Parliamentary questions

Stephen Kerr

2,595 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to mandatory national reporting on corridor care in hospitals.

Answer · Neil Gray: We are in active discussions with PHS regarding the feasibility of a national data collection however, our absolute focus is on addressing the cause of the conditions which lead to care in non-standard areas.That is why through our NHS Scotland Operational Im…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all correspondence with the UK Government relating to the closure of the ExxonMobil ethylene plant at Mossmorran.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42335 on 16 December 2025. 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-committ…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with (a) the UK Government, (b) Fife Council and (c) industry stakeholders to secure long-term employment opportunities at or around the Mossmorran ethylene plant site.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is committed to doing all we can, with our limited economic powers, to mitigate the impact of ExxonMobil’s decision to close the Fife Ethylene Plant. The Minister for Public Finance attended a meeting with Fife Council, UK Govern…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any possible duplication of effort between the separate taskforces convened by it and local government regarding the Mossmorran ethylene plant.

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the (a) minutes, (b) remit and (c) membership criteria for the Mossmorran ethylene plant taskforce.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Mossmorran Fife Ethylene Plant Taskforce will be led by Fife Council. The information requested is therefore a matter for Fife Council.

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant, what its reasons were for establishing its own taskforce rather than participating in that proposed by Fife Council.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-42335 on 16 December 2025. 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-c…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has received from Scottish Enterprise regarding potential alternative investors for the site of the Mossmorran ethylene plant.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Enterprise at pace to identify a route forward that will support a sustainable future at Mossmorran. They will update the Scottish Government in due course on the most viable proposals and ways in which they co…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it undertook with ExxonMobil between April 2025 and the date of the announcement of the closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government was informed of ExxonMobil’s plans to market the Fife Ethylene Plant in November. On 4 November, Scottish Government officials met with representatives of the business who initially informed them and subsequently, on 11 November,…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted of the economic impact on the (a) Fife and (b) wider Scottish economy of the announced closure of the Mossmorran ethylene plant.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42331 on 16 December 2025. 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-committ…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that existing households currently in need of housing are not adversely affected by pressures arising from issues concerning asylum seeker-related homelessness.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Our Housing Emergency Action Plan, published in September, is the Scottish Government’s ambitious route-map to ensuring that everyone in Scotland gets the support they need when facing homelessness. This financial year, the Scottish Government will inve…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many asylum seekers and refugees have been placed in each local authority area in each year since the removal of the local connection rule.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Asylum is reserved to the UK Government, this includes the provision and allocation of asylum accommodation and support to those who would otherwise be destitute while waiting for a decision on their asylum application.The Scottish Government does not hold in…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to help ensure a more even national distribution of asylum seekers and refugees across local authority areas.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Asylum is the process by which someone applies to the UK Government to have their refugee status recognised. Asylum is reserved to the UK Government, this includes the provision of asylum accommodation and support to those who would otherwise be destitute whi…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it undertook prior to ending the local connection rule regarding the likely distribution of homeless individuals across Scotland.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Changes to Local Connection in 2022 did not impact the ability of a Scottish Local Authority to refer a homeless household back to a local authority in England or in Wales in which they have a local connection (residence, employment, family or special circums…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any link between its decision to end the local connection rule and the reported rise in homelessness presentations from refugee households.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The changes to local connection legislation made in 2022 only suspended referrals of homeless households to another local authority in Scotland on the basis of local connection. It made no change to referrals for households with a local connection to a local …

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated cost benefit analysis comparing heat pumps with alternative low carbon heating technologies relevant to existing housing stock.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government continues to consider clean heat deployment, and costs thereof, as part of the development of our updated Heat in Buildings Strategy and Delivery Plan to be published by the end of 2026.

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the alleged lack of crucial detail in the UK Warm Homes Plan and the impact on the Scottish Government's plans to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill, what discussions it has had with UK Government ministers on this matter, and whether it will publ…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: I met with the UK Minister for Energy Consumers most recently on 3 December during which the Warm Homes Plan was discussed.In its advice to the Scottish Government on Scotland’s Carbon Budgets, the Climate Change Committee noted that “Making elect…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the full analysis underpinning its decision in March 2025 not to proceed with the Heat in Buildings Bill on the basis that the planned interventions did not decrease fuel poverty at the same time as decarbonise houses.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We remain focused on a heat transition that is feasible, affordable and delivers tangible benefits for people. Levels of fuel poverty in Scotland remain unacceptably high with the reserved issue of energy bills being the great factor. The Scottish Government …

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total projected cost is to homeowners of any future obligations relating to heat pumps and other non-carbon heating systems.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: There are currently no obligations on Scottish homeowners to install heat pumps or other clean heat systems. The Scottish Government recently published a draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill which, subject to the …

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it used to justify its original timetable for heat pump installation requirements, and what new evidence informed its subsequent decision in November 2025 not to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We remain committed to decarbonising heat in buildings and achieving net zero by 2045. For the majority of homes, heat pumps or heat networks are likely to be the best clean heat solution. However, we do not have, and have never had, heat pump installation re…

3 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any financial and regulatory uncertainty created for households and industry by the repeated postponement of legislation on greener heating systems.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: A clear framework for the transition to clean heating will give industry and homeowners the certainty they need to invest, boost heat network development and set a long-term direction of travel that is deliverable and affordable. However, repeated delays to t…

20 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) fees or honoraria have been paid to and (b) travel and subsistence expenses have been claimed by each named member of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group in each financial year since its establishment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Members of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group did not receive fees or honoraria for their work. Incidental travel for Expert Group members cost £272.39. No subsistence costs were incurred.

20 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in total on the Abortion Law Review Expert Group, and associated work on the review of abortion law in Scotland, in each financial year since 5 September 2023, broken down by (a) the expert group costs, (b) Scottish Government staff costs and (c) any external costs,…

Answer · Jenni Minto: Members of the Abortion Law Review Expert Group did not receive payment for their work. The review was supported by existing staff resource in Population Health Directorate. There were no research, consultancy, communications or events costs.