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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1448 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-44246

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent consultation on extending permitted development rights to support the provision of new homes.

Question reference: S6W-43824

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what criteria reporters will use to determine whether a Public Local Inquiry should take place under the new reporter-led examination process.

Question reference: S6W-43827

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that communities retain meaningful opportunities to participate in decision-making on large-scale energy infrastructure proposals under the revised procedures for applications for energy consents.

Question reference: S6W-43828

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what assessment it has made of any financial savings that may be made as a result of the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger.

Question reference: S6W-43823

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for energy consents under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 over the last five years involved planning authority objections that resulted in a Public Local Inquiry being held.

Question reference: S6W-43826

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, what consultation it has undertaken with (a) planning authorities and (b) local communities regarding the removal of the automatic Public Local Inquiry trigger.

Question reference: S6W-43825

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding applications for energy consents, whether it will (a) monitor the number of Public Local Inquiries held following implementation of the new process for considering these and (b) publish data on how frequently inquiries are granted following planning authority objections.

Question reference: S6W-43822

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on community participation and transparency of the removal of the automatic requirement for a Public Local Inquiry when a planning authority objects to an application under sections 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.

Question reference: S6O-05557

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated in its draft Budget 2026-27 to support women in enterprise, including in the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6W-43583

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what opportunities there are for communities affected by a proposed development, such as the Center Parcs proposal in the Scottish Borders, to have representations considered by ministers once a byelaw application has been submitted for determination.

Section 202(7) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 makes provisions for any aggrieved party to object to Scottish Ministers, as confirming authority, within 12 weeks of the notice of intention to apply for confirmation of the byelaws having been made by the Local Authority. The period for representations to be made to Scottish Ministers regarding the proposed byelaws related to the Center Parcs development opened on 19 September 2025 and closed on 5th December 2025.