Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the decision of some local authorities to introduce or increase charges for services while simultaneously increasing council tax rates.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Decisions on council tax levels and charges for local services are a matter for Councils to determine locally.
The Scottish Government encourages Local Government to consult with their communities to inform decisions and consider the potential impacts of charges or taxation, particularly on low-income households and vulnerable groups. However, as long as they act lawfully, it is up to each local authority how it manages its day-to-day business and decision-making processes.
Asked by: Greer, Ross (Scottish Green Party - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly removed the £5,000 p/a pay supplement to civil servants working in the Digital Data and Technology Framework, resulting in real terms pay reductions of nine to 14%.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
Pay supplements are operational matters for the Scottish Government Civil Service and are, by design, temporary and subject to periodic review. They are typically approved for a fixed term of up to three years and may be continued, varied, or withdrawn based on the outcome of that review. These supplements are attached to specific roles rather than individuals and are used to address recruitment and retention pressures in areas where market conditions require it.
The outcome to remove the previous Digital, Data and Technology pay supplement and replace it with the new Government Digital and Data pay supplement was informed by labour market evidence and pay data, with the process agreed between Scottish Government HR Pay and Reward and the Convention of Scottish Government Unions (CSGU). It included engagement with trade unions and senior leaders, with recommendations considered by an independent Pay Panel. As agreed with CSGU, there is a period of withdrawal for 12 months during which the DDaT pay supplement will be paid in full.
Pay supplements do not form part of contractual base pay and are explicitly intended to be temporary mechanisms linked to prevailing market conditions. There has been no reduction to the base pay of any individuals affected by the review.
Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the funding it provides to local authorities, in light of reports that these bodies are increasingly unable to deliver critical infrastructure and capital investment projects for residents.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
The Scottish Government recognises the pressures facing Local Government and that is why the Local Government Settlement provided record funding of £15.7 billion for 2026-27. Local authorities also have a range of revenue raising powers that are not available to other public services and the ability to borrow to fund their capital programme.
The vast majority of funding allocated by the Scottish Government is provided by means of a block grant and it is then for individual Local Authorities to allocate the total resources available to them, on the basis of local needs and priorities.
The Scottish Government have had to take difficult decisions in light of the disappointing capital settlement from the UK Government’s Spending Review. However, the Scottish Government has a long history of working with COSLA and Local Authorities to make sure Council finances are sustainable and that available resources can meet long-term commitments.
Decisions on future Local Government Settlements will be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 Local Authorities and announced as part of the outcome of future Scottish Budgets.
Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds in receipt of Adult Disability Payment are in employment (a) when they first receive the payment and (b) (i) 12 to 23, (ii) after 24 to 35 and (iii) 36 or more months after receiving their first payment.
Answered by Somerville, Shirley-Anne - Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing
Social Security Scotland does not collect employment information as part of the Adult Disability Payment application process because it is a non-means tested benefit intended to help people with a disability or long-term health condition that affects their everyday life. Eligibility is not linked to whether someone is in work.
Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in taking forward legislative options to allow the escorting of abnormal loads for onshore wind projects by an agency other than Police Scotland or Transport Scotland, and what timeline it is working to for bringing forward any such legislation.
Answered by None
The Scottish Government recognises the continued pressures facing Police Scotland’s ability to support abnormal load movement requirements for the energy industry and continues to meet regularly with Police Scotland and industry.
The escorting of abnormal loads often requires traffic to be stopped and directed and in Scotland such action can only be undertaken by police officers. The legislation which underpins this requirement is reserved to the UK Government.
The Scottish Government is working closely with the UK Government to identify workable solutions. However, any legislative change in this area would require action by Westminster.
Asked by: McLennan, Paul (Scottish National Party - East Lothian)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party’s 2026 manifesto commitment to simplify regulation and reform of the planning system to support jobs and economic growth, how and when it plans to implement the findings of the Compulsory Purchase Order review.
Answered by None
The Scottish Government will publish a summary of responses to the compulsory purchase reform consultation shortly, and will provide an update on the reform programme in line with our commitment for the first 100 days of government.
Asked by: Briggs, Miles (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Lothian)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many missed GP appointments there have been in each year since 2021, broken down by NHS board.
Answered by Constance, Angela - Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care
The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many missed GP appointments there have been in each year since 2021, broken down by NHS board.
PHS publishes information relevant to this question using GP encounters data as part of the General Practice in-hours activity visualisation publication. Encounters are not the same as appointments as not all encounters will be recorded on an appointment booking system. Further information on the limitations of this data can be found on the publication website.
Asked by: Kerr, Liam (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current timeline is for finalising the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy, and what remaining steps must be completed before adoption.
Answered by None
The Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy is expected to be adopted in Summer 2026.
Significant progress has already been made since our consultation on the draft Plan last year, including completion of the Appropriate Assessment, consultation with Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies, and ongoing work to identify compensatory measures for seabird impacts.
The remaining work relates primarily to finalisation of the Plan and its associated impact assessments including Habitats Regulations Appraisal processes. These documents are currently being finalised and will be submitted for Ministerial consideration in the coming weeks. This includes consideration by UK Ministers.
Subject to Ministerial approval, the Plan will be adopted and all supporting documents will be published.
Asked by:
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 18 November 2025, Heat in buildings: future plans, which stated, “We intend to introduce the [Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland)] Bill once the Scottish Parliament returns after the Scottish Election in May 2026”, by what date it will publish this Bill; what elements of the original draft Bill it plans to retain; what consultations it will hold regarding the Bill, in particular to understand the views of the country’s rural population, and how it will ensure that the Bill will maintain a technology neutral approach to home decarbonisation, as had been indicated in the original draft.
Answered by None
We will take forward our Heat in Buildings Bill in this Parliamentary session to support homeowners, landlords and tenants to transition to clean heating in a fair and affordable way.
The Scottish Government's legislative programme will be agreed by Ministers and announced to Parliament in due course in the usual way.
Asked by: Marra, Michael (Scottish Labour - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether current cross-board referral arrangements provide equitable access to specialist services across NHS Scotland, particularly in specialties where service provision is limited by workforce shortages.
Answered by Constance, Angela - Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care
The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework and Population Health Framework, published in 2025, set out an ambitious vision for transforming Scotland’s public services.
To support this vision, NHS Boards are introducing a new collaborative, sub-national planning approach through Subnational Planning and Delivery Committees (SPDCs) East and West, which will drive a renewed focus on population-based planning across NHS Scotland.
This approach will shift health service planning beyond organisational boundaries and strengthen accountability for meeting the needs of local populations.
SPDCs East and West will work collaboratively to optimise capacity and ensure equitable access to services based on population need. By doing so, they will place the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s population at the heart of service design and delivery.