Parliamentary questions
Meghan Gallacher
342 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make an assessment of any potential merits of the use of renewable liquid gases in properties where a heat pump cannot be fitted.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: While not appropriate for most homes, bioenergy, including renewable liquid biofuels, is a low carbon, renewable energy source which can prove the best solution to decarbonising heating in some remote and rural communities. We intend to ensure that sustainabl…
19 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on which clean heating solutions are most effective for reducing fuel poverty in rural and remote areas.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government will introduce a revised Heat in Buildings Bill that will set a new target for decarbonising heating systems by 2045, alongside continuing work to reduce fuel poverty. This includes introducing a minimum energy efficiency standard in t…
19 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to ensure that its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will be technology-neutral.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government has previously confirmed that the provisions of its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will take a technology-neutral approach to decarbonising Scotland’s buildings, enabling building owners to choose the technology which is right f…
19 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the use of bioenergy fuels, such as renewable liquid gases, in heating systems will be permitted as part of its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The provisions of our proposed Heat in Buildings Bill will take a technology-neutral approach to decarbonising Scotland’s buildings, enabling building owners to choose the technology which is right for them. While not appropriate for most homes, bioener…
19 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: As set out to Parliament by the former Acting Minister for Climate Action, Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, on 3 April, our intention is to introduce the Heat in Buildings Bill during this Parliamentary session. Final decisions on timing will be taken as part of the ov…
16 Jun 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many transgender prisoners have had their criminal records erased, following a self-identification process and changing of their birth name.
21 May 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that rape victims who request free court transcripts under the pilot scheme are waiting seven months on average to receive their transcript.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: I am sorry that anyone has had to wait to receive their transcript due to delays in the pilot scheme for transcripts. We have been working closely with Scottish Court and Tribunal Service to address the issues that have been raised in a minority of these appl…
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-17186 (Best Start New Model of Neonatal Care) on 30 April 2025, what (a) funding and (b) resources have been allocated for the 2025–26 financial year to each of the NHS boards hosting the three neonatal intensive care units, and what assessment …
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises that funding will be required to support Boards to make the transition to a reformed maternity and neonatal service. We have provided £3,570,400 to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and £2,873,051 to NHS Lothian sinc…
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-17186 (Best Start New Model of Neonatal Care) on 30 April 2025, and in light of the previous national neonatal clinical lead for the Scottish Perinatal Network stepping down in autumn 2024, when a new national neonatal clinical lead will be appointed,…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Perinatal Network (SPN) undertook recruitment to this role in December 2024 and a preferred candidate was offered the role. Finalisation of contracts and backfill recruitment is currently taking place.The Task and Finish Group is chaired by the t…
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-17186 (Best Start New Model of Neonatal Care) on 30 April 2025, whether the same criteria will be used across Scotland to determine which groups of babies are prioritised for transfer at each phase of implementation of the Best Start new model of neon…
Answer · Jenni Minto: Safety for the babies, families and staff is our utmost priority, which is why we have taken a phased approach to transition, allowing time to build the right levels of capacity in all areas with NHS Boards working towards full implementation by 2026.Implemen…
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health during the debate on motion S6M-17186 on 30 April 2025, that “a task and finish group…to oversee and support a suite of national actions and co-ordination that will be required for the deliver…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The three NHS Regional Chief Executives leading implementation for the North, East and West established a Task and Finish Group in March 2025. The Group’s membership comprises of the NHS Regional Chief executives, regional planners and service leaders b…
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-17186 (Best Start New Model of Neonatal Care) on 30 April 2025, what the timeline is for implementing the Best Start model of neonatal care by 2026, and by what date each neonatal unit will be operating under its new designation.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Implementation is already underway in the East region with Fife babies transferring to Edinburgh, and in the West Region with Ayrshire babies being transferred to Glasgow.The Scottish Government has requested progress updates from the three regional chief exe…
29 Apr 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is challenging the UK Government’s proposed inheritance tax changes for farmers.
26 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards have designated single-sex spaces for women.
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of whether the target for all (a) properties of private landlords reaching a minimum standard equivalent to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least band C by the end of 2028, (b) properties of homeowners reaching a mini…
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as p…
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on legislating to give (a) it and (b) local authorities the power to require buildings in a heat network zone to end their use of polluting heating systems by a certain date, with a minimum notice period.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.The final decision on the provisions of the Bill will be made collectively by Cabinet ahead of its introduct…
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid in total to date on staff costs for officials who have worked on the (a) proposed Heat in Buildings Bill and (b) Heat in Buildings Strategy.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: It is not possible to determine the internal Scottish Government costs attributed to staff time spent on the Heat in Buildings Bill proposals or the Heat in Buildings Strategy. Scottish Government officials operate flexibly across a range of policies and prog…
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on requiring (a) occupiers of non-domestic properties to provide information about unused heat on the premises and (b) buildings with unused heat to provide this to a heat network zone.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session. The consultation on the Bill included a range of proposals regarding the use of waste heat by heat networks…
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing regulations that would require people purchasing a property to comply with a prohibition on polluting heating in a specified amount of time following the completion of the sale.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory target to decarbonise our buildings by 2045, as far as possible…
14 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to cap the installation costs of clean heating systems.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as p…
10 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the Shelter Scotland report, In Their Own Words: Children’s Experiences in Temporary Accommodation, what immediate steps it is taking to guarantee that all temporary accommodation meets basic standards of safety, cleanliness and suitability for h…
Answer · Paul McLennan: Scottish local authorities use a diverse portfolio of temporary accommodation and there is a wide variety of legislation that caters for physical standards across these types of accommodation. These include the tolerable standard, which is a basic level of re…
10 Mar 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people live in safe, warm homes, in light of reports that the number of properties falling below the "tolerable standard" in order to be fit for habitation has increased from an estimated 54,000 in 2018 to 729,000 in 2023.
25 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to introduce its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.
19 Feb 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any correspondence it has had with the UK Government and the Scottish Public Pensions Agency regarding the legacy of the Scottish Police Pension 1987 Scheme.
11 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent programme, Disclosure: Kids on the Psychiatric Ward, which features Skye House in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33839 by Paul McLennan on 31 January 2025, whether the figures provided are based on deposit amounts that were agreed to be returned to the tenants.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The figures provided are based on the proportion of the deposit that is to be returned to the tenant following a landlord starting the deposit return process.
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum time period a tenant has to claim the return of a deposit following the end of their tenancy agreement.
Answer · Paul McLennan: A tenant can start the reclaim process for a deposit return at any point on or past the date on which their tenancy ends. In cases where a landlord has commenced the reclaim process first, a tenant has 30 working days to advise whether or not they agree to th…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum time period allowed is to return a deposit to a tenant following the end of a tenancy agreement.
Answer · Paul McLennan: There is no maximum time period on when a deposit can be returned to a tenant following the end of a tenancy agreement and unclaimed deposit funds will continue to be protected by the relevant scheme administrators indefinitely. A tenant is able to request th…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what the average time is for a deposit to be returned to a tenant following the end of their tenancy agreement.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not hold this specific data.There are two key performance indicators outlined in the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 that relate to the return of deposits. The return of any undisputed deposit, is to be complet…
31 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to deposits held by SafeDeposits Scotland, whether any accumulated interest remains with the deposit scheme, and, if it does not, what happens to such money.
Answer · Paul McLennan: As per The Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011, any accumulated interest must be held by the respective deposit scheme in a designated account.The interest can be withdrawn from designated accounts to meet the costs of the scheme, improve the …