leyen noted that the visits of European leaders and the US President provided a wonderful opportunity to showcase Scotland to the world.

Question reference: S6W-39873

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39300 by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025, whether it will consider reviewing the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 in light of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Post Implementation Review 2024.

Question reference: S6W-39786

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NatureScot’s recommendation in its report, A report on the proposal for a National Park in Southwest Scotland, what plans it has to better resource the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve.

In its role as the statutory reporter on the National Park proposal, NatureScot made recommendations on ways in which existing structures in the South of Scotland could be further strengthened. These include:

a stronger role and a long-term funding arrangement for the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with a stronger focus on nature recovery and community wealth-building;
a more integrated approach to the planning and management of the Galloway Forest Park, with additional funding allocated to nature restoration, recreation and tourism;
refreshed management strategies by Dumfries and Galloway Council for the coastal National Scenic Areas, and the completion of the coastal path as a key visitor attraction for the area;
sustained investment in access and visitor management across the area building on the existing community led approaches such as Whithorn and Loch Doon;
progress with the implementation of the regional land-use strategy for the area; and
on-going support for the work of the Solway Firth Partnership.

We are grateful for these suggestions and will now take time to reflect on them.

As a starting point, I undertook a visit to Newton Stewart and the Galloway Forest Park in July, where I discussed the recommendations in NatureScot’s report with the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, Forestry and Land Scotland and South of Scotland Enterprise. We will now take some time to give deeper consideration to the reporter’s recommendations and consider how best existing arrangements in the area could be strengthened.

Earlier this year, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere received a new funding package from South of Scotland Enterprise to support its important work tackling the climate and biodiversity crises and supporting sustainable development in the region.

Question reference: S6W-39774

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the delivery of the BE FAST (balance, eyes, face, arms, speech, time) stroke awareness campaign in NHS Forth Valley’s accident and emergency department.