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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: S6O-05233

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on touring artists in Scotland, including any plans for discussion with the UK Government on this matter in advance of the forthcoming review of the agreement.

Question reference: S6O-05231

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding support available to cultural institutions for energy efficiency measures, in light of reports that Dundee Rep, and other similar cultural bodies that operate as wholly owned trading subsidiaries, have been unable to access the SME loan and cashback scheme.

Question reference: S6O-05235

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress that is being made to replace Greenock Police Station and increase police officer numbers in Inverclyde.

Question reference: S6O-05254

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given any further consideration to initiating a consultation on the establishment of a kindergarten phase for children in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-05256

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting skills development to promote the future of the north east fishing industry.

Question reference: S6O-05238

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it is choosing not to answer any questions on the court proceedings in relation to its policy on transgender prisoners, which allows biological male prisoners to be housed in women’s prisons, despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, in light of section 5 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 allowing matters of general public interest to be discussed.

Question reference: S6W-41958

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to improve broadband reliability in rural Scotland ahead of the switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network, in light of the fact that digital landlines depend on internet connectivity.

In the past decade, Scottish public sector-led digital infrastructure programmes have enabled over one million faster broadband connections. Through the Reaching 100% (R100) and Project Gigabit in Scotland (PGiS) programmes, we are continuing to accelerate access to future-proofed full fibre broadband for those who need it most, despite Scotland having some of the most challenging terrain in which to deploy digital infrastructure in Europe.

The switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in the UK is industry-led, with oversight from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), reflecting that telecoms legislation is reserved.

Question reference: S6W-42095

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 4×4 or multi-role vehicles procured by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in the last three years have entered operational service, and how many are currently awaiting deployment.

All vehicles listed in the answer to question S6W-42094 on 26 November 2025 have been deployed except for two of the Ford Ranger Multi-Role Units (which are at the final stage of commissioning work expected to be deployed by next month) and the Ford Ranger Ultra-Light Pumping Units. These units required additional configuration from the supplier. As present, five of eight are completed, and all eight units are expected to be deployed within the next few weeks. 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-41850

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of single-year budgets on court backlog recovery.

The Scottish Government has considered the impact of single-year budgets on court backlog recovery and does not consider them to have constrained progress. Despite the challenges of annual settlements, the criminal court recovery programme has delivered substantial results, supported by over £181 million of targeted investment through our Recovery, Renewal and Transformation Fund since 2021.

The number of scheduled trials across all criminal business types is now below 16,000, compared to a peak of 43,606 in January 2022 - a reduction of over 64%.

While this demonstrates the success of recovery efforts, court modelling shows that criminal business has yet to stabilise. Solemn case volumes remain significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels, with current levels around twice those seen in 2019-20. COPFS plans to register approximately 600 indictments per month over the coming year, well above historic levels, further demonstrating the sustained increase in solemn business.

Future planning must also take account of major reforms, including the establishment of a standalone National Sexual Offences Court, which is expected to ease pressure on High Court and Sheriff and Jury courts.

Question reference: S6W-41847

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers have been promoted to a senior leadership position within secondary schools, including (a) headteachers, (b) deputy headteachers and (c) principal teachers, who have completed a formal management training programme to support them in the discharge of their increased responsibilities, in (i) each of the last three full financial years and (ii) 2025-26 to date, broken down by local authority.

Statistics on the overall number of teachers in promoted posts are published as part of the teacher census statistics, available on the Scottish Government website here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of teachers promoted to a senior leadership position within secondary schools.

While the Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of teachers who have completed a formal management training programme, we provide funding of over £800,000 per year for the Into Headship programme which aims to ensure aspirant head teachers are supported to develop and build the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding required in senior leadership roles, and the In Headship programme for headteachers early in post to support them to build the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding required of headteachers.