Graham Simpson

4 Feb 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. 

21 Jan 2026 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to protect hospice care services over the coming year.

6 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it expects to be able to return Ferguson Marine to the private sector.

6 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Glasgow Life regarding the reported proposal to reduce the number of indoor tennis courts at Scotstoun Sports Campus to accommodate padel courts; what assessment it has made of the potential impact that such a proposal would have on tennis development pro…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government places great importance on community sports and leisure facilities and we recognise the crucial role facilities play in supporting the wellbeing of our population.We acknowledge the importance of Glasgow Club Scotstoun as a leading ind…

3 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will discuss a potential ban on the sale of rhododendron ponticum at the next meeting of the British-Irish Council.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government will consider suggesting this matter for discussion at the next meeting of the British Irish Council.

3 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions (a) it and (b) its agencies has had with the horticultural sector regarding the invasiveness of rhododendron ponticum.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government and its agencies have not had any recent discussions with the horticultural sector specifically regarding the invasiveness of Rhododendron ponticum.

3 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on a potential ban of the sale of rhododendron ponticum in Scotland.

Answer · Gillian Martin: We are aware that there have been calls for a ban on sale of Rhododendron ponticum, most recently in the Woodland Trust’s 2021 Rhododendron in the Rainforest report. However, there are challenges associated with such a ban.The taxonomy of invasive rhodo…

3 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much its agencies have spent on the (a) removal and (b) control of rhododendron ponticum in each year since 2020-21.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Since 2021, Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) have worked with the Alliance for Scotland’s Rainforest to identify landscapes where they can work co-operatively with other land managers to effectively control rhododendron at the landscape scale. FLS accou…

16 Jun 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to reform the planning appeals process.

11 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when there will be a stakeholder consultation on NatureScot's reported work to develop a list of irreplaceable habitats, and whether any types of species-rich grassland will be included in any such list.

Answer · Gillian Martin: As committed to in our Biodiversity Delivery Plan, we are revising the Scottish Biodiversity List of species and habitats. A process involving stakeholders is already underway to produce a revised list by the end of 2025. This summer, NatureScot and Scottish …

19 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions it is taking to end the housing emergency.

19 May 2025 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to The Hunter Foundation report, Lessons from Singapore for Scotland's Economy.

13 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in restoring Scotland’s rainforest since the 2021 election, broken down by (a) agency and (b)(i) capital and (ii) revenue spending.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Since May 2021 Naturescot have invested nearly £4 million in rainforest restoration activities through the Nature Restoration Fund: £3,933,357 capital and £381,291 resource.Scottish Forestry (SF) are not able to give the precise breakdown of…

6 May 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress towards a national smart ticketing scheme for public transport.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board will publish its first annual report in June, including progress on its year one 'Quick Wins'. This includes, for the first time, provision of digital integrated tickets for the Aberdeenshire and Dundee bus to bus s…

23 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to promote the natural regeneration of woodland.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government actively promotes and supports the natural regeneration of woodland through the work of Scottish Forestry and the funding provided through the Forestry Grant Scheme.Scottish Forestry actively encourages land managers to consider natura…

17 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of non-native coniferous forestry have been created in each of the last five years.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The areas of non-native coniferous forestry created in Scotland in each of the last five years are set out in the following table.YearArea of woodland created(non-native conifer) Hectares2019-2058292020-2163232021-2251302022-2348342023-246426Further data abou…

17 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of new native woodland have been created under the new Forestry Grant Scheme in each of the last five years.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The areas of new native woodland created in Scotland in each of the last five years are set out in the following table.YearArea of woodland created(native) Hectares2019-2047642020-2139912021-2249822022-2330462023-247978Further data about woodland creation lev…

11 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many school (a) streets and (b) safety zones there are, and what plans it has to increase these.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There are no school streets or school safety zones on the trunk road network under the responsibility of Transport Scotland. In addition, there are currently no plans to increase the number of school streets and school safety zones on trunk roads in Scotland.…

11 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children and young people it anticipates will receive support from its investment in active travel.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is providing £23.4 million of funding, in 2025-26 to the Regional Transport Partnerships and their local authority partners through the Active Travel People and Place programme. One of the key areas of investment in this programm…

11 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of children and young people who walk, wheel or cycle to school.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is providing £23.4 million of funding in 2025-26, to the Regional Transport Partnerships and their local authority partners through the Active Travel People and Place programme. One of the key areas of investment in this programm…

11 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings and recommendations of the Sustrans report, Children’s Walking and Cycling Index Scotland, what measures it has implemented in relation to planning transport to meet the needs of children and young people, and what plans it has to further develop guidance …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Sustrans’ Children’s Walking and Cycling Index Scotland was itself funded by Transport Scotland, and serves as good example of the Scottish Government’s continued commitment to proactively listening to young people’s voices in transpor…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the implementation of its 2017 guidance on religious observance.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The delivery of school education including the implementation of 2017 non-statutory guidance on religious observance (RO) is the responsibility of local authorities.The Scottish Government's current proposals to amend the legislation on RO in schools propose …

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its proposals to amend the legislation on religious observance in schools aligns with the UN (a) Committee on the Rights of the Child's concluding observations regarding the UK and (b) Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The proposed changes to religious observance (RO) and religious and moral education (RME) in schools will bring legislation into line with existing RO guidance on taking the child’s views into account when their parent/carer exercises their right to wit…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to its consultation on religious observance in schools, and by what date it will bring forward draft legislation on this matter.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government have consulted with a wide range of stakeholders on changes to legislation on religious observance (RO) and religious and moral education (RME) in schools, and the public consultation has now closed.The government will consider all res…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will produce a dedicated grassland action plan, similar to those for woodlands and peatlands.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: There is no plan at present to produce a grasslands action plan however there are a number of actions within The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s Delivery Plan applicable to grasslands.These actions include, but are not limited to, publishing a Plant Bi…

25 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the breeding of disease resistant ash trees.

20 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34946 by Mairi Gougeon on 20 February 2025, whether it can now provide a breakdown of its Budget commitment to invest £5.11 million to restore rainforest.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34946 on 20 February 2025, budget allocation for Atlantic Rainforest restoration at the project/programme level is still to be finalised. Further details will be released in due course. All answers to written P…

3 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to data from the most recent Scottish Landlord Register, which shows that the number of landlords has decreased by 2,650 in three years.   

17 Feb 2025 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scottish Water continues to pay bonuses to its executives, when public sector pay policy reportedly prohibits this. 

12 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of its Budget commitment to invest £5.11 million to restore rainforest.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government’s Draft Budget proposes a significant allocation for Natural Resources which includes funding for Atlantic Rainforest restoration, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to this important priority. Budget allocation at the project/…