Chamber and committees

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.

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Question reference: S7W-01737

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to any gaps in available data related to potential correlations between domestic abuse against men, substance abuse and likelihood of recovery from addiction.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of robust evidence in understanding any relationship between domestic abuse against men, substance use and recovery. However, limitations in the available data mean it is difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding potential correlations or causative relationships between these factors.

Existing data sources that provide some insight into these issues include:

National Drug Related Death Database – records, by sex, whether individuals who have died a drug death were victims of domestic violence prior to death. It also records details of social circumstances including who they were living with and whether individuals were a parent/parent figure. The database also records whether the individual had a psychiatric condition (including depression).
Drug and alcohol information system (DAISy) – collects data on those presenting for specialist treatment for drugs/alcohol in Scotland. The data set includes some (limited) information on living situation, dependents, and existing medical conditions.

While these data sources can provide information on the circumstances of people affected by substance use, they do not currently provide a comprehensive picture of the relationship between men’s experience of domestic abuse, substance use and recovery outcomes. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners across the health, justice and research sectors to strengthen the evidence base where appropriate and make the best use of available data to inform policy development and service delivery.

Question reference: S7W-01652

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following the Royal College of Emergency Medicine's report, State of Emergency Medicine in Scotland, which concluded that, under current arrangements, it would take 237 years to reduce 12-hour waits in emergency departments to 1,000 cases, what specific actions it has taken to ensure Scotland's emergency departments receive year-round support.

The Scottish Government recognise and share the concerns within the RCEM report, particularly around the impact that long waits in emergency departments have on patients and staff. That is why we are implementing initiatives to reduce acute hospital occupancy and stream patients to the most appropriate services to improve patient flow and reduce waiting times.

As part of our first 100 days commitments, we will publish a new national plan to improve hospital flow. Developed in partnership with NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships, and other key system partners, the plan will set out actions to improve patient flow across the healthcare system, helping to ensure that people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Improving access to care, reducing waiting times, and easing pressure on hospitals, particularly through strengthening primary and community care, will be central to our plan.

The 2026-27 budget provides almost £22.5 billion investment in health and social care services, exceeding consequentials and providing a real terms uplift to enable more sustainable and resilient services. As part of this, £100 million has been invested to build on the progress made in the 2025-26 Operational Improvement Plan, to release capacity within the system and bolster our urgent care services.

Question reference: S7W-01650

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government (a) for any lessons it has identified from the experience of delivering health and social care services during winter 2025-26 and (b) whether these have resulted in changes to its current surge planning arrangements.

The Scottish Government undertook a lessons learned exercise following winter 2025-26 involving NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships, national organisations and Scottish Government officials. The review found that planning and partnership working had improved, but that services continued to face significant pressures associated with high hospital occupancy, delayed discharge, workforce challenges and sustained demand across health and social care.

The review also found that many of the pressures experienced during winter reflect wider year-round challenges rather than a short-term seasonal event. Key lessons identified included the importance of whole-system working, improving patient flow, supporting workforce resilience, strengthening preventative approaches and providing earlier and clearer national direction.

These findings are informing current planning for 2026-27, including a refresh of the National Planning Priorities and Principles for Surge and Winter Preparedness, strengthened governance and assurance arrangements, enhanced regional coordination and improved operational intelligence. They are also informing development of the National Flow Plan, which is intended to improve patient flow, reduce delayed discharge, improve use of available capacity and strengthen whole-system coordination across urgent and unscheduled care services.

Question reference: S7W-01651

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, with respect to NHS services, what contingency measures it has put in place to be implemented in the event that surge planning does not deliver the anticipated improvements in patient flow and hospital capacity.

The Scottish Government's surge and resilience preparedness approach includes established monitoring, escalation and assurance arrangements to support NHS Boards and their partners in responding to periods of sustained operational pressure. These arrangements do not rely on any single intervention to deliver improvements in patient flow or hospital capacity.

Where pressures exceed local capacity, NHS Boards can implement local escalation procedures and access support through existing regional and national coordination arrangements. Alongside these arrangements, the Scottish Government is developing a National Flow Plan to support longer-term improvements in patient flow, occupancy management, delayed discharge and system resilience. The Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to monitor pressures, support appropriate action and maintain safe and effective services.

Question reference: S7W-01648

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, with respect to the provision of health and social care services, what its definition of "surge planning" is, and how this differs from the "winter planning" approach used in previous years.

The Scottish Government's approach to surge and resilience preparedness is the year-round process through which health and social care services prepare for, respond to and recover from periods of increased demand and operational pressure.

As set out in the National Planning Priorities and Principles for Surge and Winter Preparedness in Health and Social Care, there are periods when demand increases beyond the normal levels planned for by health and social care services and there is a surge in the number of people requiring care and treatment. While winter remains the most predictable period of increased demand, similar pressures can arise at other times of the year.

The Scottish Government's approach is therefore to consider winter preparedness within a broader year-round surge and resilience preparedness framework. This supports NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to plan for sustained pressures on services while ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time. This approach is also being supported through development of the National Flow Plan, which aims to improve patient flow, reduce delays and strengthen whole-system resilience across health and social care services.

Question reference: S7W-01649

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has instructed NHS boards to prepare surge plans for winter 2026/27 and, if so, whether these plans will be published.

The Scottish Government works with NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to support local surge and winter preparedness arrangements through nationally agreed planning priorities and principles. Local systems are expected to develop preparedness arrangements that reflect the needs of their populations and local circumstances.

The Scottish Government is currently refreshing the National Planning Priorities and Principles for Surge and Winter Preparedness and associated expectations for NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships for 2026-27. This work is aligned with development of the National Flow Plan, which forms part of wider activity to improve patient flow, reduce delayed discharge and make best use of capacity across health and social care services.

Operational preparedness plans are developed and maintained locally. Decisions regarding publication of local planning documents are a matter for individual NHS Boards and partner organisations. The Scottish Government intends to publish national guidance and planning priorities following completion of the current review process.

Question reference: S7W-02383

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what is its response to the conclusion of the report Scottish Government Bonds and Investing in Ourselves that its wholesale bonds programme will result in approximately £170 million leaking out of the Scottish economy.

Question reference: S7W-02408

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether patients aged under 18 are able to access rapid cancer diagnostic centres, and what dedicated diagnostic pathways are available to children and young people presenting with possible cancer symptoms.

Question reference: S7W-02406

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to establishing a Cancer Patient Experience Survey for patients aged under 16, as is in place in England.

Question reference: S7W-02371

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Outline Business Case for the Gourock-Dunoon-Kilcreggan routes will be completed, and when stakeholders will be informed of the outcome.