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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 MSPs 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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S7W-02486

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the membership is of the partnership group for the Glasgow People’s Palace and Winter Gardens restoration project.

Question reference: S7W-02513

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve credit unions and financial co-operatives in the delivery of community wealth building.

Question reference: S7W-02485

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it has considered commissioning a Scottish Parliament challenge coin for members to present to hosts during official international visits and to members of visiting delegations, in light of the increasing use of such coins by legislatures and public bodies across the Commonwealth, the United States and elsewhere.

Question reference: S7W-02304

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of animals in scientific research and testing.

Question reference: S7W-02256

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the reduction of the reported nine-month waiting time for responses to Subject Access Requests from members of the public, including requests for access to video footage from body-worn filming devices.

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 stipulates that the Chief Constable of Police Scotland is responsible for the policing of Scotland and is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority for this, rather than to Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure public confidence that the police act independently, free from unwarranted Ministerial interference. It would therefore be inappropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on or seek to intervene in operational matters.

While the operational delivery of SARs is a matter for Police Scotland, individuals retain statutory rights of access to their personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018. The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) guidance states that law enforcement agencies should respond to SARs without undue delay and, in most cases, within one month.

Police Scotland have acknowledged on their website that, due to unprecedented demand, the current wait time can be up to nine months.

Question reference: S7W-02258

Asked by: Andrew Baxter, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in video recordings by police officers using body-worn filming devices, what additional resources it is providing to Police Scotland to ensure that members of the public can access such footage through Subject Access Requests, in line with their rights under the Data Protection Act 2018.

Decisions on workforce deployment and the allocation of resources in respect of data protection functions are operational matters for the Chief Constable and the Scottish Police Authority. This reflects the statutory governance arrangements established by the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

This year, the Scottish Government have increased police funding to over £1.7 billion, an increase of £81.5 million on the 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision (ABR) budget, to deliver on its priorities including frontline service delivery.

Question reference: S7W-02305

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding animal use in scientific research, what assessment it has made of the alignment between its publication, Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland 2035 Vision, and the guiding 3Rs ethical framework principles of replacement, reduction and refinement.

The Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland is primarily designed to maximise growth, innovation and competitiveness across Scotland's life sciences sector. The 3Rs are fundamental ethical principles which seek to minimise the use of animals in scientific research and improve animal welfare, while enhancing scientific quality. The Life Sciences Strategy does not position 3Rs adoption as a core driver of growth, however there are opportunities for Scotland to build a competitive advantage through leadership in alternative methods, AI-enabled modelling, organoids, human-relevant research technologies and responsible innovation.

Question reference: S7W-02300

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it receives from the UK Government's Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) regarding licensed establishments carrying out procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in Scotland, including whether it has received any information relating to investigations, compliance concerns or enforcement action.

The Scottish Government does not routinely receive such information. The Animals in Science Regulation Unit (ASRU) publishes an annual report which includes information pertaining to investigations, compliance and enforcement action. In addition, the ASRU publishes detailed annual statistics that includes data on the number of licences granted, nature and number of procedures undertaken, species used etc. The publication of this information is a statutory requirement under the 1986 Act and all reports are available to view on the ASRU web site.

Question reference: S7W-02173

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that current cancer waiting time standards adequately protect patients with rapidly progressing cancers.

In NHS Scotland we have two cancer waiting times standards. These are:

A 31-day standard from decision to treat until first treatment regardless of the route of referral.
A 62-day standard from urgent referral with suspicion of cancer, including referrals from national cancer screening programmes, until first treatment.

For people with cancer, focussing on the cancer waiting times standards of 62 days from urgent referral to first treatment and 31 days from decision-to-treat to first treatment is supporting NHS Boards to consider how they best speed up the diagnostic pathway and reduce the period of uncertainty that can exist whilst trying to establish a diagnosis. The first treatment standards also provide assurance that any appropriate immediate measures are being started as soon as possible.

Our Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026 includes a commitment to carry out a clinically led review of cancer waiting times. This will determine whether there is merit in additional or alternative standards.

This review, being led by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, has been initiated with evidence reviews being commissioned through key partners such as Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and Cancer Research UK.

Question reference: S7W-02181

Asked by: Heather Anderson, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the improvement of the enforcement of cat breeding licensing, to ensure that the breeding of cats with extreme characteristics, including Scottish folds and flat-faced Persians, is addressed and in line with current recommendations by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and UK Animal Welfare Committee.

Under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, cat breeders must be licensed and comply with conditions that prohibit breeding where a cat’s genotype or conformation could have a detrimental effect on its welfare or that of its offspring.

These provisions already restrict the breeding of cats with known welfare concerns, including Scottish Folds, and can be applied to other breeds with extreme characteristics. The Scottish Government is committed to high standards of animal welfare and we will continue to keep the licensing framework under review, including consideration of recommendations from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and the UK Animal Welfare Committee.