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-38009

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what estimate it has made of the number of staff that would be required to operate any customs or border posts along the Anglo-Scottish border in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-38005

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of the potential additional average time per freight journey resulting from any customs procedures when crossing the border from an independent Scotland into England.

Question reference: S6W-38011

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of what potential reduction in trade volumes for the (a) whisky, (b) meat and (c) dairy sector could result from any introduction of a hard border between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S6W-38000

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what recent estimate it has made of the potential reduction in Scotland’s trade volume with the rest of the UK in the event of customs checks at the border in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-38012

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what engagement it has had with foreign investors regarding access to the UK market in an independent Scotland, and whether it has received representations from any foreign investors expressing concerns on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-38010

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what assessment it has made of what the total cost would be of (a) building and (b) operating any new customs infrastructure at the border with England in the first year of an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-38004

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on (a) how many border inspection points would be required along the Anglo-Scottish border and (b) where any such inspection points would be located, in an independent Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-38047

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any (a) national and (b) regional targets were set as part of the £60 million play park renewal programme, and how performance against any such targets is being (i) measured and (ii) recorded.

Question reference: S6W-38049

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is using any data gathered from local authorities to inform future planning for outdoor play and infrastructure beyond the current renewal programme.

The Scottish Government published Scotland’s Play Vision Statement and Action Plan 2025-2030 in March 2025, which emphasises our commitment to play and our vision for the future of play in Scotland. It reinforces our commitment to children’s rights and mitigating the impacts of poverty through the promotion and access to free outdoor play spaces and opportunities.

Within the Vision Statement and Action Plan document we have published a Play Theory of Change which can be used by partners as a framework for further local and community improvements to play opportunities. The Theory of Change identifies place as one of three primary drivers, alongside parents and practitioners, that influence play opportunities for children.

The Vision Statement and Action Plan are designed to reflect the vision of play for Scotland for the next 5 years and the steps we will take within that time to achieve our vision and aim. The Scottish Government will lead on the ten actions in the plan and will collaborate with key partners in their delivery.

Additionally, as part of Planning Reform introduced through the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, we have made ensuring the sufficiency of outdoor play opportunities a statutory planning duty through the Play Sufficiency Assessment Regulations 2023.

Local authorities may choose to make use of this information to inform their future planning for outdoor play provisions.

Question reference: S6W-38044

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many play parks have been permanently removed or closed since 2021, and whether these are included in delivery statistics for the national play park renewal programme.