Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 48973 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-40777

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy has at the Had-Fab Ltd transmission contracts award event on 28 August 2025, and which companies were represented at ministerial-level meetings held on the margins of that event.

I was invited to attend the event at the Had Fab factory to celebrate the awarding of a non-government contract by SSEN to partner companies to manufacture pylons. I gave a short speech followed by the Secretary of State for Scotland, followed by a tour of the workshops in which she spoke to members of the Had Fab workforce before leaving.

The event was also attended by SSEN, Wood Group and Murphy. There were no ministerial level meetings in the margins.

Question reference: S6W-40780

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it made, in advance of the 17 March 2025 meeting with the Chief Financial Officer of SSEN Transmission, of any risks to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy’s statutory consenting functions regarding the handling of live or prospective transmission consent applications, and what mitigations were applied, including record-keeping, official attendance and handling of any live applications.

Question reference: S6W-40693

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported calls from the Scottish Retail Consortium and Scottish Tourism Alliance for the UK Government, in its upcoming Budget, to restore tax-free shopping for overseas visitors as a means of supporting Scotland’s retail, tourism and hospitality sectors.

The Scottish Government opposed the abolition of tax-free shopping when it was announced in 2020 and consistently called for the previous UK Government to listen to the industry and reconsider their position on the issue.

The Scottish Government recognises how vital tourism is to our economy. It creates jobs, sustains communities and contributes significantly to the economy and enables visitors and residents alike to experience the incredible offer we have here in Scotland. Many EU countries continue to offer tax-free shopping for non-EU visitors, which make them a more attractive tourist destination. Scotland’s vibrant retail sector is put at a disadvantage as a result.

We call on this UK Government to ensure they are listening to these consistent industry calls regarding the reinstatement of VAT free shopping.

Ultimately, the Scottish Government believes that all tax powers should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament so that we can provide the support that Scottish retailers and tourism businesses need.

Question reference: S6W-40915

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern language teachers, broken down by language taught, each local authority has employed in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-40828

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it collects data on which dental practices currently provide preventative treatment for children, and, if so, whether all dental practices currently offer such treatment.

NHS dental preventive care delivery is recorded at population level. Public Health Scotland stats for the quarter to June 2025 NHS dental data monitoring report - Quarter ending June 2025 - NHS dental data monitoring report - Publications - Public Health Scotland show that over half a million enhanced preventive care (including Childsmile) was delivered to NHS dental patients. All patients, including Children may receive preventive advice from the dentist based on the clinical need for such guidance to be provided when visiting the practice.

Question reference: S6W-40826

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of delivering a circular economy, whether it plans to set a national reuse target, in line with the approach taken by countries such as Spain, Portugal, France and Belgium, and if so, what guidance and financial support it will provide to local authorities to help achieve this.

As set out in the Circular Economy and Waste Route Map to 2030, available on the Scottish Government’s website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-circular-economy-waste-route-map-2030/, new circular economy targets will be set by 2027 and will build on the monitoring and indicator framework that will be part of the forthcoming circular economy strategy. Reuse targets will be considered as part of the development of these new targets.

Question reference: S6W-40818

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College on (a) students and (b) staff.

While colleges are responsible for their own operational matters, such as their campus footprint, they must consider the needs of the people, region, and the communities they serve. This includes students and staff, for whom I recognise this is a worrying time.

As Forth Valley College’s campus in Alloa plays a vital role in providing access to services for the people in that community, Ministers are keen that everything possible is done to keep the campus open.

Question reference: S6W-40819

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the potential impact of the closure of the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College on the (a) Stirling and (b) Clackmannanshire economy.

Question reference: S6W-40829

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many children under the age of 16 have been admitted to an NHS hospital for a tooth extraction as a result of tooth decay in each of the past five years, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-40830

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many accredited general dental practitioners have provided routine preventative care in care homes in each of the past five years, and how many unique patients have received such care in each year.

The Scottish Government does not hold a central list of accredited general dental practitioners providing preventive advice in care homes. All such advice is included within the overall Public Health statistics, as noted in S6W-40828 on 7 October 2025. The introduction of payment reform in November 2023 precludes comparable figures for each of the last five years; information may be available in previously published Public Health Scotland releases. Public Health Statistics published to end quarter March 2025 provide NHS dental data monitoring report - Quarter ending March 2025 - NHS dental data monitoring report - Publications - Public Health Scotland an overview of the post reform performance across the 2024-25 financial year which indicate that around 12,000 Domiciliary and Recalled Attendance visits were undertaken by dentists in that year.