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: S6O-05691

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its commitment is to a sustainable funding package for Forth Valley College to ensure its long-term future.

Question reference: S6O-05654

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, despite an increase in the number of businesses pledging to pay the real Living Wage, the percentage of people actually being paid the real Living Wage or more has been decreasing for three consecutive years.

Question reference: S6O-05614

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, 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 how it is supporting local authorities to promote culture and the arts.

Question reference: S6W-43743

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support the Central Scotland "Safe Drive Stay Alive" campaign, in light of reported concerns regarding its future funding.

Question reference: S6O-05524

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, 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 whether offenders convicted of serious violent offences could be eligible for release after serving around 30% of their custodial sentence under the proposed changes to automatic release points.

Question reference: S6O-05444

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the availability of permanent teaching posts for newly qualified teachers.

Question reference: S6W-42759

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what urgent action can be put in place to protect budgets for children’s speech and language therapy services in NHS Forth Valley in 2026.

In 2025-26, NHS Boards have received increased investment in their baseline funding, with NHS Forth Valley receiving over £751 million.

This represents increased investment of £92.9 million from 2024-25, including additional funding for pay and vital frontline services.

NHS Forth Valley received a 3% baseline uplift of £21.7 million – this represents a 0.6% real terms increase compared to 2024-25.

Individual Board service provision would be a matter for NHS Forth Valley.

Question reference: S6O-05354

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to maintain and increase teacher numbers.

Question reference: S6W-41980

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments were made by Social Security Scotland to people not normally resident in Scotland in 2024-25, broken down by the total amount paid for each benefit.

Social Security Scotland does not publish information on payments made to people not normally resident in Scotland. The total amount paid by benefit is published in Official Statistics publications and is available on our website About statistics - Social Security Scotland.

Individuals must generally be ordinarily resident in Scotland to be eligible for Scottish benefits. Individuals of any nationality can be eligible if they meet the residency criteria, including holding a valid immigration status if required.

In certain circumstances, some benefits can be claimed from abroad or can continue to be paid if a person moves abroad:

Young Carer Grant
Child Winter Heating Payment
Carer’s Allowance Supplement
Carer Support Payment
Child Disability Payment
Adult Disability Payment
Pension Age Disability Payment
Scottish Adult Disability Living Allowance (Scottish Adult DLA)

Eligibility will depend on where the individual lives or is moving to and whether they are in scope of a relevant international agreement, such as the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

The UK Government is party to a number of international agreements relating to social security. The devolved social security system is equally covered by these agreements, and Scottish Ministers are under the same duties as those in the rest of the UK to adhere to the terms of those agreements.

Question reference: S6W-41728

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 20 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a potential £3.5 million budget shortfall at Forth Valley College, concerns regarding the loss of the Alloa Campus, and college budgets reducing by 20% in real terms over the last five years, whether it will provide further details of what it is doing to (a) retain students at the college and (b) maintain skills and secure college facilities across the region.

The Cabinet Secretary and I met the Principal of Forth Valley College and the Scottish Funding Council on 29 October to discuss progress, next steps and how the Scottish Government can help. I have subsequently visited Alloa Campus on 18th November.

The SFC continues to support the College and has provided additional funding to support an urgent feasibility study to identify all possible options for the campus in Alloa.

Operational decisions on matters such as course provision and campus footprint are the responsibility of individual colleges, and I remain assured that the Principal is committed to finding a solution, taking into account the needs of the community, local employers and wider region.

As decisions around the Scottish Government’s Budget are being considered in the months ahead, I will continue to work closely and collaboratively with Colleges Scotland, leaners, and the wider sector, to support skills development and ensure a successful and sustainable future for our colleges.