Portfolio Questions

Portfolio Questions Deputy First Minister Responsibilities, Finance and Local Government, Parliamentary Business and Veterans Laura Mitchell S7O-00347 1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on discussions it has had with the UK Government in advance of the UK Budget. Gary Bouse S7O-00348 2. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its proposed local governance reforms, what discussions it has had with COSLA and other relevant bodies regarding the future of local government. Submitting member has a registered interest. Duncan Massey S7O-00349 3. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the council elections scheduled for May 2027 could be postponed to align with its local governance reform proposals. Submitting member has a registered interest. Julie MacDougall S7O-00350 4. To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any reviews since 2007 regarding the functionality of local authority area and ward boundaries. David Torrance S7O-00351 5. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing the commitments set out in its Veterans Strategy across the Kirkcaldy constituency. Senga Beresford S7O-00352 6. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of differences in the support available to military veterans and people granted asylum in Scotland. Pauline Stafford S7O-00353 7. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on local government finances of decisions by certain local authorities to restrict cross-boundary funded early learning and childcare placements. Submitting member has a registered interest. Amanda Bland S7O-00354 8. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of local government action to improve road verge management, including by increasing native plant and pollinator habitat, improving ecological connectivity, increasing soil infiltration, reducing surface-water runoff and pressure on drainage infrastructure, and what were its findings. Fulton MacGregor S7O-00355 9. To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to communities seeking to take ownership of vacant or underused assets, including how it is working with local authorities to facilitate such projects. David Kirkwood S7O-00356 10. To ask the Scottish Government what timescale it anticipates for the implementation of its recently announced local governance reform proposals. Public Service Reform, Europe, External Affairs and Energy Duncan Dunlop S7O-00357 1. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that communities hosting multiple onshore wind developments, including Tweedsmuir, receive a fair and lasting share of the benefits arising from those developments. Graham Simpson S7O-00358 2. To ask the Scottish Government when it expects its proposed new regional and local authorities to be established. Zen Ghani S7O-00359 3. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to strengthen Scotland's relationships with international partners and multilateral organisations, including to support its target of increasing exports to 25% of GDP by 2029 as set out in its plan for growing Scotland’s exports. Daniel Johnson S7O-00360 4. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial implications of its proposed public service reform and local government reorganisation agenda. Alan Brown S7O-00361 5. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding financial support for Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage. Joe Fagan S7O-00362 6. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to engage with the public sector workforce and trade unions regarding its public service reform proposals. Paul Sweeney S7O-00363 7. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to embed the principle of subsidiarity into its proposed public sector reform. Steven Bonnar S7O-00364 8. To ask the Scottish Government what role it expects volunteering to play in the delivery of its proposed public service reform agenda, particularly in relation to prevention, health and wellbeing. Jenny Young S7O-00365 9. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its public service reform agenda on funding for third sector organisations. Colin Beattie S7O-00366 10. To ask the Scottish Government how it will assess whether its public sector reforms achieve their intended outcome.