Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the requirements that apply when an application for a proposed marine development is located within an area containing a war grave, whether it will provide information on (a) what action an applicant is required to take in relation to such matters, (b) whether any ap…
Answer · Gillian Martin: Any application for a marine licence would be accompanied by environmental information to enable consideration of likely effects on the environment (including the historic environment). This would then be subject to public consultation and a range of statutor…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the content of the application by Offshore Solutions Group (OSG) for an exemption from undertaking a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its proposed Moray FLOW-park development, whether OSG has disclosed in its application the presence of a war grave with…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I can confirm that Offshore Solutions Group sought a screening opinion, from the Scottish Ministers which is currently undergoing statutory consultation in line with the environmental impact assessment regulations, including with Historic Environment Scotland…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Inverness Women's Aid may be making active preparations to close its services, both refuge and outreach by 2027, whether the Scottish Government will take any action to intervene in order to help broker a solution, which avoids that closure.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government remains steadfast in our commitment to preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls and to supporting specialist services that provide vital support to victims and survivors of gender based violence.The commissioning of …
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of its local government funding settlement on the condition of roads and bridges across the Highland Council area, in light of the reported repair backlog.
Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the record funding package for Local Government, in 2026-27, Highland Council will receive £665.1 million to fund local services which equates to an extra £32.3 million or an additional 5.1% compared to 2025-26.The vast majority of fund…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there should be (a) major reform of the NHS, and, if so, in what ways and (b) a reduction in the number of NHS boards and other health bodies.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government’s Service Renewal Framework and Public Service Reform Strategy set out long-term transformation to support sustainability.This includes restructuring national NHS Boards by merging NES and NSS into Public Services Delivery Scotla…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments of the Permanent Secretary at the Finance and Public Administration Committee's meeting on 10 March 2026, whether it will confirm what its policy is in respect of the number of days that civil servants are expected to attend their place of work; what monitor…
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Permanent Secretary is responsible for the Scottish Government’s operational arrangements, including its hybrid working policy.Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working are expected to aim for working 40% of their contracted hours in person, eit…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make any further announcements regarding the A9 dualling project before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not expect to make any further announcements regarding the A9 Dualling Programme before the end of the current Parliamentary session. Regular progress updates and details of planned traffic management works are available on our de…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the First Minister on 6 November 2025 regarding Cameron Barracks, whether it has had any meetings or engagement with the UK Government in relation to the facility since 1 January 2026 and, if so, whether it will publish details of these, including providing det…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: An official-level Operational Working Group meeting chaired by the Home Office takes place regularly and is attended by Scottish Government officials and local delivery partners, most recently on 16 March. Notes of these meetings are held by the UK Government…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reducing the amount of money to be allocated to active travel schemes in 2026-27 and to reallocate this for the purposes of establishing an emergency fund to carry out necessary works to maintain bridges in rural Scotland, which may otherwise be closed due to saf…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Budget provides a further real-terms increase in the Local Government Settlement, delivering record funding of £15.7 billion, including a quarter of a billion pounds of unrestricted General Revenue Grant.Local authorities have a duty under …
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the First Minister on 6 November 2025 regarding Cameron Barracks, whether it has sought discussions with the UK Government regarding the suitable locations to house asylum seekers humanely, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The UK Government is solely responsible for decisions relating to the location of accommodation for people seeking asylum and for ensuring the suitability of these. The Scottish Government is clear that the UK Government’s asylum proposals will not deli…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the First Minister on 6 November 2025 regarding Cameron Barracks that "the starting point for any consideration of the matter must be substantive engagement [with the UK Government] on the issues of substance so that members of the public in the Inverness area,…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government continues to engage with Home Office officials and the Minister for Border Security and Asylum to seek clarity on the projected timelines for arrivals at Cameron Barracks. It has also been repeatedly requested that sufficient notice be…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the First Minister on 6 November 2025 regarding Cameron Barracks, whether it has had any correspondence with the UK Government in relation to the facility since 1 January 2026 and, if so, whether it will publish this, including providing copies of correspondenc…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I have written to UK Government ministers on multiple occasions since September 2025 to request clarity on proposed use of Cameron Barracks, most recently on 13 February 2026.
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the First Minister on 6 November 2025 regarding Cameron Barracks, what (a) discussions it had had with the UK Government regarding and (b) its position is on the Home Office's plans to use the facility as a suitable location to house asylum seekers.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The UK Government retains sole responsibility for selecting asylum accommodation sites. However, we acknowledge there will be concerns as to the site being centrally located in the community and the impact that it may place on local services.Scottish Minister…
12 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make any further announcements regarding the A96 dualling project before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Only last month I provided a substantive update to Parliament to reaffirm the Scottish Government’s commitment to dual the A96 and provide assurance we are pressing forward steps to make this happen. This update on 3 February 2026, followed the commitme…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, whether it has considered the adequacy of gas storage facilities in Scotland and the rest of Great Britain, and, if so, what action it has taken on this matter since 2021.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Planning associated with the security of fuel and energy supplies is a reserved matter. It is for the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to assess the adequacy of gas storage for Scotland and the rest of Great Britain. We remain in close cont…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that Great Britain's current gas storage capacity is equivalent to less than two days' supply, and what its position is on whether this is sufficient.
