Parliamentary questions
Stephen Kerr
2,595 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that speed awareness courses could have on (a) road safety and (b) driver education.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government fully supports driver education as an alternative to prosecution where appropriate, understanding how these courses can positively influence behaviour and align with our long-term goal of reducing the number of people killed or serious…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not yet introduced speed awareness courses, and whether it will commit to a timeline for their introduction.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Much of the law on prosecution and punishment of road traffic offences is reserved to the UK Government (UKG). However, the Scottish Government continues to discuss the importance of implementing Road Traffic Diversionary Course (RTDC) which includes Speed Aw…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish updated forecasts for winter hardship payments and related support schemes.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Fiscal Commission will publish its latest economic and fiscal forecasts alongside the Scottish Budget on 13 January 2026.We are providing a package of support that ensures the people of Scotland will receive more help with heating costs this wint…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of its housing policies on the supply of affordable homes for families in crisis.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government’s Housing Emergency Action Plan sets out a bold and co-ordinated response to tackling immediate pressures while laying the foundations for lasting, systemic change. The Plan looks to build on our existing policies whilst respondi…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of how many retail jobs in Scotland are at risk if business rates remain higher than in comparable parts of the UK.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The draft Budget set out yesterday ensures the estimated revenues raised from non-domestic rates in 2026-27 will be 6% lower in real terms than pre-COVID, using the Consumer Price Index, and introduces the lowest Basic Property Rate for 2026-27 since 2018-19.…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the modelling that informed its decision not to reduce business rates for retailers in Scotland, in light of the additional fiscal resources available following the UK Budget.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The draft Budget, published on 13 January, does reduce the non-domestic property rate that retailers will be liable for, delivering the lowest Basic Property Rate since 2018-19. As a result of the decisions in the Budget, it is estimated the revenues raised f…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its tax policies on the competitiveness of Scotland's high streets relative to those in the rest of the UK.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government continually works with stakeholders to understand the impacts of the many factors affecting Scotland’s high streets, including Scottish and UK taxes.That is why in the draft Budget, published on 13 January, we announced plans to …
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on the Scottish economy, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding what the status is of the memorandum of understanding signed with MingYang in 2021, and whether it remains active.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42711 on 7 January 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-committee…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to provide certainty to renewable energy investors concerned about delays to major manufacturing decisions in Scotland.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is doing everything within its power to ensure that the renewable energy opportunity for Scotland is realised.In offshore wind, we continue to work to provide investors with policy certainty. We have consulted on proposals to update Sc…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding any security concerns relating to MingYang entering Scotland's offshore wind supply chain.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Mingyang’s potential investment to the growth and success of the offshore wind sector. The Memorandum of Understanding between the UK Government and Mingyang is a matter of public record.The UK Govern…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is engaging with companies involved in Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain, in light of reports that developers may source equipment from other European hubs.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government engages regularly with companies in the offshore wind supply chain. Our strategic investment in critical enabling infrastructure and supply chain facilities is leveraging significant private investment and crowding in additional fundin…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a full winter resilience plan for NHS Scotland, including staffing, bed capacity and infection control plans, and, if so, when.
Answer · Neil Gray: As set out by me in the statement to Parliament on 13 November on winter preparedness and national planning, winter resilience planning is best undertaken by those delivering the services themselves. The Scottish Government supports this via the nationally ag…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have waited on trolleys for more than 12 hours in A&E departments in the last three months.
Answer · Neil Gray: We do not collect national data on patients waiting on trolleys in A&E. Our focus is on addressing the underlying causes of this practice, such as high hospital occupancy and poor patient flow.We want to drive improvements and are working closely with hea…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many elective operations have been cancelled in the last three months due to (a) staff shortages, (b) flu outbreaks and (c) bed pressures.
Answer · Neil Gray: New figures show that the number of planned and performed operations in Scotland has reached its highest level since January 2020.Data collected and published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) is unable to be broken down into the cancellation reasons (a) staff …
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted on the causes of the increase in avoidable A&E deaths linked to prolonged waits for admission, as reported by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
Answer · Neil Gray: My sympathies go to anyone bereaved after a loved one endured a long A&E wait. The Scottish Government recognises the link between prolonged waits and increased risk of harm. We monitor A&E performance through weekly data and operational reviews, anal…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the full timeline of the reported governance failures at Historic Environment Scotland, including all ministerial decisions taken in relation to them and, if so, when.
