Parliamentary questions
Sarah Boyack
2,373 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Recovery budget of the Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) has been reduced.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Scottish public finances continue to face a challenging fiscal environment, with public services having to meet growing demand despite increasingly challenging settlements. Despite this, the Scottish Government remains committed to working with partners to co…
5 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet its commitment to spend £500 million on the offshore wind supply chain in the current parliamentary session, in light of Scottish budgets over the course of the session indicating that less than £375 million will be spent.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Following our commitment in 2024 to invest up to £500m over five years in offshore wind infrastructure and supply chain, the Scottish Budget has allocated up to £93m for investment in 2026-27. We are working closely with industry and public sector…
5 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported urgent need for enhanced environmental monitoring, water quality management and regulatory capacity, for what reason it has reduced funding for Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in its draft Budget 2026-27.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The overall reduction to Scottish Water’s 2026-27 allocation does not reflect a reduction in spending, but an increase in interest to be received by Scottish Government on voted loans issued to Scottish Water. Voted Loans remain consistent with 2025-26 …
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that local authorities uphold the spirit of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015, including by raising awareness and making Scotland a better place for BSL users to live, work, and visit.
Answer · Kate Forbes: Listed authorities play a key role in realising the ambitions of the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015, as they deliver services and information to BSL users where they live.We fund British Deaf Association Scotland through the Equality and Human Rights Fund to support…
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specialist deaf services are currently in place to prevent crisis and high costs for the deaf community in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: A list of national support organisations for people with hearing loss and deafness can be found online at www.all-ears.nhs.scot/. Details of localised support services can be obtained from local authorities and health and social care partnerships.
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is upholding the spirit of the British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015, in light of the challenges that remain in place for BSL users regarding education, resources for services and access to interpreters.
Answer · Kate Forbes: This BSL National Plan (2023-2029) plan represents our ongoing commitment to making Scotland the best place in the world for BSL users to live, work, visit and learn, in line with the principles of the BSL (Scotland) Act 2015. The Scottish Government is commi…
3 Feb 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is prioritising the implementation of specialist deaf services to prevent crisis and increased costs for those who are deaf throughout Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of continued access to specialist services to support Scotland’s deaf community. I am due to meet with members of the Cross Party Group on Deafness next month to learn directly from stakeholders and thos…
22 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its draft Budget 2026-27, whether it will provide a breakdown of the specific lines that set out how the £286 million of ScotWind funding earmarked to support resource spending in 2026-27 and 2027-28 will be allocated.
Answer · Shona Robison: We have deployed Scotwind revenues to boost the funding available across the Spending Review period, achieve smoother funding profiles, and support investment that provides longer term benefits for Scotland.In 2026-27 £50 million is targeted at improvin…
14 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role Transport Scotland will have in the delivery of Winchburgh train station.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Transport Scotland will continue to support the project promoters in its advisory capacity and has long committed to fund station fit out and its annual operational costs.
14 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has authorised to be spent from the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal to build Winchburgh train station.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: We have received a request for Scottish Government funding to support Winchburgh Railway Station. As the business case for that project is currently being evaluated, no decisions have been taken at this stage on the nature or source of any funding contributio…
14 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the agreed date is for the completion of Winchburgh train station.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This is a matter for co-promoters of Winchburgh railway station: West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments Ltd.
14 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has allocated in the draft 2026-27 Scottish Budget towards building Winchburgh train station.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: There is currently no specific funding allocated to the capital costs for a construction of railway station at Winchburgh. As co-promoters, West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments Ltd are responsible for developing a robust business case and securing…
13 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce standards and regular public reporting on hospital discharges and the use of non-clinical spaces to deliver care.
5 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Tenements (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill will include a statutory right for owners to install EV charging infrastructure on common ground to override any obsolete title burdens that prevent the delivery of net zero targets in existing flatted developments.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Law Commission published its report on mandatory owners’ associations on 11 December 2025. I am grateful for the work that SLC took forward over the last 4 years. The Scottish Government will give SLC’s report careful consideration be…
16 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken since the publication of the independent review into Creative Scotland to implement its recommendations.
16 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the alignment of its international development and climate justice programmes, including Climate Just Communities, with international commitments to increase climate adaptation finance made at COP30.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Locally-led and participatory adaptation is essential to climate justice programming and projects – including our Climate Just Communities project.During COP30 the Scottish Government announced £100,000 funding to the Regions4 Network to deliver p…
16 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to maintain or increase its funding allocation to the Climate Justice Fund in its upcoming Budget.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42632 on 13 January 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…
16 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to continue funding the Climate Just Communities programme beyond March 2026, and when it expects to make a decision on any future support.
Answer · Gillian Martin: We remain committed to climate justice, with over £12 million allocated in the draft Scottish Budget to support vulnerable communities in the Global South, particularly women, young people and people with disabilities in ways that are participatory, rig…
16 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to mitigate any risk of disruption to projects funded by the Climate Justice Fund if current contracts conclude in March 2026 without further or replacement funding in place.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42632 on 13 January 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…
9 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent ScotLand Futures report, whichfound that 96% of respondents believe that changes are neededregarding how land is owned and used, what steps it willtake to ensure that land reform goes further than the current Land Reform(Scotland) Bil…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report published in November 2025 by Eversheds Sutherland, Wind Energy Consenting: Increasing S36 Threshold to 100MW and Sector Deal Progress, which identifies that the current average timeframe for Section 36 determinations for onshore wind pro…
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government will consult on increasing the current threshold of 50MW for applications for onshore electricity generating stations to be considered by local authorities.We therefore welcome the Eversheds Sutherland study as a contribution to the ev…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report published in January 2025 by climateXchange, Carbon Calculator for wind farms on Scottish peatlands: an evidence assessment, and what progress has been made to deliver against its recommendation that the carbon calculator, …
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 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-committe…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to achieving 20GW of operational onshore wind in Scotland by 2030 as set out in the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal in 2023.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government remains committed to the ambitions set out in the Onshore Wind Sector Deal. Joint working with industry is central to delivering Scotland’s energy transition and achieving our climate change ambitions.We will continue to work clo…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has agreed a peatland compensation ratio for onshore wind projects, and, if so, whether it will publish the scientific evidence it used to inform that decision.
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 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-committe…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that Scotland can maximise the number of onshore wind projects that are eligible to bid for a Contract for Difference and can contribute to its ambition to achieve 20GW of operational onshore wind by 2030, as set out in the Scottish Ons…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 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-committe…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards delivering its commitment made in the 2023 Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal to determine Section 36 applications for onshore wind projects in 12 months where there is no Public Local Inquiry and 24 months where there is one.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Onshore Wind Sector Deal includes the commitment that from 2025, we will aim to determine Section 36 applications for new sites, and for the re-powering of existing operational sites, within 12 months where there is no public inquiry, or 24 months if ther…
26 Nov 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to deliver its commitment to collaborate on a consistent, evidence-based, proportionate national approach to measuring and evidencing biodiversity enhancements on onshore wind project sites, as set out in the Scottish Onshore Wind Sector Deal agreed in 20…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42174 on 9 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-committe…
8 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, which suggested that uncertainty and delays in compensation are exacerbating victims’ mental distress, what its position is on the removal of independent counselling grants for beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood…
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41110 on 27 October 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-committe…
8 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the equality implications of removing independent counselling grants from beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and their families, particularly in relation to women carers affected by bereavement and trauma.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41110 on 27 October 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-committe…
8 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) Infected Blood Compensation Authority regarding the continuation of counselling support for beneficiaries of the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and their families.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41110 on 27 October 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-committe…