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 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.

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Question reference: S7W-01438

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Independent Commission on the Criminalisation of the Purchase of Sex to hold its first meeting.

Question reference: S7W-00755

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00001 by Neil Gray on 28 May 2026, whether it will provide the names of the SFRS Retained fire stations that have had a first pumping appliance unavailable for 50% of the time or more, in each of the last five years.

SFRS Retained fire stations that have had a first pumping appliance available for less than 50% of the time since 2021*
Station	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25	2025-26	Additional Information
Aberfeldy					?
Aberfoyle	?	?	?	?
Abington			?	?
Acharacle	?	?			?
Achiltibuie	?	?	?	?	?
Alloa			?	?	?	This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Applecross				?	?
Ayr					?	This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Balfron				?	?
Bathgate					?	This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Bettyhill	?	?	?	?	?
Bixter	?	?	?	?	?
Bonar Bridge	?	?	?	?	?
Bo'ness		?	?			This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Bressay		?	?	?	?
Broadford			?		?
Callander			?
Cannich	?	?	?	?	?
Colmonell	?				?
Coupar Angus			?	?	?
Crianlarich	?	?	?	?	?	Dormant fire station that is one of the stations under consideration of the Service Delivery Review.
Cullen				?	?
Dalmellington			?		?
Dalry	?	?	?	?	?
Denny	?	?
Dufftown					?
Dunblane					?
Dunkeld			?	?	?
Dunvegan		?
Eday				?	?
Eyemouth			?	?	?
Fair Isle	?
Falkirk	?	?	?	?	?	This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Fetlar	?	?	?	?	?	Dormant fire station that is one of the stations under consideration of the Service Delivery Review.
Garelochhead	?	?	?	?	?
Glenelg					?
Helensburgh		?	?			This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Hoy	?
John O Groats				?
Kilbirnie	?		?
Kilchoan	?	?	?	?	?
Kinlochewe				?	?
Kinross				?	?
Lanark			?	?	?	This station also operates an appliance crewed by full-time (wholetime) firefighters.
Lesmahagow	?		?	?	?
Linlithgow			?	?	?
Lochaline	?	?	?
Lochcarron			?
Lochinver	?	?	?	?	?
Lochmaddy	?	?		?	?
Mallaig				?	?
Mauchline					?
Muirkirk		?	?	?	?
New Cumnock		?	?
North Berwick	?	?	?	?	?
Scalloway			?	?
Scourie	?	?	?	?	?
Shotts		?	?	?	?
Skelmorlie	?	?		?
Slamannan		?	?	?
South Queensferry	?	?	?	?	?
St. Monans		?	?
Staffin	?	?	?	?	?
Strathaven	?	?	?	?	?
Tongue	?	?	?	?	?
Tranent		?
Tyndrum			?	?
Uig	?	?	?
Valtos			?	?	?
West Calder	?	?	?	?	?
Total	31	36	46	45	49
*Please note that the total number of fire appliances/stations increased in 2023-24 due to the transition from a legacy system, data from affected appliances is unavailable prior to this.
It should also be noted that there are an additional six on-call stations—Colintraive, Corriecravie, Kerrera, Nethybridge, Ratagan, and Muck—that are not currently included in SFRS administrative systems as they are dormant.

Question reference: S7W-01079

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether CMAL has secured a Builders Refund Guarantee in the design and build contract with Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd for two Northern Isles freight flex vessels.

Question reference: S7W-01081

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that the recognised trade unions at NorthLink Ferries are consulted over the design of (a) seafarer and (b) trainee accommodation on the two Northern Isles Freight flex vessels that are currently being designed and built by Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd.

Question reference: S7W-01077

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual subsidy level was for the public contract for the Northern Isles Ferry Services in (a) 2013-14 and (b) 2024-25.

Question reference: S7W-01078

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of (a) employees and (b) supply chain contractors that Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd will require to complete the design and build contract for two Northern Isles freight flex vessels by 2029.

Question reference: S7W-01080

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the first milestone payment is due for two Northern Isles Freight flex vessels, under the terms of the design and build contract between CMAL and Guangzhou Shipyard International Co. Ltd.

Question reference: S7W-00666

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the analysis by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) that indicates an increase of up to 40% in outsourcing by local authorities, what assessment it has made of any impact of outsourcing on (a) jobs and (b) revenue in the public sector.

The Scottish Government respects the independence of Local Government and the role of individual local authorities – as independent corporate bodies with their own powers and responsibilities – to manage their own budgets and workforce, including in relation to outsourcing of specific roles or services. As such, the Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the impact of outsourcing by local authorities. However, the Scottish Government would expect all local authorities to make decisions that meet their responsibility to secure value for money.

Question reference: S7W-00665

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider exploring the introduction of a public interest test to assess whether a service can be delivered more effectively in-house before any decision to outsource is made.

Public bodies are required to ensure delivery models achieve best value and meet the needs of the communities they serve. Decisions on whether services are delivered in-house or outsourced are a strategic matter for Scottish public bodies, taken through established commissioning and business planning processes.

While there is no single mandated public interest test in Scotland presently, the underlying principle of early, evidence-based assessment of delivery options are reflected in existing frameworks, with the Scottish Public Finance Manual and business case development processes supporting evidence-based decisions. These include consideration of value for money, affordability, risk, skills, capacity and wider impacts.

The Scottish Government keeps its approach to service delivery under review as part of its wider programme of public service reform. As part of this, we are currently exploring the opportunity to introduce a public interest test to further support make or buy decisions.

Question reference: S7W-00758

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 12 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will issue guidance to NHS boards setting clear requirements for the recording and reporting of sexual offences committed within hospital settings.

There are various national policies and guidance documents currently in place which require NHS Health Boards to appropriately record and report incidents of violence and aggression, including sexual assault. This includes the Work-related Violence and Aggression Policy, and accompanying guides, which details the responsibilities of staff and managers, the procedures for reporting incidents and the support available to those affected. We have also published the NHS Public Protection Accountability and Assurance Framework, which sets out exemplar evidence of high-quality, safe and effective services that promote the protection of adults and children. Where there is concern about potential harm to a child, the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland makes clear that all concerns that a child has been abused or is at risk of abuse must be reported to the police or social work.

Sexual assaults occurring in our hospitals is unacceptable, and all Health Boards are expected to uphold their legal duties as employers to keep staff, patients and visitors safe. All crimes and instances of violent behaviour, including sexual assaults, should be reported to Police Scotland. The courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with sexual offending.