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-39524

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to banning (a) dredging and (b) bottom trawling by the fishing industry.

Question reference: S6W-38979

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, following its announcement in February 2025 on building consensus on council tax reform, what its position is on a proportional property tax.

Question reference: S6W-38980

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the expert and independent analysis that it announced it would commission as part of its announcement in February 2025 on building consensus on council tax reform, when this analysis was commissioned; what the timeline is; who is conducting it; when it will be published, and what the budget is for it.

The Scottish Government is working with COSLA through the Joint Working Group on public engagement on Council Tax Reform. We have procured the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) to carry out expert and independent analysis to support this work.

The analysis is planned to be published in September 2025, in advance of any engagement activity. The budget for this independent analysis is £49,750, and is being managed within the existing resources.

Question reference: S6W-38982

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its announcement in February 2025 on building consensus on council tax reform, what powers it has to conduct a nationwide revaluation of all homes.

The Scottish Government is not planning to undertake a Council Tax revaluation. Any suggestion of a revaluation could only proceed if a broad political consensus in favour existed – no such consensus currently exists.

Any changes to Council Tax must also be informed by robust evidence and wide public consultation. Our joint programme of engagement with COSLA on options for reform is intended to inform that public debate. This process will run for a number of years. Consequently, any substantial reform thereafter, including any suggestion of revaluation, would require a mandate from a Scottish Parliament Election and will not be possible this decade.

The powers relevant are contained within the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and related regulations.

Question reference: S6W-38981

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the public consultation process committed to in its announcement in February 2025 on building consensus on council tax reform, when the public will be invited to submit their views on how to make the council tax system fairer, and (a) when in the autumn and (b) where the public events or "town hall" meetings will be held.

Question reference: S6W-38920

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of seafarer employment conditions on the MV (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay freight vessel owned by CMAL, and whether these conditions are compliant with its Fair Work Framework.

Scottish Ministers require that those who deliver public contracts adopt fair employment practices for all workers engaged on delivering these contracts. Crew on board the freight vessels MV Helliar and MV Hildasay continue to benefit from the principles set out in the Fair Work Framework such as; access to training, genuine workforce engagement and payment of at least the Living Wage. Transport Scotland hold regular meetings with SNF to cover a variety of matters, including updates on union and employment issues. Scottish Ministers regularly engage with Trade Unions.

Question reference: S6W-38919

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to ensure that the recognition agreement between Serco NorthLink and the RMT Union for staff on the MV (a) Hrossey, (b) Hjaltland and (c) Hamnavoe ro-pax vessel on the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract is extended to cover seafarers on the MV (i) Helliar and (ii) Hildasay freight vessel on the same contract.

Question reference: S6W-38921

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to assess any merits of activating the break clause in Transport Scotland’s current contract with Serco for the Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Question reference: S6W-38922

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether CMAL is the sole employer of seafarers working on the MV (a) Helliar and (b) Hildasay freight vessel operated by NorthLink Ferries.

Question reference: S6W-38806

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how much of the £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray has been allocated since the establishment of the fund.