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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-39681

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many oil and gas decommissioning firms it has supported financially in each of the last five years, and what the outcomes were.

Between 2020 and 2022, ten projects received funding from the Scottish Government’s Decommissioning Challenge Fund. The Fund, which ran from 2017 to 2022, supported infrastructure upgrades and innovation in salvage and transport methods at Scotland’s ports and harbours as well as supply chain projects that aimed to strengthen Scottish decommissioning capabilities and capacities.

Additional support to companies engaged in oil and gas decommissioning activities is provided through Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S6W-39682

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any broader risks to Scotland's oil and gas supply chain from oil and decommissioning firm closures.

The Scottish Government continues to monitor and consider a range of evidence in relation to the energy sector. We have commissioned and published independent analysis on Scotland’s Energy System and Just Transition, which includes consideration of offshore energy supply chains during the transition.

The regulation of the offshore oil and gas sector, including in relation to decommissioning, are matters currently reserved to the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-39680

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a full breakdown of how the £87 million transition fund related to Grangemouth refinery is being spent.

The Scottish Government has committed or already invested £87m in Grangemouth. This includes the newly established £25m Grangemouth Just Transition Fund which will support near term low carbon opportunities that have emerged following the conclusion of Project Willow. A table outlining the full breakdown of the £87m sum has been included in the following table.

Total Grangemouth investment	£m
Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal	50
Skills intervention to support impacted workers	0.45
FY 25/26 budget allocation for Grangemouth support	7.8
Grangemouth Just Transition Fund	25
Fuel Switching net zero project (other)	2.25
SG support for Project Willow feasibility study	0.8
Project Grace study to consider decarbonisation interventions across Grangemouth	0.123
Biorefinery pre-appraise study to establish viability of a biorefinery at Grangemouth	0.185
Fuel Switching Net Zero Project appraise study	0.5
Total	87.108

Question reference: S6W-39684

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the economic opportunity cost of its reported anti-nuclear policy since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-39685

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what new evidence it has considered in reaffirming its reported opposition to nuclear energy generation.

Question reference: S6W-39683

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it recently consulted businesses or trade unions before reiterating its reported opposition to nuclear energy.

Question reference: S6W-39584

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 14 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39106 by Ivan McKee on 8 July 2025, for what reason it chose to develop its own mobile app rather than co-opt the UK Government's mobile app for devolved public services.

The UK Government App is available for all UK residents including those in Scotland providing access to information on GOV.UK. The Scottish Government App will focus on offering services provided by Scottish Government and Scottish public sector organisations to the residents of Scotland.

A collaborative relationship has been established with the UK Government App team to support mutual learning and the reuse of knowledge where this is beneficial in terms of functionality, efficiency, and speed of delivery.

Question reference: S6W-39582

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39106 by Ivan McKee on 8 July 2025, what the projected cost is of the development of the Scottish Government mobile app.

The development of a Scottish Government Mobile App is a commitment under the Digital Public Services strand of the Government’s Public Service Reform Strategy, published in June 2025.

The App is intended to serve as a single, secure gateway to personalised public services, enhancing accessibility and user experience across government platforms. It is scheduled for initial release within the current financial year.

Work is underway to develop a business case including expected expenditure, related financial and budgetary considerations. This is expected to be completed in Autumn 2025. Once approved, further details will be made available to Parliament and stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-39583

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39106 by Ivan McKee on 8 July 2025, on what date the proposed Scottish Government mobile app will be available.

Question reference: S6W-39186

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding whether its current trajectory on social security spending is fiscally sustainable, in light of the findings of the recent Scottish Fiscal Commission Fiscal Sustainability Report.

We are proud of the investment that we are making in benefit expenditure. Based on the latest Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts, the Scottish Government anticipates to spend around £8.8 billion on Social Security Assistance by 2029-30.

The additional investment in social security compared to England and Wales represents just over 3 per cent of the Scottish Government’s resource budget by 2029-30. This investment results from conscious policy choices made by Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. Social Security is an investment in the people of Scotland and provides value for money for the public purse. It prioritises eradicating child poverty, creating a fairer Scotland and delivering services and support that tackle the roots of inequality.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s June 2025 forecasts do not include the impact of the UK Government’s recent welfare announcements, which are expected to increase the Social Security Block Grant Adjustment funding provided and therefore reduce the additional investment that the Scottish Government needs to make. The amount of additional funding will not be confirmed until the Office for Budget Responsibility produce its next set of forecasts for the UK Autumn Statement.

The Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy were published in June 2025 and set out the actions we’re taking to improve the sustainability of the public finances over the medium-term.