Asked by: Burgess, Ariane (Scottish Green Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) workplace and (b) management culture within the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Justice
The SFRS Board provides governance and oversight of the workplace and management culture of SFRS. SFRS has provided assurance that there are no fundamental issues with culture within the organisation. In addition, His Majesty’s Fire Service Inspectorate is conducting a thematic review into workplace culture at SFRS. Part one of this review was laid before Parliament on 18 June 2025 and the second part is expected to be published later this year.
Asked by: Burgess, Ariane (Scottish Green Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the investment by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in new equipment to tackle wildfires over the last 10 years.
Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Justice
Decisions on capital expenditure on estates, fleet and equipment is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Information on individual items of SFRS equipment purchased over the last 10 years is not held by the Scottish Government. SFRS is investing £1.6 million as part of the roll out of its Wildfire Strategy.
Asked by: Findlay, Russell (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S7M-01178, (Middle East: Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) on 16 September 2026, in which the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy stated that, “The International Criminal Court—an organisation that I wholeheartedly support—has 13 situations under investigation in countries across the world, and we must ensure that there is consistency in our approach internationally and uphold the law, be it domestic or international”, whether it will set out what actions it has taken in relation to each of these “situations”.
Answered by Gethins, Stephen - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy
The Minister's remarks referred to the need for the consistent application of international law and support for independent international judicial institutions, including the International Criminal Court.
The Scottish Government is deeply concerned by conflict, instability and serious human rights violations wherever they occur. We have consistently supported the rules-based international order, respect for human rights and accountability for breaches of international law.
As you will be aware, responsibility for sanctions, export controls, recognition of states, and wider foreign policy rests with the UK Government although there is an important role for devolved administrations to play in international affairs in the UK and they do elsewhere in the world.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-44440 by Natalie Don-Innes on 24 March 2026, what assessment it has made of the impact of childcare costs on the ability of parents with twins and other multiple births to return to, remain in or increase their participation in the workforce, and whether it will publish the evidence informing that assessment.
Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise
The Scottish Government has not made an assessment of the impact of childcare costs on the ability of parents with twins and other multiple births to return to, remain in or increase their participation in the workforce.
As highlighted in answer to S7W-03482 on 29 September 2026, the recent Programme for Government set out our intention to publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. I encourage families with multiples to engage with the consultation when it is published to inform consideration of future policy.
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-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that its opposition to new nuclear sites could lead to the loss of a generation of skilled workers in the nuclear sector.
Answered by Gethins, Stephen - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy
The Scottish Government does not support new nuclear fission power stations. Renewables are delivering jobs and growth for Scotland now – while nuclear can take decades to deliver, with projects in the other part of the UK seeing costs spiral.
The Scottish Net Zero Economy in 2025 report, published by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit and The Confederation of British Industry, found that net zero-related industries support 105,000 full-time equivalent jobs in Scotland.
Decommissioning at former sites is expected to continue for decades to come, and will follow at Torness. This work will continue to require a highly skilled workforce.
Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) employers regarding the potential impact on offshore workers of any maximum worker weight limits applied in the oil and gas industry.
Answered by Gethins, Stephen - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy
The Scottish Government continues to engage with a range of stakeholders on matters which impact the Oil and Gas workforce. This includes the introduction by industry of a Safe Weight Limit Policy, which is due to come into force at the start of November.
The Scottish Government would encourage employers to work with their employees to support them through this change.
Asked by: Kerr, Stephen (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Mid Scotland and Fife)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland in each financial year from 2023-24 to 2027-28, broken down by (a) amount and (b) purpose.
Answered by Kumar, Simita - Minister for Equalities and International Development
Following the contract award to host the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) in April 2025, a total of £2,826,472.75 (exc. VAT) was allocated to the University of Strathclyde in partnership with the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER). The contract runs from 17 June 2025 to 30 September 2027, with a further three-month extension confirmed up to the end of December 2027. No additional funding is included in that extension.
No funding was provided for 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 as AROS was not yet established. The table below gives the amounts allocated to the University of Strathclyde for hosting, staffing, financial management, human resources support and operational costs associated with establishing and delivering AROS. This supports AROS's functions as a national centre of excellence on anti-racism, including community-led co-production, accountability, and scrutiny; data, research and evidence gathering; and the development of tools, resources and partnerships to support anti-racism policy and practice across Scotland's public sector.
Year | Total Funding (exc. VAT) |
2025-2026 | £633,435.90 |
2026-2027 | £1,321,606.92 |
2027-2028 | £871,429.93 |
Asked by: Day, Martyn (Scottish National Party - Falkirk East and Linlithgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43779 by Mairi McAllan on 2 March 2026, what progress it has made on the options for community heat network support, including support for not-for-profit and co-operative ownership models.
Answered by Gethins, Stephen - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy
On 3 September, Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) published a report into a community led delivery model for heat networks across Scotland, prepared for the Scottish Government. The report can be accessed at: heat-networks-community-led-delivery-model.
Community led delivery was one of a range of potential approaches that SFT assessed on our behalf, and we are assessing the report's conclusions.
Meanwhile, we continue to welcome applications from all prospective applicant's - including community groups - to Scotland’s Heat Network Fund.
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the Nuclear Industry Association's Jobs Map 2026, which indicate that Scotland’s civil nuclear employment has grown by 3.14%, compared with 13.5% in England and 6.57% in Wales.
Answered by Gethins, Stephen - Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-03425 on 30 September 2026. 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
Asked by: Marra, Michael (Scottish Labour - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to the Convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 24 June 2026, in which the cabinet secretary stated "I recognise the importance of ensuring that Parliament has timely and relevant information to support pre-Budget scrutiny. To support this, I intend to deliver a fiscal statement to Parliament in September, aligned with the Programme for Government, setting out the current fiscal context and the key issues and choices facing the Scottish Budget", whether it will confirm by what date this statement will be delivered.
Answered by Gilruth, Jenny - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
The Scottish Government has been very clear about the significant challenges we face as a Government and a country ahead of the next Scottish Budget on 3 December 2026. Our immediate focus at the start of the Parliamentary session has been on setting out its Programme for the next five years. These are the priorities that we need public funding to deliver.
The fiscal update published by the Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) at the end of August provides a detailed assessment of the economic and fiscal outlook facing Scotland. From all of this, Parliament will be well aware that the Scottish Government is entering the 2027-28 Budget process facing a combination of pressures and challenges that will need difficult decisions.
I recognise your interest in ensuring that Parliament has the information it needs for its pre-Budget scrutiny. As noted in my letter to the Convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 29 September, I will engage on the fiscal challenges and key issues facing the Scottish Budget as part of my appearance at the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 30 September, and a parliamentary debate on the asks of the UK Government Budget on 1 October. Since I wrote to the Convener at the end of June, a new UK Prime Minister and Chancellor have taken office, creating the prospect of changes to UK fiscal policy this autumn. The debate on 1 October will provide an opportunity for Parliament to consider the implications for Scotland and to discuss the priorities we wish to see reflected in the UK Budget. I will continue to keep the Committee and Parliament updated on key developments ahead of Budget.