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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-39101

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund has been allocated to the Scottish Borders.

Since 2011, the Scottish Government has provided over £65 million to support the development of public EV charging across Scotland. As a direct result of this funding, and increasing private sector investment, Scotland now has over 6,900 public charge points, a target for 6,000 public charge points was met in October 2024, two years ahead of schedule. Scotland has one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK, with, on a per head of population basis, more rapid public EV charge points than any other part of the UK except the South East of England.

Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund, we continue to support local authorities to work in partnership with the private sector to expand public EV charging across Scotland. With public funding prioritising those areas of Scotland less likely to benefit from stand-alone private sector investment in public EV charging infrastructure, including our rural and island communities.

To date Scottish Borders Council has received £137,000 in funding from the EV Infrastructure Fund to support the development of an EV Infrastructure Strategy and Expansion Plan covering the Scottish Borders. Scottish Borders Council has also bid for project funding from the EV Infrastructure Fund as part of a partnership which also includes City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Falkirk, Fife, Midlothian and West Lothian Councils. The project funding awarded to this partnership through the EV Infrastructure Fund to expand public EV charging across the South of Scotland is due to be announced later this year.

Question reference: S6W-39125

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the monitoring and public reporting of sewage discharges into coastal waters, particularly in rural communities such as those around the Kyles of Bute and Loch Riddon, in light of reported concerns regarding the frequency and impact of untreated sewage entering the marine environment.

Question reference: S6W-39114

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place to ensure that schools remain politically neutral in how they present national symbols such as the Union Flag.

Question reference: S6W-39443

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff it has qualified to deliver cataract surgery in 2025, and how this compares with 2015.

Question reference: S6W-39066

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 14 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding allocated from the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme went to growers based outside of Scotland in each year since it was established.

While Producer Organisations (POs) that currently receive aid through the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme funded by the Scottish Government do have a number of members that are not based in Scotland, the scheme does not fund individual growers. Aid is provided to recognised POs, based on an approved operational programme, which must have the support of all PO members. Funding offers a range of opportunities which are of collective value to the PO and its members. Currently there are also a number of Scottish growers which are members of POs in other UK nations.

Information related to funding allocated to POs in other UK nations is not held by the Scottish Government. This is a matter for the Rural Payments Agency.

Question reference: S6W-39346

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement of additional funding for National Treatment Centre Highland on 10 April 2025, what assessment it has made regarding the additional funding allocated to support the introduction of combined cataract and trabecular bypass procedures.

In 2025-26 all ophthalmic procedures at National Treatment Centres (NTCs) will be cataract surgery. NTCs will not provide glaucoma treatments such as trabecular bypasses.

The treatment centres are focusing on delivering higher volume surgery in cataract only lists due to the volume of surgery required. If patients require cataract surgery and an additional procedure, surgery is likely to be undertaken in their Health Board of residence with an Ophthalmologist who specialises in the particular sub-specialty outwith cataracts i.e. Glaucoma.

Question reference: S6W-39241

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many recorded accidents there have been on the Edinburgh City Bypass in each year since 1999.

The following table provides the number of injury road collisions recorded by Police Scotland as taking place on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass.

Year	Number of injury collisions
1999	43
2000	43
2001	46
2002	41
2003	48
2004	52
2005	41
2006	62
2007	66
2008	51
2009	42
2010	43
2011	42
2012	61
2013	63
2014	78
2015	47
2016	57
2017	39
2018	47
2019	42
2020	21
2021	27
2022	32
2023	31
2024*	24

*Note: figures for 2024 are provisional, as they are based on monthly returns received thus far from Police Scotland. This may be an incomplete picture of casualties due to a slight lag between collisions occurring and the data being processed and shared by Police Scotland. These figures are also subject to change due to subsequent corrections and late records.

Question reference: S6W-39223

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending the remit of the next HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan to include a (a) goal of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030 and (b) commitment to ensure that people living with HIV in Scotland are supported to remain in care and have a good quality of life.

The Scottish Government remain firmly committed to the goals outlined within the HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan, published in March 2024, which includes a commitment to ending new transmissions of HIV by 2030 and ensuring that people living with HIV are able to access the high quality, person-centred care, treatment and the support they need to live well. A mid-plan report is expected to be published in late August which will outline progress made against our goals, as well as proposing next steps and prioritisation of some actions within the plan.

Question reference: S6W-39191

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the reason why hundreds of police officers are reportedly having to work second jobs.

The assessment of requests and permission for officers seeking additional jobs or business interests are matters for the Chief Constable. Police Scotland has confirmed that an assessment is undertaken of every application for additional business interests, many of these agreed to are voluntary or charitable posts.

The Scottish Government values the dedication shown by police officers in Scotland. That’s why our police officers remain the best paid in the UK, recognising the hard work and valuable contribution they make daily, as well as our commitment to investing in policing.

Question reference: S6W-39146

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on a tenure-neutral housing standard, and whether a public consultation on this issue will take place in 2025.

The quality of housing in Scotland has improved over the years due to the action of this Government. The introduction of the Scottish Housing Quality Standard in social housing in 2012 and strengthening of the Repairing Standard for the private rental sector in 2024 shows our commitment to making improvements. The Scottish House Condition Survey shows that the condition of our housing across all tenures continues to rise. However, we recognise that different sectors are moving at different speeds, and some types of housing need particular attention, which is why the government committed to having a tenure-neutral standard.

However, the work on the tenure-neutral housing standard was paused last year to prioritise key actions required to respond to the housing emergency declared in June 2024, putting additional pressure on household finances whilst the cost-of-living pressures persisted.

While our focus remains on responding to the Housing Emergency, Scottish Government has an ambition to ensure full alignment of housing standards in the future.