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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-40148

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39428 by Gillian Martin on 28 July 2025, what action it is taking to deal with companies repeatedly convicted of unlawful activity, including corruption, bribery, fraud, and human trafficking and exploitation, in the last five years, from applying to Crown Estate Scotland for seabed leasing for (a) offshore wind development and (b) other marine renewable energy developments.

Question reference: S6W-40144

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39428 by Gillian Martin on 28 July 2025, what consideration it has given to barring companies repeatedly convicted of unlawful activity, including corruption, bribery, fraud, and human trafficking and exploitation, in the last five years, from applying to Crown Estate Scotland for seabed leasing for (a) offshore wind development and (b) other marine renewable energy developments.

I refer to the answers I provided to questions S6W-39428 on 28 July 2025 and S6W-39996 on 3 September 2025 and confirm that Crown Estate Scotland is responsible for managing seabed leasing for offshore wind and other marine renewable energy developments. Therefore, the process for leasing the seabed, as well as the criteria underpinning it, is a matter for Crown Estate Scotland.

Companies applying for a seabed lease are required to demonstrate appropriate experience, financial robustness, and overall suitability. The leasing process is designed to prevent companies from being offered a lease option if they are in breach of laws governing corruption, bribery, and fraud as well as human trafficking and exploitation. This includes companies convicted repeatedly for these crimes. Detailed guidance notes setting out the criteria underpinning the ScotWind process are published for the purposes of transparency and accountability on the Crown Estate Scotland website.

Crown Estate Scotland are committed to taking all appropriate action to prevent the Scottish seabed from being used by any company that does not meet its terms of lease, and reserves the right to void any application (or terminate any agreement) in relation to companies which are found to have provided false information.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-40146

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 10 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39428 by Gillian Martin on 28 July 2025, what consideration it has given to introducing additional criteria for Crown Estate Scotland to void any application or terminate agreement with companies in relation to (a) offshore wind development and (b) other marine renewable energy developments.

Question reference: S6W-40190

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to ensure that the new Scottish Aggregates Tax and Scottish Landfill Tax are aligned in a way that balances their respective impacts.

The Scottish Landfill Tax and the planned Scottish Aggregates Tax play complementary roles in encouraging the substitution of recycled and secondary aggregates for primary aggregates.

Research commissioned by the Scottish Government, Scottish Landfill Tax: Lower Rate Review (May 2025) highlights in particular that the introduction of the Scottish Aggregates Tax presents an opportunity to reassess how taxation influences the volume of lower-rate aggregates sent to landfill.

Further consideration of the alignment and interaction between the two taxes will be undertaken once the Scottish Aggregates Tax is operational.

Question reference: S6W-40191

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact in Scotland of the UK Government’s forthcoming changes to the Landfill Tax.

The Scottish Government is aware of the UK Government’s consultation on Landfill Tax reforms, and of the potential relevance for Scotland.

Any assessment of the impact in Scotland would depend on the detail of decisions taken following the consultation. The Scottish Government would therefore welcome early certainty from the UK Government on its plans, particularly regarding the arrangements for the lower rate of Landfill Tax.

Decisions regarding Scottish Landfill Tax policy will be announced as usual as part of the Scottish Budget.

Question reference: S6W-40189

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the implementation of the new Scottish Aggregates Tax, to what extent it has explored divergence from the UK Aggregates Levy.

In 2023, the Scottish Government consulted to inform the development of proposals for a Scottish tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy. The consultation included questions on alignment with the UK Aggregate Levy and the tax rate.

Separately, in 2025, Scottish Government commissioned research on the role of alternatives to primary aggregates in reducing construction sector emissions examined how the tax rate could incentivise the use of such alternatives.

The Scottish Aggregates Tax will initially mirror key aspects of the UK Aggregates Levy, with flexibility to evolve in line with Scottish Government policy objectives.

Question reference: S6W-40116

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports in The Herald on 16 August 2025 and analysis carried out by STL Solutions Ltd into the determination of short-term let (STL) planning applications by the City of Edinburgh Council, what its position is on whether (a) the reported refusal by the City of Edinburgh Council of over 97% of traditional STL applications amounts to a de facto blanket ban and was the planned outcome of its legislation, or whether it risks driving activity into non-compliance and a black market; (b) the City of Edinburgh's practice of treating almost all STLs as a material change of use, and then reportedly refusing them in nearly every case, is consistent with its national planning framework policies and demonstrates a case-by-case assessment and (c) it is fair that operators that have reportedly spent thousands of pounds securing an STL licence should then be refused planning permission reportedly creating many appeals at taxpayers’ expense, and whether this dual approach is proportionate.

All applications for planning permission are decided on their own merits and, by law, must be determined in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The development plan consists of both National Planning Framework 4 and the local development plan for the area. It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to make comment about decisions made by a planning authority.

Through the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, the Scottish Parliament legislated to allow planning authorities to designate short term let control areas (‘control areas’). Under these provisions, City of Edinburgh Council has designated the entirety of its administrative area as a control area. Within control areas, certain changes of use from a dwellinghouse to short-term letting are automatically deemed to be material changes of use requiring planning permission. It is for the planning authority to consider on a case-by-case basis whether changes of use that occurred before the designation of a control area constitute material changes of use requiring planning permission.

The planning system and the licensing system have different and distinct regulatory purposes. The purpose of planning is to manage the development and use of land in the long term public interest, whereas the purpose of short-term let licensing is to ensure the safety of guests and safeguard Scotland's reputation as a high quality tourist destination. Scottish Government guidance encourages anyone who is considering using a house or flat as a short term let to check with the relevant planning authority whether planning permission is required.

Question reference: S6W-40079

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh has spent on conversation projects (a) in Scotland, (b) in the rest of the UK and (c) outside of the UK in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-39946

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in response to reported concerns that low-level fraud has effectively been decriminalised, with there being no one to report it to and the platforms that enable it not taking any action to stop it.

The Scottish Government is working with law enforcement partners such as Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre as well as the financial industry in combatting fraud.

Police Scotland has established a cyber and fraud specialist division to enhance their response in Scotland, working with UK law enforcement and partner agencies. They will develop capability through cyber and online training, ensuring support and guidance for officers and staff. We encourage everyone to report suspicious sites to NCSC using the reporting tool on their website. We also encourage anyone who believes they have been the victim of a crime to contact Police Scotland.

Partners will continue to share knowledge and learning around fraud activity. Fraud is committed by a broad range of criminals, from domestic lone actors to complex international organised crime groups.

Question reference: S6W-40033

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the First Minister last met the (a) Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland and (b) Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

The Scottish Government regularly meet with the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS) and the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (The ALLIANCE) at both official and ministerial level. Both organisations are key stakeholders who have been heavily involved in the work on the National Care Service, social care workforce and our reform and renewal programme through their membership of the Key Stakeholder Steering Group (KSSG) as well as through other regular policy engagement.

The First Minister met with the CCPS and others at a round table event on 20 May 2025 and with the ALLIANCE, the CCPS and others at an event on 16 June 2025.