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: S6F-03968

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2025

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to prevent instances of water scarcity in 2025.

Question reference: S6W-35623

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32232 by Gillian Martin on 19 December 2024, what consideration it has given to (a) fisheries management and (b) the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 with regard to the National Marine Plan 2.

Marine Planning in Scotland’s waters is governed by two Acts – the UK Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Together these set out the requirement for the development of marine plans.

A Planning Position Statement for NMP2 was published in and covers how the requirements of the Marine Acts and other relevant legislation are being considered in the development of NMP2, as well as the initial thinking on policy direction for NMP2.

The responses to the consultation on the Planning Position Statement are currently being considered, and these stakeholder perspectives alongside the policies established in the fisheries management strategy and fisheries management plans, will inform the development of the NMP2.

Question reference: S6W-35402

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Housing (Scotland) Bill, what contact it has had with (a) individual landlords and (b) representative landlord bodies.

Question reference: S6W-35398

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022, what legal consideration it gave when setting the permitted rate of rent increase to 3% for private rented sector tenancies.

Question reference: S6W-35401

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Rent Adjudication (Temporary Modifications) (Scotland) Regulations 2024, what legal consideration it gave in relation to the determination of rent payable for private residential tenancies expiring on 31 March 2025.

Question reference: S6W-35404

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Rent Adjudication (Temporary Modifications) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 and the Housing (Scotland) Bill, whether it has considered any impact of tenants potentially being left without any protections between the expiration of rent adjudication on 31 March 2025 and the proposed introduction of rent control areas.

The temporary modifications were introduced as part of the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 to support a cost-of-living crisis. The Housing (Scotland) Bill will seek to introduce permanent rent control legislation.

From 1 April 2025, existing requirements under the Private Housing (Tenancies)(Scotland) Act 2016 will continue to provide protection from above market rent increases. We are taking steps through a further wave of our Renters Rights Campaign to ensure tenants are made aware of their rights to seek a independent review of a proposed rent increase.

Question reference: S6W-35403

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Housing (Scotland) Bill, what contact it has had with (a) individual tenants and (b) representative tenant bodies.

Question reference: S6W-35399

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022, what legal consideration it gave in relation to the permitted rate of rent increase of 3% for private rented sector tenancies expiring on 31 March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-35400

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Rent Adjudication (Temporary Modifications) (Scotland) Regulations 2024, what legal consideration it gave when setting the determination of rent payable for private residential tenancies.

Question reference: S6W-35405

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the continuing cost of living crisis, what (a) measures beyond rent adjudication and (b) emergency measures it has considered to protect private rented sector tenants.

Scotland already has the strongest protections for tenants in the UK. The rent adjudication process is in place to protect tenants from above market rent increases and it is one of a number if protections tenants have in place. An appeal can be made to the First Tier Tribunal if a landlord or tenant is not happy with a rent adjudication decision.

Raising awareness of the strong existing rights tenants have is critical. That is why we have launched a further Renters’ Rights Campaign. This will support tenants understand their rights, how to use them and where to seek further advice and support.