Parliamentary questions
Douglas Ross
343 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Sep 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the unified statement agreed at the Community Council Convention of the Highland Council Area regarding the impact of major energy infrastructure in the region, in Beauly on 14 June 2025, what the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy’s response is to the sta…
2 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals have completed a stay in a stabilisation centre since 2021, and of those individuals, how many subsequently accessed detoxification or residential rehabilitation.
Answer · Maree Todd: Scottish Government does not hold this information. Stabilisation is provided by some standalone services in Scotland, but it is often provided by facilities and services which provide other forms of support. Accessing stabilisation can provide an essential p…
2 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on whether stabilisation centres are used in any other European country as a flagship response to addiction, and, if so, whether it will provide international evidence of outcomes.
Answer · Maree Todd: Scottish Government does not hold any information relating to drug and alcohol stabilisation centres in Europe that is not available publicly.
2 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its Stabilisation, detoxification and other crisis support in Scotland: Service mapping and capacity survey 2022–2023, what the annual cost is of operating stabilisation centres, broken down by (a) total programme expenditure to date, (b) annual budgeted running costs pe…
Answer · Maree Todd: Scottish Government does not directly fund any standalone stabilisation centres and so do not hold this information. Facilities that offer stabilisation and detoxification alongside other residential services will often be commissioned and funded locally by A…
22 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration local authorities and planning authorities should give to the current School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, and what impact its stated commitment to update these regulations could have on any plans for new schools that may be…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We continue to expect local authorities to comply with the current School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, wherever possible. Furthermore, we would expect new schools to comply with the prescribed requirements of the …
22 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has carried out regarding updating the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, and when it expects any new regulations to be introduced.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As previously committed to, the Scottish Government’s consultation on the updating of the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 will commence before the end of this year; the revised regulations will be introdu…
18 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when its summit to address the menace of seagulls will be held, and whether the meeting will be (a) open to the public, (b) independently chaired and (c) held in a venue with significant capacity to accommodate any large numbers of people with an interest in this issue.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: As I mentioned during the Scottish Government’s response at the debate on 26 June 2025 to Motion S6M-17969: Action to Address the Impact of Gulls in Scotland, I will chair a summit in Inverness later this year.The Scottish Government is currently workin…
16 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the decision to euthanise police dog Zara in December last year and the subsequent review by the force.
16 Jun 2025 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S6W-36629 by John Swinney on 3 April 2025 and the answer to question S6W-38203 by Ivan McKee on 11 June 2025, whether all ministers, including the First Minister, received new mandates from the Scottish Parliament's Pay and Pensions Te…
Answer · Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB): In April 2025, the First Minister, Ministers, andLaw Officers received ministerial waiver mandate letters. As the mandatescontain data which is personal to the individuals concerned the ScottishParliament, as a data controller, will not publish them. It is a …
29 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36629 by John Swinney on 3 April 2025, whether all ministers, including the First Minister, received new mandates from the Scottish Parliament's Pay and Pensions Team following the decision to equalise the MSP element of ministers' sa…
Answer · Ivan McKee: Ministerial pay is set and administered by the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government has no role in this. It is the Scottish Government's understanding that new mandate letters were issued to Ministers, including the Law Officers, by the Scottish Pa…
22 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will propose the scheduling of time for a parliamentary debate or statement on the works at Union Bridge on the A96 in Keith, in light of reports that ongoing delays have resulted in the trunk road being reduced to one lane with traffic lights for almost a year.
20 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether NatureScot considers and respects the views of local people and businesses when considering applications to control seagulls.
15 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-04664 by Jenny Gilruth on 15 May 2025, whether it will provide the information requested regarding which of the portfolio questions taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025 raised matters that fall within the specific responsibilities of the Cabinet Se…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Portfolio Question Time is an opportunity to raise questions relevant to the portfolio concerned and, as already set out in response to S6O-04664, all of the Education and Skills questions raised on 24 April 2025 were answered by a Minister from the Education…
14 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on businesses and residents in the Highlands should a visitor levy be introduced.
