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-03798

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it and Scottish Enterprise have undertaken on the viability of Project Willow proposals in relation to changes in (a) hydrogen costs, (b) feedstock availability and (c) the UK policy and regulatory framework.

Question reference: S7W-03473

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43779 by Mairi McAllan on 2 March 2026, what progress it has made on the options for community heat network support, including support for not-for-profit and co-operative ownership models.

On 3 September, Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) published a report into a community led delivery model for heat networks across Scotland, prepared for the Scottish Government. The report can be accessed at: heat-networks-community-led-delivery-model.

Community led delivery was one of a range of potential approaches that SFT assessed on our behalf, and we are assessing the report's conclusions.

Meanwhile, we continue to welcome applications from all prospective applicant's - including community groups - to Scotland’s Heat Network Fund.

Question reference: S7W-03328

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how The Food (Promotion and Placement) (Scotland) Regulations 2025 will be monitored once they come into force on 1 October 2026.

Local authorities, as food authorities, will be responsible for enforcing the Food (Promotion and Placement) (Scotland) Regulations 2025, using powers in the Food Safety Act 1990 and the Food (Scotland) Act 2015. The approach was informed with input from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other key partners, and aligns with the enforcement regime for other offences in food law. The Scottish Government is finalising funding to local authorities for 2026-27 to support the implementation of enforcement when the policy commences from 1 October.

In addition, Public Health Scotland is leading a programme of evaluation research supported by an Evaluation Advisory Group which includes economic and analytical advisers across Public Health Scotland, Food Standards Scotland and Scottish Government, with policy officials and additional input from academics.

Public Health Scotland has already implemented a range of studies to assess the baseline situation against which to compare progress and impacts at a later stage.

Question reference: S7W-03443

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial and technical support it is providing to local authorities to progress the heat network opportunities identified in their local heat and energy efficiency strategies into investment-ready projects.

Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) identify opportunities for heat network development, and the Scottish Government supports local authorities to progress these opportunities into investment-ready projects through the Heat Network Support Unit (HNSU).

The HNSU provides grant funding and specialist advice to support the pre-capital stages of project development, including feasibility studies, Outline Business Cases and the strategic and commercial planning required to deliver large-scale heat networks. To date, it has formally supported projects across 18 local authority areas.

Technical support is provided by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the HNSU, with successful applicants also able to access specialist consultants for technical studies. For legal, financial and commercial matters related to projects, Scottish Futures Trust provides support and performs a “critical friend” role on behalf of the HNSU. Additional support is available through the District Heating Mentoring Scheme, which connects local authorities with experienced officials from Denmark to build capacity and skills. Twenty-one local authorities currently participate in the scheme.

Question reference: S7W-03706

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has considered putting in place to encourage individuals to enter the counselling profession.

Question reference: S7W-03705

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing probationary pay for trainee counsellors to help meet the increasing demand for mental health services.

Question reference: S7W-03707

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered providing funding for pre-qualification placements for trainee counsellors to help meet the increasing demand for mental health services.

Question reference: S7W-03708

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 26 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing bursaries for trainee counsellors to help meet the increasing demand for mental health services.

Question reference: S7W-02702

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop clear and supported pathways to enable disabled children and young people to progress from school physical education and Active Schools programmes into community and competitive sport.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that disabled children and young people have opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity at all levels.

Active Schools teams work proactively with schools, sports clubs, governing bodies and community organisations to establish pathways that enable young people to move from school-based opportunities into sustained participation in community sport and, where appropriate, into competitive pathways. The Active Schools programme has been supported by Scottish Disability Sport and is delivered with an inclusive focus in both mainstream and ASN schools across all 32 local authorities.

Our additional £40 million investment into sport and physical activity in the 2026/27 Budget will also help to ensure that there are more and better opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity at all levels, including for disabled people.

Question reference: S7W-02703

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with the new National EDI Forum for Scottish Sport, Scottish Disability Sport’s National Advisory Forum and Young Person’s Sport Panel to ensure that disabled people are directly involved in the development and evaluation of national sport and physical activity policy.

The Scottish Government understands the importance of sport and physical activity to support positive mental, physical and social health outcomes. We believe there should be no barriers to participating in sport and physical activity, and everyone should be able to enjoy being physically active.

We welcome the establishment of the National EDI Forum for Scottish Sport, which includes our national agency for sport, sportscotland, as well as wider sport sector partners. The Scottish Government regularly meets with Scottish Disability Sport, Scottish Women in Sport and LEAP Sports Scotland where we receive updates on the forum, and discuss challenges and opportunities to address inequalities in participation.

The Scottish Government also recognises the importance of lived experiences to inform decision making across the sector. sportscotland, is a national partner of Scottish Disability Sport and invests in and supports initiatives such as Scottish Disability Sport's Young Person's Sport Panel. sportscotland remains committed to ensuring underrepresented groups are reflected within planning and governance arrangements.