Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-37853

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding progress on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications with Ukraine.

The Scottish Government has not had any recent discussions with the UK Government on mutual recognition of professional qualifications with Ukraine. It is ultimately for the professions’ independent regulators to determine the process for recognition of relevant qualifications and experience for professionally qualified New Scots, including displaced people from Ukraine.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of employment in the integration of New Scots, allowing people to use their skills and experience, rebuild their confidence, expand their social networks, and reduce the risk of poverty or reliance on government support. We also recognise the unique challenges New Scots face, including the recognition of overseas qualifications. Through the New Scots Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government has committed to ‘work with Scottish professional bodies to understand and promote recognitions pathways for industries and identified sectors.’

In 2023, the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) Partnership published a Guide to Ukrainian Qualifications for employers, admissions staff in institutions, recognition of prior learning (RPL) practitioners and third sector organisations to help better understand Ukrainian qualifications. The guide provides information about the main certificates, diplomas and degrees awarded in Ukraine to allow employers, education and support staff to make informed judgements about the value of these qualifications for entry to education, training or employment.

In addition, the Scottish Government commissioned SCQF Partnership to undertake scoping work on Recognition of Prior Learning to support the potential development of a national policy and strategy on RPL. The aim of this is to embed the recognition of prior learning and skills of school leavers, adult learners, and those settling in Scotland within our education and skills system. Work is still in early stages and subject to Ministerial approval.

Question reference: S6W-38073

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to close the reported gap between the amount of land allocated and permissioned for homes, and the number of homes being completed.

Across Scotland, there is a high-level estimate that more than 164,000 homes have planning permission but have not yet been built. This has set the context for the 23 actions set out in the Planning and Housing Emergency Delivery Plan that we published last November. We are making good progress delivering across all of these actions, which relate to policy, delivery, capacity and efficiency.

As an example, we have been identifying and removing barriers on stalled housing sites. Everyone involved in planning has a role to play in accelerating delivery, so we have established a Short Life Working Group, involving industry partners, to address challenges such as flexibility on affordable housing provision, flooding, market viability, education and transport (road and rail). We are also working more intensively to broker solutions for individual sites where progress has stalled. This work is informing the priorities for the National Planning Hub, which is offering practical help for planning authorities to access specialist expertise, build professional skills and capacity, and support efficiency.

We have committed to continuing action on stalled housing sites and the Hub in the 2025-26 Programme for Government. We will also consult this year on mechanisms to accelerate house building and stimulate access to land with planning permission where building has not started. These are examples of the delivery focus and practical intervention we are taking to help build more of the homes Scotland needs sooner.

Question reference: S6O-04771

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its policy to not use public money to support the manufacture of munitions in order that Scottish Enterprise can reconsider the eligibility of the £2.5 million grant funding towards the £11 million investment in a new naval welding centre on the Clyde, led by Rolls-Royce.

Question reference: S6W-37803

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the publication of its medium-term financial framework for the Health and Social Care portfolio, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report.

Question reference: S6W-37804

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report, whether it has plans to publish clear and transparent annual progress reports on the work to reform NHS services.

Question reference: S6W-37802

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S6W-37468 by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025, whether any work has taken place internally on potentially extending restrictions to smoke-free places, and, if so, what restrictions are currently being considered.

As noted in my answer to S6W-37468 the Scottish Government are taking forward work as part of our Tobacco and Vapes Framework to review the impact and potential implementation of further place based restrictions alongside a review of the implementation of restrictions on hospital grounds.

ASH Scotland are carrying out that review, with engagement having been undertaken with a broad range of stakeholders across Scotland including academics, trading standards, environmental health and NHS facilities managers.

The report will be published later this year and I look forward to receiving it. I will consider the recommendations on next steps, alongside other evidence as part of identifying options for consultation.

Question reference: S6W-37781

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to expand the deployment of solar panels across the NHS Scotland estate.

The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 includes a target to deliver a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from its buildings compared to a 1990 baseline by 2030 and net-zero emissions from its estate by 2040. To support this, the Scottish Government is working with NHS Scotland Health Boards to implement a range of energy efficiency and decarbonisation measures, including onsite and offsite renewable energy systems such as solar panels.

The current funding approach for NHS Scotland decarbonisation involves leveraging both public capital and private investment as funding options for renewable energy schemes and to consider partnerships with suppliers through Power Purchase Agreements. Capital funding from the Scottish Government may also be made available for onsite arrays, although NHS Boards are expected to consider renewable energy and energy efficiency measures as part of their planning.

Question reference: S6W-37805

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has communicated lessons learned from the process of negotiating the end of private finance initiative contracts to NHS boards, as per the recommendations in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report by Audit Scotland.

The challenges that PFI contracts present at their expiry are understood within the NHS and a programme of work is underway to support Health Boards to manage them.

NHS Scotland Assure and the Scottish Futures Trust have a joint Specialist Support Team to assist Health Boards with management of their PPP contracts.

End of contract is a major focus of the team’s work with a role dedicated to this work since 2021.

This includes handback readiness reviews of contracts expiring in 7 to 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-37760

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scotland's Railway should utilise surplus steel, in light of reports that there is several million pounds worth of surplus steel from the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme in long-term storage at Bridgeton Yard.

Question reference: S6W-37339

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Christine Grahame (on behalf of the SPCB) on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will approach third-party Scottish manufacturers, such as Scotcrest or ScotClans, to authorise them to use the Scottish Parliament Corporate Identity and tartan to retail bespoke parliamentary plaques, which ��˿�� could purchase at their own expense to use for presentational gift purposes, such as overseas visits, hosting dignitaries, retirements or sporting events.