Meeting of the Parliament (Accessible)

General Questions 1. Jenni Minto S7O-00405 To ask the Scottish Government when it expects new vessels to be available to support services on the Rothesay to Wemyss Bay route. 2. Stephen Kerr S7O-00406 To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that public bodies within its culture portfolio are held accountable for their performance. 3. Zen Ghani S7O-00407 To ask the Scottish Government what additional measures it is taking to support low-income households manage rising living costs during the current financial year. 4. Clare Haughey S7O-00408 To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that payments for the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will commence in 2026-27. 5. Thomas Kerr S7O-00409 To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gives to responses received through public consultations when making policy decisions. 6. James Adams S7O-00410 To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that local authorities are able to fulfil their statutory duties to provide accommodation to people at risk of homelessness. 7. Neil Bibby S7O-00411 To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic last met with representatives of the National Performing Companies and what issues were discussed. 8. Patricia Gibson S7O-00412 To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with bus operators to boost services following its implementation of the £2 fare cap. 9. David Linden S7O-00413 To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for online learning and interrupted learner services for children with additional support needs. 10. Patrick Harvie S7O-00414 To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister's recent commitment to bringing the bus network back into public control by the end of the current parliamentary session, what assessment it has made of the legislation required to implement this policy and when it plans to introduce it. followed by First Minister’s Questions (Party Leaders) followed by Scottish Government Debate: Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths Maree Todd S7M-01766 That the Parliament deeply regrets every life lost through alcohol and drugs and offers its sincere condolences to all those who have lost a loved one; agrees that the tragic numbers of deaths from alcohol and drugs in Scotland are preventable and require the Scottish Government to use every lever available to save and improve lives; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy, noting that the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act currently limits the ability to address all of the challenges faced in Scotland with a full public health approach, and ultimately recognises the crucial role that families play in the support and recovery of those using substances, and agrees, therefore, to work collectively across the Chamber to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience and their families are at the heart of decisions taken. Further details available for S7M-01766 Jackie Baillie S7M-01766.2 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), leave out from “affirms” to "public health approach" and insert "regrets that over 7,000 lives have been lost to drugs since the Scottish Government declared a public health emergency, with drug-related deaths rising in 2025; affirms Scotland’s commitment to a public health and human-rights based approach; supports the expansion of evidence-based harm reduction initiatives as well as the expansion of recovery and rehabilitation both within residential settings and in communities themselves; agrees that an urgent response is required to tackle dangerously potent synthetic opioids and other emerging synthetic drug threats, including through optimising Scotland’s surveillance system and early warning response; further agrees that the Scottish Government should continue to work constructively with the UK Government on substance use policy and tackling the drug gangs, as well as simplifying oversight of substance misuse services; agrees that the Scottish Government should recoup the profits from minimum unit pricing from large retailers to fund frontline rehabilitation services” Further details available for S7M-01766.2 Thomas Kerr S7M-01766.4 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end "; notes that the drug-misuse death rate, as reported by the National Records of Scotland, is over 10 times higher in the most deprived areas than in the least deprived areas; regards this as evidence that working-class communities are disproportionately affected by drug-related harm, and agrees that the right to recovery must be considered as part of the efforts to address substance abuse.” Further details available for S7M-01766.4 Gillian Mackay S7M-01766.5 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end ", and supports the further rollout of safe consumption rooms to other local authority areas as a health-saving intervention." Further details available for S7M-01766.5 Miles Briggs S7M-01766.3 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), leave out from “further agrees” to end and insert “recognises that preventing alcohol and drug deaths requires accessible treatment, effective public health measures and a strong justice response; expresses serious concern at the Scottish Government’s continuing shortcomings in access to treatment; regrets that the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill was not passed and calls for a legal right to timely and clinically appropriate treatment, backed by funded detoxification, residential rehabilitation, community recovery and aftercare; calls for a funded alcohol prevention and treatment plan with published targets and support for effective clinical harm reduction, alongside clear routes into recovery; further calls on the Scottish Government to review the effectiveness of the current methadone treatment provision and to report regularly to Parliament on access to treatment, recovery outcomes and the number of individuals assessed for rehabilitation who are not subsequently admitted to a programme, and agrees that the Scottish Government must use its existing powers, work constructively with the UK Government and involve people affected by addiction, their families and local communities in decisions.” Further details available for S7M-01766.3 Adam Harley S7M-01766.1 As an amendment to motion S7M-01766 in the name of Maree Todd (Strengthening Scotland's Public Health Approach to Preventing Alcohol and Drug Deaths), insert at end "; believes that robust harm reduction measures and rehabilitation services are both vital in saving lives; supports the continued development and evaluation of safer consumption facilities, and calls for predictable multi-year funding for rehabilitation services; supports the expansion of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment, including long-acting opioid substitution therapies where clinically appropriate; recognises the particular challenges faced by individuals experiencing both substance use and mental health problems, calls for improved access to integrated dual-diagnosis support, and acknowledges the often hidden role of families as unpaid carers, advocates and sources of support, recognising the need for appropriate support for families in their own right." Further details available for S7M-01766.1 followed by Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Debate: Amendment to Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme Resolution Maggie Chapman S7M-01777 That the Parliament, in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 81(2) and (5)(b) and 83(5) of the Scotland Act 1998, determines that the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme, which was agreed to by resolution of the Parliament on 19 March 2026, be amended as follows—
(a) Annex A: Groups of constituencies for entitlement to accommodation in Edinburgh,
(i) Group two
delete
Stirling
insert
Stirling (excluding Ward 1 Trossachs and Teith)
(ii) Group three
after
Shetland Islands
insert
Stirling (only Ward 1 Trossachs and Teith) Further details available for S7M-01777 followed by Decision Time followed by Members’ Business: Transport Connectivity in Rural Scotland Tim Eagle S7M-01204 That the Parliament recognises the importance of good transport connectivity to the long-term sustainability and resilience of rural and island communities across Scotland; believes that people are less likely to live, work, raise families and invest in rural areas when reliable connections to employment, education, healthcare and essential services cannot be guaranteed; notes with concern the growing number of rural bridges that are closed, restricted or in need of significant repair, including Cloddach Bridge, Arthur’s Bridge, the Spey Viaduct and other bridges across Moray and the wider Highlands and Islands region; believes that the closure or prolonged restriction of such infrastructure can have a disproportionate impact on rural communities; notes the calls on the Scottish Government to create a dedicated National Bridge Restoration Fund to allow local authorities to apply for funding to fix these vital links; acknowledges the £2 bus fare cap pledge in the Highlands and Islands, but believes that affordable fares are of limited benefit where bus services are infrequent, unreliable or have been withdrawn; notes the calls on the Scottish Government to establish a Small Town and Rural Bus Services Fund that would allow local authorities to apply for additional funding to keep bus routes open; recognises the vital role of air services in connecting remote and island communities; welcomes the launch of Project SEAN by Bristow, in partnership with HIAL, HITRANS and other organisations, which will develop electric aviation infrastructure across the Highlands and Islands; believes that new technologies could support the development of future passenger, NHS, cargo and other essential services to communities with poor connectivity; recognises the importance of delivering long-promised improvements to Scotland’s strategic road network, including the dualling of the A9 and A96 and a permanent solution to the A83 Rest and Be Thankful; believes that repeated delays, reviews and further rounds of planning cannot substitute for delivery, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to match its commitments on tackling rural depopulation with the funding and action necessary to deliver the transport infrastructure and services that rural Scotland needs to remain populated, prosperous and connected. Further details available for S7M-01204