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: S6O-05351

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to protect young people from grooming gangs and sexual exploitation.

Question reference: S6O-05354

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to maintain and increase teacher numbers.

Question reference: S6O-05324

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether regional news serves an important function in a democracy.

Question reference: S6O-05325

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of initiatives used by other nations to support artists and creatives.

Question reference: S6O-05349

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve pay in the college sector.

Question reference: S6W-42288

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the proposal for mandatory owners' associations for tenements, which it has asked the Scottish Law Commission to consider drafting legislation on, could be extended to include associations for outdoor areas, such as back lanes, which are generally owned by all adjacent private owners and can pose ongoing maintenance challenges.

Question reference: S6W-42431

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with the Home Office about the UK Government exercising its break clause in the Asylum Accommodation and Support Contract with Mears in Scotland from March 2026 and exploring an alternative model for delivery of asylum accommodation and support with local authorities and charities.

Question reference: S6W-42586

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36786 by Mairi Gougeon on 22 April 2025, what the anticipated timeline is for the squid fishing trial.

Scottish Ministers remain committed to working collaboratively with stakeholders as part of the Squid Pilot Co-Management Group to develop and undertake a limited squid pilot project.

The squid pilot project will involve a number of inshore vessels and will gather information on the potential impacts of squid fishing on cod stocks and bycatch of non-target stocks. The outcomes of the pilot project will be analysed to support longer-term policy decisions on fishing for squid under the North Sea Cod Avoidance Plan (NCAP).

Work is currently underway on the design and scope of the project based on best available evidence, this includes detailed advice that has been produced by Nature Scot, with the intention of introducing the squid pilot project in 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42587

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36787 by Mairi Gougeon on 22 April 2025, whether it will provide an update on the work of the squid fishing trial.

Scottish Government officials have continued to undertake the work necessary to develop a squid pilot project to support longer-term policy decisions on fishing for squid under the North Sea Cod Avoidance Plan (NCAP). This has involved detailed analysis of the best available evidence and continued collaboration with stakeholders as part of the Squid Pilot Co-Management Group.

Officials in Marine Directorate are aiming to establish the parameters of the pilot project over the coming months with the aim of squid pilot taking place in certain trial areas in 2026. Further updates will be provided once the pilot project has commenced and data has been gathered.

Question reference: S6W-42475

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what process was followed that resulted in the chairs of NHS Lothian and Greater Glasgow and Clyde being chosen to chair the respective Sub-National Planning and Delivery Committees for Scotland East and Scotland West; whether a vote was taken among all NHS board chairs, and whether any NHS boards objected to the chosen chairs.

The Chairs of NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde were invited to chair the Sub-National Planning and Delivery Committees (SPDCs) following an assessment of the practical considerations required to support the running of the proposed SPDCs. NHS Lothian and NHS Greater Glasgow Clyde, as the largest Health Boards, were identified as having the capacity and capability to do so. It is, however, the responsibility of the participating Health Boards to determine how they will implement The Co-operation and Planning Directions 2025 which came into force on 13 November 2025. This includes the development of the terms of reference of the SPDCs which will provide further details on membership and chairing arrangements.