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-04344

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific areas of social care reform are within the scope of its current three-month programme of intensive engagement, and which are outwith its scope.

Question reference: S7W-04068

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Access to New Medicines Horizon Scanning Advisory Board is currently considering Friedreich’s ataxia and emerging treatments for the condition, and, if so, which treatments are being monitored.

The Access to New Medicines Horizon Scanning Advisory Board (HSAB) identifies disruptive medicines which are predicted to have a significant impact on financial and/or service provision and provides recommendations on what will be required for their use should they be accepted for routine use in the NHS in Scotland.

The HSAB is not currently assessing any medicines for Friedreich’s Ataxia, however new disease modifying treatments identified through horizon scanning, will be considered in line with established HSAB criteria for disruptive medicines.

Question reference: S7W-04067

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for access to Skyclarys (omaveloxolone) have been made through the Patient Access to Care Services (PACS) Tier 2 process in each NHS board area since the medicine became available in the UK and, for each NHS board area, how many applications have been approved.

There is a requirement for Health Boards to maintain accurate and up to date information on Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two requests. The Scottish Government does not hold official validated statistical data on the number of PACS applications that Health Boards have received from clinicians for individual medicines. This information would need to be requested from Health Boards directly.

Question reference: S7W-04066

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any barriers that would need to be addressed by Biogen before Skyclarys (omaveloxolone) could be resubmitted to the Scottish Medicines Consortium for consideration for use within NHS Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-04063 on 19 October 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.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraisal is undertaken independently of Scottish Ministers. Following a not recommended decision, a pharmaceutical company may resubmit the medicine to the SMC. This may involve offering the NHS a lower price for the medicine and/or providing additional evidence to support its clinical and cost effectiveness. The decision on whether to resubmit omaveloxolone (Skyclarys®) to the SMC, and the timing of that resubmission, is entirely one for Biogen to make.

Question reference: S7W-04069

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS Scotland is prepared for future treatments for Friedreich’s ataxia, including those that might become available for children and young people.

It is the responsibility of individual Health Boards to consider the implementation of new medicines within their services in order to meet the needs of their local population, including children and young people, in a safe and clinically appropriate way.

At a national level, the Access to New Medicines Horizon Scanning Advisory Board (HSAB) has been established to identify medicines which are predicted to have a significant impact on financial and/or service provision and provide recommendations on what will be required for their use should they be accepted for routine use in the NHS in Scotland.

In addition, officials are developing proposals for a national approach to service readiness for innovative medicines, building on existing horizon-scanning arrangements and supporting timely and equitable implementation of innovative treatments across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-03838

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland’s Annual Workforce Report identifying officer and staff wellbeing as a workforce risk, what action it is taking to reduce work-related stress, injury and other factors affecting workforce wellbeing.

Workforce management is an operational matter for the Chief Constable, with oversight by the Scottish Police Authority.

The Scottish Government recognises the unique pressures and mental health risks associated with policing and welcomes the work being undertaken by Police Scotland to support the wellbeing of its workforce. Police Scotland continues to strengthen prevention, early intervention and access to treatment through a range of measures.

Since 2024, Police Scotland has invested around £2m per year in an occupational health contract to support the health and wellbeing of its workforce.

Question reference: S7W-03839

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Police Scotland's Annual Workforce Report stating that a substantial number of People Strategy and Strategic Workforce Plan milestones have been carried forward between reporting years, what assessment it has made of progress made in delivering Police Scotland's workforce reform programme.

Question reference: S7W-03831

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) and Audit Scotland Best Value in Policing audit finding that there is no evidence that the finance-based officer establishment of 16,500 is the right number for future policing, what assessment it has made of the number of police officers required to meet current and future demand.

Question reference: S7W-03847

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with public bodies regarding the accessibility of public health messaging material, particularly for people with learning disabilities.

In March 2026, we published the Foundation Inclusive Communication Toolkit https://www.gov.scot/publications/inclusive-communication-toolkit/pages/module-1-introduction/ ,which provides practical support to public bodies across Scotland on mainstreaming inclusive communication. The toolkit was developed to help organisations communicate more effectively with all service users, including people with learning disabilities, and supports compliance with the general equality duties under PSED.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Marketing Campaign activity, we work with public and third sector partners to understand language and accessibility requirements and have worked collaboratively to create and distribute key public health messages in additional languages and formats, including BSL, Audio, Easy Read and Large Print.

We also work with partners to improve the accessibility of health information for people with learning disabilities. This includes new Learning Disability NHS Inform pages https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/a-to-z/learning-disability/ and collaboration with people with lived experience to co-develop accessible information and resources on learning disability annual health checks.

Question reference: S7W-03826

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland Joint Review of Police Custody recommendations, which noted that 45 recommendations had been made to Police Scotland across 10 custody inspection reports, what assessment it has made of progress in implementing those recommendations.

The operation of police custody centres, including decisions relating to risk assessment, observation levels, the management of detainees and release arrangements, are operational matters for Police Scotland under the direction of the Chief Constable.

Furthermore, under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the Chief Constable is responsible and accountable for the policing of Scotland to the Scottish police Authority (SPA), who are independent of the Scottish Government.

Within this context, Ministers expect Police Scotland and SPA to respond constructively and promptly to recommendations made through relevant inspections and independent scrutiny.

Police Scotland is progressing a programme of reform through its Custody 2030 transformation programme. This programme is expected to define a new operating model that takes account of legislative, operational and technological changes and challenges.