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: S6W-44045

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has ever produced any guidance on single-sex spaces in leisure centres, and, if so, what the content of that guidance is.

Public bodies, including any which operate leisure centres, are expected to comply with all relevant legislation and regulations including the Equality Act 2010. It is for service providers to interpret and ensure that they meet their legal duties and they should obtain legal advice as appropriate.

As the regulator of the Equality Act 2010, it is the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) who ensure compliance and enforcement of the Act, including providing technical guidance and a Code of Practice. This guidance provides organisations with information to understand their role in ensuring that people with the protected characteristics, as set out in the Act, are not discriminated against when using services provided.

Where new non-domestic buildings, including leisure centres, are being constructed, The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (as amended) apply. The Scottish Government publishes guidance to support compliance with these regulations, including (since 2005) the Non-domestic Technical Handbook. The Handbook guidance does not address ‘single-sex spaces’ but does set requirements for the provision of sanitary facilities, which may include provision for male, female and unisex toilets. While the building regulations set out a requirement for initial provision of sanitary accommodation in a manner that suits the expected use of a building, the regulations do not control the onward operation and management of facilities.

Question reference: S6W-44047

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided local authorities with any guidance on single-sex spaces in leisure centres since April 2025, and, if so, what the content of that guidance is.

Question reference: S6W-44046

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it provided local authorities with any guidance on single-sex spaces in leisure centres before April 2025, and, if so, what the content of that guidance was.

Question reference: S6O-05617

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support freedom of speech across the cultural sector.

Question reference: S6O-05604

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the social justice secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the protection of people's human rights in relation to new renewable energy infrastructure, including the proposed SSEN Transmission 400kV overhead power line in the North East Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-43786

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what long-term plan it has to support people with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Question reference: S6O-05515

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current state of libraries in Scotland as part of any action it is taking to protect and strengthen these services.

Question reference: S6O-05420

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures value for money when allocating funding within the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio.

Question reference: S6O-05401

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect women from rape and sexual assault in hospitals.

Question reference: S6O-05262

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the impact of its export growth strategy, A Trading Nation, including what metrics it has used to assess this.