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-44081

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its planned introduction of opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lothian.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with colleagues in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian to support the implementation of emergency department opt-out testing for blood borne viruses. Both Boards have made substantial progress in preparing for the safe and effective roll-out of this important intervention, including putting in place robust digital solutions to support test ordering and results management. Due to the challenging nature of some of these IT solutions, and existing Board pressures, it has taken longer than expected to implement this programme however it is vital we do so in a sustainable and robust manner. Subject to final operational readiness, opt-out testing is now expected to go live in both NHS Boards by the end of June 2026.

As part of the first phase of implementation, NHS Grampian commenced opt-out testing in the emergency department at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in October 2025.

Question reference: S6W-44044

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the pledge made by the health secretary in 2018 to prioritise the development of new primary care premises in Banchory.

The financial position remains challenging – to ensure that available capital funding can be directed to best effect, we are working with all health boards to develop an NHS whole system infrastructure plan for Scotland to inform investment priorities. The 2025-26 Budget confirmed our capital investment priorities for the next 5–7 years. The NHS whole system infrastructure planning work will inform our capital investment priorities beyond that.

The first phase of this was identifying immediate building maintenance and equipment replacement priorities to support service continuity. Boards submitted their risk-assessed priorities in January 2025 and, following review, Boards have received confirmation of which items can be progressed.

The next stage will consider long-term investment priorities and Boards – including NHS Grampian – have been instructed to undertake strategic assessments with returns required during 2026-27 and by not later than 31 March 2027.

A key part of this work is the development of an infrastructure investment strategy programme for primary care as announced in the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline on 13 January 2026. An initial tranche of 12 projects has been selected for their health, population demographic and estate needs. Work on three initial projects will start immediately to create and pilot a standardised approach towards design and procurement – this will be used to improve the efficiency of delivery of all future schemes. It is intended that there will be further, future tranches of investment across the primary care estate, which will consider other areas of need.

Question reference: S6W-44016

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that its new national housing agency prioritises affordable housing in the Highlands, to prevent local residents from being priced out by any increased demand from large infrastructure projects.

More Homes Scotland will bring together housing, land, planning and delivery expertise to simplify, scale and speed up the delivery of homes across Scotland, including in Highland. A design phase is underway, and an update will be provided to Parliament in March.

Our record £926 million budget in 2026-27 and our commitment to multi-year funding provide certainty for affordable housing and increase sector confidence. This year, we have increased investment in Highland to £47.6 million to deliver properties for affordable housing.

Question reference: S6W-44021

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish Veterans Commissioner to discuss matters relating to veterans' housing, and what the outcome of that meeting was.

I last met with the Scottish Veterans Commissioner (SVC) on 4 December 2025 to discuss matters relating to veterans housing.

At that meeting, several actions were agreed, which are now being taken forward by Scottish Government officials. These include, updating the housing guide for service leavers on the Scottish Government website and working with the Scottish Veterans Housing Group on the top priorities for the veterans’ homelessness prevention pathway.

Question reference: S6W-44022

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on developing a method to capture and measure the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses.

The Scottish Government does not currently gather data specifically relating to the activity of veterans’ start-up businesses, however we know from Scotland’s Census in 2022 that around 10,000 veterans identified as self-employed.

With a new UK wide Veterans’ Strategy published in November 2025 and a Scottish Government commitment to refresh the 2022 Action Plan this year, the range of information gathered in relation to veterans in Scotland will be considered. We will, in formulating our Action Plan, be considering whether we need data to either assess whether there is any disadvantage faced by veterans in establishing businesses or in order to pinpoint success worth celebrating.

Question reference: S6W-44013

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what procedures are in place to monitor the number of repeated cases of Property Factor Enforcement Orders (PFEO) against a factor, and what its position is on when a factor is deemed not fit and proper to continue as a registered factor under the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011.

Decisions of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (the Tribunal) are published on their website, and these are intimated to Scottish Government officials. In addition, the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011 requires the Tribunal to notify Scottish Ministers when a property factor has failed to comply with a Property Factor Enforcement Order (PFEO).

On receipt of a Notice, the Scottish Ministers initial aim is to encourage compliance and ensure all issues are addressed. When assessing whether a factor remains fit and proper, Ministers will consider all relevant information, and this will include the extent to which a factor has demonstrated compliance with the property factor code of conduct and any PFEO made by the Tribunal.

Where appropriate compliance cannot be achieved, Scottish Ministers can remove the property factor from the Register, which would prevent the individual or organisation from operating legally as a property factor in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-44083

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether opt-out HIV testing in emergency departments in NHS (a) Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) Lothian has commenced in March 2026 as previously indicated, and, if not, what the reasons are for any delay.

Question reference: S6W-44154

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that the next quarterly all-tenure housing statistics will be published before the next parliamentary elections.

Question reference: S6W-44444

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how its school roll forecasting guidance accounts for the cumulative impact of multiple windfall developments (sites not originally in the Local Development Plan) on a single school catchment area, and what measures are in place to prevent local schools from reaching working capacity before any promised infrastructure improvements are delivered.

Question reference: S6W-44442

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to eliminate the reported "postcode lottery" regarding the start dates for funded early learning and childcare (ELC) hours, and what specific support is available for parents of twins who turn three years old mid-term but are forced to pay for two full-time places for several months until the following term's intake.