Douglas Ross

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that delays in registering power of attorney applications have on (a) families, (b) legal practitioners and (c) healthcare decision-making.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has acknowledged that, while the current system for Powers of Attorney (PoA) generally functions well, certain elements require improving and updating.As part of the Adults with Incapacity reform programme, the Expert Working Group and…

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that waiting times for power of attorney registrations will return to pre-backlog levels.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many power of attorney applications have been expedited in each of the last three years, and what the average turnaround time was.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what performance measures it uses to monitor the timeliness of power of attorney registrations, and how often the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland) reports progress to ministers.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current staffing complement is in the Office of the Public Guardian, and what its position is on whether this is sufficient to meet demand for power of attorney registrations.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding it has provided to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service Office of the Public Guardian in each of the last three years to support improvements in the processing of power of attorney applications.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Office of the Public Guardian is part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS). As a non-ministerial public body, decisions on the allocation of the SCTS budget are a matter for the judicially led SCTS Board.In recognition of the ongoing pressu…

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reasons for any recent increase in waiting times for power of attorney registrations.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

15 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for registration of power of attorney applications by the Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland).

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

10 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for health and wellbeing, what steps it can take to ensure that viewers in Scotland are not disadvantagedby any future shift from terrestrial to internet-based television delivery.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I refer the member to my response to his Parliamentary Questions S6W-42512 and S6W-42514 on 12 January 2026. As I set out, broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the Scottish Government has long said that it should be devolved, so that services can best meet t…

10 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for health and wellbeing, what (a) its position is on extending guarantees for digital terrestrial television to at least 2040 and (b) engagement it has had with the UK Government on the matter.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I refer the member to my response to his Parliamentary Questions S6W-42512 and S6W-42514 on 12 January 2026, and to my response to S6W-42510 on 20 January 2026 alongside this question. Broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the Scottish Government has long sai…

10 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact onrural and island communities in Scotland of any reduction in digitalterrestrial television coverage.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the Scottish Government has long been clear that it should be devolved, so that services can meet the needs of Scottish audiences. We join the public service broadcasters and other stakeholders in urging the UK Government…

10 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact onhousehold costs if access to public service broadcasting were to require abroadband subscription.

Answer · Angus Robertson: As I have said in my response to Parliamentary Question S6W-42512 on 12 January 2026, broadcasting is a reserved issue, and the switch-off of television transmitters - leading to internet-only access to television services - is a matter for the UK Government.…

4 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has received since it opened.

Answer · Gillian Martin: As of 8 December 2025, the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has received 818 applications since its launch in July 2025.

4 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £18 million Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund has been spent to date.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) was launched by the Scottish and UK Governments in July 2025. Financial year 2025-26 represents a pilot phase for the TTF. The pilot phase has been supported by up to £1.35 million of combined funding from …

4 Dec 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the status is of the Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund; whether it is closed, and, if so, when it will reopen for applications.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund (TTF) was launched by the Scottish and UK Governments in July 2025. Financial year 2025-26 represents a pilot phase for the TTF.In September, the Scottish Government confirmed further funding of up to £450,000 to…

26 Nov 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons it is choosing not to answer any questions on the court proceedings in relation to its policy on transgender prisoners, which allows biological male prisoners to be housed in women’s prisons, despite the Supreme Court’s recent ruling, in light of section 5 of…

25 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Public Finance has taken to ensure the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) is meeting acceptable processing times.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government engages regularly with SPPA, I have met with the SPPA Chief Executive 11 times in 2025. I visited SPPA on 27 August 2025 to gain first-hand insight on the latest developments aimed at improving service delivery and progressing the reme…

25 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of delays by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) on members’ financial planning and retirement decisions.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Through regular engagement, the Scottish Government has received assurance from the SPPA that they are prioritising pension estimates where the member is retiring in the next six months, or the information is required for ill-health or divorce purposes. Decis…

25 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted a review of the Scottish Public Pensions Agency's (SPPA) quality of service, in light of any increases in complaints about transfer and valuation delays.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government receive regular updates from the SPPA on service delivery, who in turn engage regularly with the Scheme Pension Boards, on which both members and employers are represented. The SPPA has not recorded a significant increase in complaints…

25 Nov 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) has not published clear performance milestones for reducing delays in pension valuations and transfers.

Answer · Ivan McKee: As this is an operational matter, I have asked Stephen Pathirana, Chief Executive of SPPA, to write to you on this issue.

19 Nov 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the chief executive of NHS Grampian to discuss healthcare in Moray.

17 Nov 2025 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take in response to reported figures from the road safety charity, Brake, which show that over the last year road deaths and serious injuries rose by 2.8% nationally, with Moray recording the highest increase with a rise of 83%.

14 Nov 2025 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what recent discussions it has held with Police Scotland about the policing of protests at the Scottish Parliament.

11 Nov 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to providing full details of why each of the 3,537 (or 47%) of applications to The Future Farming Investment Scheme were deemed ineligible, including whether ministers raised any concerns when presented with this figure.

23 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances it classifies a paper or plan that it is working on as "secret", and what information it has regarding how many of its current papers or plans have this classification.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government follows the Government Security Classification guidance issued by the Cabinet Office. It can be found at: Government Security Classifications Policy (HTML) - GOV.UK. It would not be appropriate to discuss the number of government docum…

22 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the agreement by the UK Minister forEnergy, during a debate at Westminster Hall led by John Lamont MP on 21 October2025, to meet with residents in the Scottish Borders regarding their concernsabout energy infrastructure, whether the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Actionand En…

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to question S6O-04953 taken in the chamber on 18 September 2025, the answer to question S6W-40769 on 8 October 2025 and my subsequent letter to him dated 8 October 2025, a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information…

22 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many secret plans it is currently working on.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Government sets out its plans and priorities every year in the Programme For Government.

22 Oct 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to the significant public opposition to the proposed Moray Firth FLOW-Park.

30 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it considers the percentage of students earning an A, B or C in Higher History fluctuated by 27.6% between 2023 and 2025.

23 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Chair of NHS Grampian and what issues were discussed.