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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6F-04345

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on whether NHS Tayside should exempt legal claims by former patients of Professor Sam Eljamel from the three-year time-bar which is currently in place.

Question reference: S6F-04352

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported comments from the chair of the British Medical Association in Scotland, that Scotland's NHS is "dying before our eyes".

Question reference: S6F-04341

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04342

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04343

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04356

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the First Minister, regarding the potential impact on marginalised communities and public services in Scotland, what the Scottish Government’s response is to UK Government proposals to introduce a mandatory digital ID scheme.

Question reference: S6W-40520

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Act 2023.

The Scottish Government (SG) is committed to implementing all elements of the Bail and Release (Scotland) Act 2023 (“the 2023 Act”).

The SG has already commenced various sections of the 2023 Act. This includes all of Part 1 which relates to bail and bail decision making, which came into effect on 14 May 2025.

Part 2 Section 11 (Emergency Early Release) and Section 14 (Prescribed Victim Support Organisations were brought into force on 26 May 2024, and Section 15 (Reporting on the operation of Part 2: Release) has also all been commenced.

The implementation of Part 2 of the Act is progressing, with commencement of further elements planned in the coming year. The remaining sections of the 2023 Act are being commenced at different times, with the timeline being influenced by multiple factors, and notably the required resource and readiness across our delivery partners in the justice sector. Work is already underway on work to develop throughcare standards (section 13), with stakeholder engagement planned from November 2025 and public consultation in summer 2026.

Development of measures to implement s8 (release on specific days) and s9 (release on licence) have been delayed due to other priority developments in prisons legislation, but will be implemented as soon as is practicable. Implementation of s10 (Review of Parole Board directions and recommendations) will be incorporated into wider work on parole that is currently underway .

Question reference: S6W-40510

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will lead the preparation of a plan and investment case for the development of Scotland's steel manufacturing, including the commissioning of a Direct Reduced Iron facility and Electric Arc Furnace to leverage part of the £2.5 billion allocated to the green steel fund from the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund and private sector investment.

Question reference: S6W-40121

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with drone (a) manufacturing and (b) operating firms in Scotland to develop perimeter defence systems for (i) prisons and (ii) other sensitive secure sites.

In relation to prisons, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and the Scottish Government are aware of the negative impact of drones being used to introduce illicit items into the prison estate and the threat that has for the operational stability of prisons across Scotland.

Covert technology to detect when a drone is approaching or entering SPS airspace has been piloted. In addition, SPS is implementing low tech solutions such as window grilles, which have been fitted to 3 establishments so far, are also part of SPS’s response to this ongoing threat. SPS continue to analyse the marketplace as well as consult with other jurisdictions to keep pace with this ever-evolving environment.

Many sensitive secure sites in Scotland relate to defence and national security and are as such the responsibility of the United Kingdom Government. The legislative, physical and electronic defence of these sites are varied and the responsibility of the owner/operator.

Perimeter defence systems can form one of a number of physical and/or electronic defensive measures. It is for the site owner/operator, in co-operation with the National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority to determine whether drone defences are appropriate, proportionate and effective for their site.

In relation to Critical National Infrastructure sectors, some of which are reserved, some devolved and some a mix of both, security risks will be assessed and appropriate mitigations developed.

Question reference: S6W-40569

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the reported decision by some EU member states to reverse their previous policy and expand nuclear power, and what assessment it has made of any implications of this for Scotland’s energy policy.

The Scottish Government position remains - new nuclear under current technologies, which includes small modular reactors, is very expensive and takes decades to deliver, creating a legacy of radioactive waste which is difficult and costly to manage. Instead, we are focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland’s immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear.