Parliamentary questions
Craig Hoy
1,298 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 May 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what legal basis it has used and what assessments it has undertaken to determine the legality of plans to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, as per the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment.
Answer · Tom Arthur: There is a longstanding convention, observed by Scottish, UK and other governments, that government does not disclose legal advice except in exceptional circumstances. This convention, which is reflected in the Scottish Ministerial Code, is intended to ensure…
20 May 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, what consultation it has undertaken with farmers and farming organisations regarding this proposal.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. 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/w…
20 May 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, what assessments have been undertaken on any impact the proposal will have on the farming sector in Dumfriesshire.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. 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/w…
20 May 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to enact a statutory price cap on essential food items in supermarkets, what assessments have been undertaken on any impact the proposal will have on the milk production sector in Dumfriesshire.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00062 on 2 June 2026. 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/w…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost will be of ministerial pay in 2026-27, including what additional cost will be incurred due to the ministerial pay freeze not being in place in 2025-26.
Answer · John Swinney: The Ministerial element of Ministers' pay has been frozen at the following levels since 2008-09, including in 2025-26:YearJunior MinisterCabinet SecretaryFirst MinisterLord AdvocateSolicitor General2008-09£26,068£41,618£80,224£54,371&p…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether ministerial pay will be frozen in 2026-27, and the financial years immediately following.
Answer · John Swinney: The Ministerial element of Ministers' pay will be voluntarily frozen in 2026-27 at 2008-09 levels. I have voluntarily kept both the MSP and Ministerial elements of his pay frozen at 2008-09 levels. In declining to accept their full salary entitlement since 1 …
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to operate breast assessment clinics within Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer · Neil Gray: There is already a one-stop breast clinic operational within the NHS Dumfries & Galloway’s Royal Infirmary which has been the case from some years.
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is given to patients having to travel long distances for health treatments including breast assessment clinics.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government wants people to be treated as close to home as clinically possible. However, it may not always be possible for Health Boards to provide access locally for all patients and for all services where Health Boards are, for example, constrai…
11 Mar 2026 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with Police Scotland and law enforcement agencies regarding actions to disrupt illegal drug activities, including cannabis farming.
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland is a key partner on Scotland’s Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, which I chair. At our meeting in February, Police Scotland updated members on a range of SOC-related issues including illegal drugs. In 2025 Police Scotland seized almost …
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders and other groups regarding the capital funding required to upgrade the A7 between Edinburgh and Carlisle to address concerns relating to speeding, safety, maintenance and congestion.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The A7 is only a trunk road and hence the responsibility of Scottish Ministers, between its junction with the A6091 near Galashiels and the Canonbie (Bypass) (England Border). The northerly sections of the A7 from Galashiels to Edinburgh are the responsibilit…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with SEPA regarding its guidance on flood defences and the wider flooding risk in the Langholm area.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Local Authorities are responsible for developing, delivering and maintaining flood protection schemes in their communities. This is because they are best placed to respond to local resilience needs. Therefore the Scottish Government has not had any discussion…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Borders Buses to discuss the future funding of bus services that cross (a) local authority boundaries in South Scotland and (b) the border between Scotland and England.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not held any direct meetings with Borders Buses regarding the future funding of bus services operating across (a) local authority boundaries in South Scotland or (b) the Scotland–England border, as these would be local matter…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of gravel have been extracted from the River Esk at Langholm in each of the last five years.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the quantity of gravel extracted from the River Esk at Langholm in each of the past five years.
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it and its agencies have taken to dredge the River Esk in Langholm.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government and its agencies have not taken any actions to dredge the River Esk in Langholm.Local Authorities are responsible for producing local flood risk management plans, and developing, delivering and maintaining flood protection actions. Dum…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reported local concerns about the build-up of gravel in the river Esk and its tributaries in Langholm.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not been made aware of concerns regarding the build-up of gravel in the River Esk or its tributaries in Langholm. Local Authorities are responsible for producing local flood risk management plans, and developing, delivering and mai…
17 Feb 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Recent changes and the future outlook for Scottish Government funding.
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of poor local transport connectivity on the ability of school-aged children in rural areas to access grassroots sport.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government understands the important role that sport and leisure services play in improving people’s lives and believes everyone should have access to these services locally.The Scottish Government has not carried out any specific assessmen…
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on the lack of funding for rural bus transportation on the provision of competitive sports, including rugby in schools in rural areas.
Answer · Maree Todd: No specific assessment has been undertaken. However, improving young people’s access to sport remains a priority, and a key element of this is the nationwide free bus travel scheme for under-22s, which aims to reduce travel barriers for children and you…
17 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding is in place to provide access to bus transportation to sporting clubs that support school-aged children in rural areas.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government supports access to transport for school-aged children and young people in rural areas primarily through its nationwide commitment to free bus travel for under-22s. This universal entitlement allows all young people aged 5–21 to t…
10 Feb 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it anticipates it will spend on matters relating to constitutional policy and strategy in 2025-26 and 2026-27.
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its presentation of the local government settlement is consistent with recent independent analysis that suggests that the real-terms increase is closer to 0.4% once in-year transfers are rebased.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on the reason why (a) it uses the Autumn Budget Revision (ABR) when presenting year-on-year changes in portfolio funding and (b) a different approach has been applied to local government funding in the calculation of the claimed 2% real-terms increase.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its presentation of the local government settlement announced in its draft Budget 2026-27 as a fair deal risks overstating local authorities’ room for manoeuvre when they are facing ongoing cost pressures that were funded through in-year top-ups in …
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it would expect independent analysts to be able to replicate its real-terms funding comparisons using published budget documents, and what steps it has taken to ensure that the calculation of the claimed 2% real-terms increase of its draft Budget 2026-27 can be independently veri…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether removing in-year funding provided to local authorities in 2025–26 from the baseline used for comparison has the effect of increasing the apparent real-terms growth rate for 2026–27.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Budget includes 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision (ABR) to 2026-27 Budget comparisons across portfolios, including Finance and Local Government, at the request of the Finance and Public Audit Committee.While such comparisons can provide useful conte…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its standard practice is to use the latest available Autumn Budget Revision (ABR) as the prior-year comparator when presenting real-terms changes.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported suggestions from independent analysts of significant council tax rises, what assessment it has made of any impact on public understanding of local government finances of its presentation of a headline 2% real-terms increase in its draft Budget 2026-27.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what value of in-year funding provided to local government in 2025–26 has been excluded from the baseline used to calculate the real-terms change in funding in its draft Budget 2026-27.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its draft Budget 2026-27, what its position is on whether its presentation of a 2% real-terms increase in local government funding is consistent with recent independent analysis suggesting that local authorities may need to increase council tax by around 8% on average in order…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43271 on 6 February 2026. 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-committe…
5 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with SWestrans to discuss bus provision in Dumfries and Galloway.