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: S7O-00146

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to recover £36 million of social security payments, which were reportedly made due to fraud and error, and how much has been recovered since 31 March 2026.

Question reference: S7W-02603

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the 2026 Scottish National Party manifesto to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items, what its response is to the comments reportedly made by Scotland Food and Drink and published in Scottish Daily Mail on 20 August 2026 that the policy must avoid "unintended consequences" for food producers, manufacturers and supply chains.

Question reference: S7W-01772

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 13 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the funding arrangements and eligibility criteria for residents in England who seek to work in Scotland but require additional qualifications to meet national occupational standards in sectors such as social care.

Individuals who are considered ordinarily resident in Scotland at the start of their course, and meet the relevant eligibility criteria, will be able to access the home tuition fee rate and student support to study courses of further and higher education.

There is no specific provision in place as part of the eligibility criteria for individuals coming to Scotland to work, and who require additional qualifications to meet national occupational standards.

Students who are ordinarily resident in other areas of the UK should apply to their relevant funding body for student support.

Question reference: S7W-01560

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) to process an application for Power of Attorney.

Question reference: S7W-01021

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing financial support to congregations, in light of the closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, which allowed churches to reclaim VAT on repairs and renovations.

Question reference: S7W-01335

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reduce the standard mileage available via the Motability Scheme in Scotland to match the new standard mileage available from 1 July 2026 through the Motability Scheme in the rest of the UK

Question reference: S7W-01334

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the excess mileage fee, including standard rate VAT, which is applied via the Motability Scheme in Scotland, to match the fee applied to excess mileage from 1 July 2026 through the scheme in the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S7W-00767

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00422 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 June 2026, for what reason Social Security Scotland's Annual Report and Accounts 2025 states that ‘‘debt recovery is limited to voluntary repayment arrangements".

As set out in the answer to question S7W-00422 on 3 June 2026, Social Security Scotland has the legal powers to undertake enforced deductions and pursue civil recovery where appropriate.

At the time the referenced report was published, recovery activity had been focused on voluntary overpayments because it is always preferable to agree arrangements for repaying with individuals if possible. However, as of January 2026 Social Security Scotland has now expanded its use of available recovery powers in relation to existing and newly accrued debts, including by developing options for enforced recovery and commencing civil recovery through the courts.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S7W-01022

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the Play Park Renewal Programme, and how much has been allocated to Dumfries and Galloway Council through this programme since 2021.

Question reference: S7W-00425

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Child Winter Heating Payments were paid out in April 2026.

The Scottish Government is delivering the strongest package of winter support in the UK. Child Winter Heating Payment is an automatic payment unique to Scotland that helps families and carers of disabled children under 19 with winter heating costs. It is paid to those who receive the highest rate of the care component of Child Disability Payment or the enhanced rate of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment.

Official statistics published on 19 May 2026 shows that as of 31 March 2026, over 44,000 Child Winter Heating Payments were made to eligible clients, with the vast majority paid automatically in December 2025. The information requested for April 2026 is not yet published.

Further details are available on Social Security Scotland’s website at: Winter Heating Benefits: Statistics for Winter 2025/2026 - Social Security Scotland.