6 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of the portfolio questions taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2025 raised matters that fall within the specific responsibilities of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, as listed on the Scottish Government website, in light of reported concerns about her missing the sessio…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much was spent by local authority social work departments in (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 on services to help people recover from addiction to alcohol and/or drugs; what proportion of the budget this represented, and what the estimate is for 2025-26.
Answer · Neil Gray: Local Authority Social Work Services provide broad holistic service coverage and support to individuals with a wide range of needs, and it is a matter for local authorities to allocate, and account for the allocation of, Local Authority funds to those service…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of its alcohol and drugs services budget for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25 was spent on local authority social work services; what proportion of the budget this represented, and what the estimate is for 2025-26.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government allocates specific National Mission funds via regional Health Boards, for onward disbursement by Integration Authorities, per local Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships’ (ADP) strategic planning. Local Authority Social Work Services pr…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-04204 by Neil Gray on 16 January 2025, how much funding is proposed for alcohol and drug services in 2025-26, including NHS board baseline funding.
Answer · Neil Gray: Further to my answer provided on 16 January 2025 the Scottish Government has added a further £2.5 million to the Alcohol and Drugs budget, bringing the total to around £160 million for 2025-26. We are maintaining record levels of funding for drugs…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the impact on the budget of (a) NHS Scotland, (b) other aspects of the healthcare sector, (c) Police Scotland, (d) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, (e) the Scottish Prison Service, (f) other law enforcement agencies and (g) other…
Answer · Neil Gray: We do not currently hold information on the impact that each pound of additional investment in drugs and alcohol has had on the budgets of (a) NHS Scotland, (b) other aspects of the healthcare sector, (c) Police Scotland, (d) the Crown Office and Procurator F…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of itsadditional investment of £250 million under its National Mission on Drugs,including any estimated annual savings.
Answer · Neil Gray: Public Health Scotland (PHS) has been commissioned to conduct a comprehensive and independent evaluation of the National Mission. As part of the evaluation, PHS has also commissioned an external study of how National Mission funds have been allocated and spen…
25 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Professor Dame Carol Black's assessment in her report, Review of drugs part two: prevention, treatment and recovery, that “each £1 spent on [drug] treatment will save £4 from reduced demands on health, prison, law enforcement and emergency s…
Answer · Neil Gray: We are supportive of Professor Dame Carol Black's report highlighting the importance of spending on drug treatment. The figures used in her review are sourced from Public Health England, so cannot be directly applied to Scotland.Public Health Scotland (PHS) h…
12 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on victims of crime in Scotland, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the time taken to determine applications made to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.
4 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether seagulls should continue to be protected in law.
25 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any economic impact of delaying the full dualling of the A96, in light of the Moray and Inverness chambers of commerce calling for the road to be dualled in full and raising concerns that delays to deliv…
29 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the petition, reportedly signed by hundreds of Keith residents and businesses, regarding the disruption caused on the A96 by the ongoing works at Union Bridge, including the calls for businesses to be compensated for any significant losses during these works.
14 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns by the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers that falling cattle levels are leading to a reduction in beef supplies, and that gaps could subsequently appear in the red meat sections of supermarkets.
13 Jan 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what early assessment it has made following the opening of the safer drug consumption facility, The Thistle.
7 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-31866 and S6W-32202 by Fiona Hyslop on 11 December 2024 and 3 January 2025 respectively, in light of it not providing the numerical figures requested in the questions, whether it will provide the information requested regarding how many miles…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: None. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31866 on 11 December 2024. 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-c…
18 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will launch an independent review of the 2024 Higher History exam, in light of reports that responses to a survey by the Scottish Association of Teachers of History were overwhelmingly critical of the SQA review, that it had been described as a "whitewash", and that one respon…
11 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31866 by Fiona Hyslop on 11 December 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding how many miles of the A96 have been dualled in each year from 2011 to date.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31866 on 11 December 2024. 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-committ…