Answer · Angus Robertson: Regarding the 4 main reported governance issues at Historic Environment Scotland, with the exception of the absence of the Accountable Officer, Ministers had a limited role in the remaining 3 of the 4 areas highlighted by Audit Scotland given their operationa…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the absence of an accountable officer at a national body constitutes a breach of good governance standards, and what steps it will take to prevent any recurrence.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The absence of an Accountable Officer at any national body is clearly a concern for Scottish Government. However the circumstances surrounding the absence of the Accountable Office for an extended period at Historic Environment Scotland were particularly chal…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the correspondence it received from Audit Scotland regarding the reported governance failures at Historic Environment Scotland.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government did not receive any direct correspondence from Audit Scotland regarding the reported governance failures at Historic Environment Scotland.Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland wrote on 27 October 2025 to the Public Audit Committe…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Historic Environment Scotland was reportedly able to be non-compliant with requirements for financial governance, including the statutory accountable officer function.
Answer · Angus Robertson: On 28 May 2025 the Chief Executive and Accountable Officer of Historic Environment Scotland informed the Scottish Government that her absence from work which had begun on 2 May 2025 would be greater than four weeks, and that she expected to be absent for a fu…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it first became aware that Historic Environment Scotland did not have a designated accountable officer.
Answer · Angus Robertson: On 28 May 2025 the Chief Executive and Accountable Officer of Historic Environment Scotland informed the Scottish Government that her absence from work which had begun on 2 May 2025 would be greater than four weeks, and that she expected to be absent for a fu…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many neonatal units have been downgraded in the last five years, and what evaluation it has conducted of patient outcomes following those downgrades.
Answer · Jenni Minto: In February 2019, at the request of the then Cabinet Secretary for Health, in order to enable a better understanding of the processes required to implement the new model of care, it was rolled out first in two sites in Scotland to enable testing of the entire…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are staff shortages in maternity services and, if so, what steps it is taking to address this.
Answer · Neil Gray: We expect Health Boards to plan for their workforce in conjunction with their responsibilities under the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019. The Act places duties on Health Boards to ensure that at all times suitably qualified and competent indivi…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with any midwives who have raised concerns that the reported plans to downgrade neonatal intensive care units will endanger mothers and babies, and how it is responding to any such concerns.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Modelling maternity capacity is essential to the development of the new model of neonatal care. The RSM report has outlined the maternity modelling in relation to data captured.The principles underpinning the changes to neonatal intensive care are supported b…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional ambulance capacity has been allocated to support longer transfers of premature babies between neonatal services under its plans for the reconfiguration of neonatal intensive care units.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The expectation is that the mothers in threatened extreme preterm labour, or those whose babies are identified antenatally as requiring specialist care (for example neonatal surgery), will be transferred antenatally and will birth in the maternity unit alongs…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on the number of babies who are expected to require transfer to one of the three specialist neonatal intensive care units remaining under its proposed reforms, per year.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The RSM report, published on 29 May 2024, New Model of Neonatal Care – RSM UK Consulting - Report, included data collection and modelling alongside engagement with both operational and strategic stakeholders, to validate data, generate and test planning…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether reducing the number of neonatal intensive care units will improve or compromise safety for premature and underweight babies, and what evidence it has to justify its position.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The recommendations for the new neonatal model of care are underpinned by strong clinical evidence that population outcomes for the most premature and sickest babies are improved by delivery and care in units looking after a critical mass of these babies.The …
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it has undertaken regarding any impact that the transfer of very premature and high-risk babies between neonatal services over longer distances will have on outcomes, and whether it will publish that modelling.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-38434 on 17 June 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-committees/…
18 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information regarding the clinical risk assessment that underpins the reported proposal to downgrade five neonatal intensive care units, and whether it will publish that assessment in full.
Answer · Jenni Minto: A full EQIA was carried out covering the implementation of The Best Start as a whole thematically, as some of the individual recommendations are more complex and multi-faceted than others. In this way, implementation of each of the 76 recommendations is consi…
3 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the full (a) legal, (b) financial and (c) operational considerations that underpin its proposals for new nationally agreed minimum standards on pupil learning hours.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We reached a formal agreement with COSLA in December 2024 which commits to freezing learning hours in 2025-26.Through our announcement of a ‘New National Deal for Scotland’s teachers’, we have set out a range of proposed changes to the teach…
3 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with COSLA regarding the (a) feasibility and (b) funding implications of a restructured school week.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Scottish Government officials regularly meet with COSLA officers to discuss operational matters related to the delivery of education.Through our announcement of a ‘New National Deal for Scotland’s teachers’, we have set out a range of propos…