Answer · Gillian Martin: It is a matter for the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to assess the sufficiency of gas storage in the UK. However, some reporting on this issue has been misleading and inaccurate. In addition to stored capacity the UK benefits from domest…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reported concerns that an electricity grid in Scotland supplied solely by renewable sources of generation cannot provide synchronisation, grid stability and sufficient protection against the risk of brownouts and …
Answer · Gillian Martin: Responsibility for assessing security of supply rests with the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator, as a reserved matter. Balancing of the grid including determining relevant costs is also a reserved matter.The Scottish Government is confide…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any plans it has for an updated energy policy, when it first announced that it would publish an updated policy; what date or approximate date for when the policy would be made public was stated in the announcement, and what the current date is for when it plans to publish any …
Answer · Gillian Martin: Following the consultation on the draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP), the Scottish Government stated in September 2023 that it would publish the final version by Summer 2024. However, since then there have been significant changes in the e…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, and in light of reported concerns that conflicts in Ukraine, Iran and elsewhere in the world will continue and other conflicts may start, what its position is on whether there should be more gas storage in Scotland and the rest of Great …
Answer · Gillian Martin: Planning associated with the security of fuel and energy supplies is a reserved matter and it is for the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to assess the sufficiency of gas storage for Scotland and the rest of Great Britain. We remain in clos…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, and in light of military conflicts and global instability impacting supplies of oil and gas, what its position is on whether there should be improved support for gas-fired power stations, including Peterhead Power Station, which is the l…
Answer · Gillian Martin: Security of supply for gas and electricity is a matter reserved to the UK Government and is delivered by the National Electricity System Operator (NESO) across the whole of GB, under regulation from Ofgem. As we transition to a net zero energy system and redu…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that, on 8 January 2025, the National Grid's margin of surplus power over actual demand dropped to 580 megawatts, or just over 1% of peak demand, which was below safety requirements; what level of safety r…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44226 on 25 March 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…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what increase in capacity of pumped storage hydropower in Scotland it estimates there will be in each of the next five years.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Long duration electricity storage, such as pumped hydro storage, plays a vital role in providing flexibility services to the grid and ensuring a resilient electricity system.There is currently 0.74 GW of pumped hydro storage operational in Scotland, with 4.79…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its position is on what proportion of electricity supplied to Scotland should come from renewable sources, and, with such a proportion of renewable energy supply, whether back-up generation from gas-fired power stations would be req…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44226 on 25 March 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…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what its response is to reports that Great Britain's electricity grid nearly experienced a blackout on 8 January 2025, during a period of low wind power generation and high demand due to a cold snap, which resulted in emergency balancing…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-44226 on 25 March 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…
11 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy policy, what representations it has made to the UK Government since 2021 regarding the sufficiency of gas storage capacity in the UK.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government maintains regular contact with the UK Government regarding energy matters, including issues of supply. These engagements forma critical part of our approach to issues of resilience.
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will automatically reject any planning application for a company proposing substantial marine development that does not require it to submit a full environmental impact assessment (EIA) where that company has previously undertaken to provide one, and, if not, for what reason.&…
Answer · Gillian Martin: Environmental Impact Assessment requirements for marine developments are set out in the Marine Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 (the Regulations). The Regulations define EIA projects as works which are either schedule 1 work…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the planning application should automatically be rejected of any company proven to have misled the public or the Parliament regarding what environmental safeguards will be applicable to their application.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The merits of any proposal, both onshore and offshore, are considered on a case-by-case basis and in reaching their decision, the decision maker must determine applications in accordance with legislative requirements, relevant policies and representations fro…
10 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received any requests from Offshore Solutions Group regarding its proposal for marine storage of offshore wind farm bases, MorayFLOW-PARK, that it should not be required to submit a full environmental impact assessment (EIA), and, if it has, what its response is to reporte…
Answer · Gillian Martin: I can confirm that Offshore Solutions Group sought a screening opinion, from the Scottish Ministers which is currently undergoing statutory consultation in line with the environmental impact assessment regulations. Following, and in consideration of the repre…
9 Mar 2026 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the planned restoration of all vaccination services for children at GP practices in NHS Highland will go ahead from April.
Answer · Neil Gray: NHS Highland remains committed to implementing the agreed hybrid vaccination model, with GP practices leading childhood vaccination delivery and the Board’s immunisation team supporting harder to reach families. This approach reflects the flexibility ne…
9 Mar 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent recommendation by the Scottish Health Technologies Group to retain specialist chronic pain interventions, including intravenous (IV) lidocaine infusions, injections and radiofrequency treatments, whether it plans to support NHS Scotland and remove current restrict…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government acknowledges the Scottish Health Technologies Group recommendations regarding specialist interventions for managing chronic non-malignant pain in adults. NHS Scotland is required to consider SHTG recommendations and discussions are und…