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: S7F-00026

Asked by: Malcolm Offord, MSP for West Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00028

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7F-00027

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-02429

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a plan to deliver the commitment set out in the SNP’s 2026 election manifesto to shift the diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated age-related hearing loss into community-based care, and what milestones and target dates have been set for the delivery of this commitment.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving audiology services across Scotland and we continue to work closely with stakeholders to determine how best to move the provision of audiology care into community settings.

On 27 August 2026, I wrote to the Health, Care and Sport Committee to provide an update on my meeting with NHS Heads of Service, community audiology providers and other key stakeholders as part of this government’s 100 days prospectus. This meeting centred on a draft proposal for development of a Target Operating Model for audiology, and my letter sets out more detail on the Scottish Government’s immediate priorities for audiology services. It can be read in full here: 20260827 Minister for Community Care to Convener | Scottish Parliament Website

As this work is at an early stage and discussions with stakeholders are ongoing, a more detailed delivery plan will follow in due course.

Question reference: S7W-02247

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to fulfil the recommendation in its report, Best Start Five-Year Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care 2017–2024, regarding the three units that will provide neonatal intensive care, and on what date it plans to remove level 3 neonatal provision from (a) Ninewells Hospital, (b) University Hospital Wishaw, (c) University Hospital Crosshouse, (d) Victoria Hospital and (e) the Princess Royal Maternity Unit.

The University Hospital Crosshouse, Kilmarnock and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, and Victoria Hospital, Fife and Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have been working under this model as early implementers since 2019. It is important that we assure a managed transition to the new model taking learning from the early adopters, to allow safe and effective implementation within Scotland.

To support governance and consistent implementation of the Neonatal Service Change in Scotland national work has moved to the Sub National Planning and Delivery Committee. They are actively considering ongoing actions to deliver the change in practice, following further modelling work. We continue to work with the Regional Chief Executives and NHS Boards to continue to implement this service change.

I must be absolutely clear, the vast majority of sick babies will continue to be cared for in local neonatal units. Local Neonatal Units will continue to provide a level of intensive care and be able to care for singleton births over 27 weeks gestation.

Question reference: S7W-02484

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Reform UK
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding section 121 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, how it is (a) monitoring compliance by NHS boards regarding their duty to work with community transport organisations to improve access to healthcare and (b) enforcing implementation by NHS boards.

The Scottish Government's Transport to Health Delivery Plan, published in October 2024, aims to ensure that access to healthcare is fully considered within NHS Board planning and service delivery.

As part of the commitments set out in the Plan, sections 120 and 121 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 came into force on 22 September 2023. These provisions require Health Boards to engage with community transport providers and to consider the social and economic impacts of non-emergency patient transport services.

We continue to engage with NHS Boards on a range of issues relevant to service delivery, including transport-related challenges, and monitor the ongoing implementation of the statutory requirements. We will shortly write to Boards to seek their next annual progress update.

We recognise that effective collaboration between NHS Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other relevant partners is essential to improving transport to healthcare. We therefore continue to work closely with Regional Transport Partnerships to support progress in this area.

Question reference: S7W-02340

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates to be the total value of assets held in Scottish Local Government Pension Funds

The Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics are based on local authorities' audited accounts. The most recent published statistics report that the Scottish Local Government Pension Funds held £67,085 million net assets as at 31 March 2025. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-local-government-finance-statistics-2024-25/pages/6--pensions/.

Separately, the Funds are currently undertaking routine triennial valuations using data as at 31 March 2026, which must be completed by 31 March 2027.

Question reference: S7W-02339

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to issuing Scottish Government Green Bonds (SGGB) in the future.

Question reference: S7W-02386

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Critical Success Factors (CSFs) set out in its document, Scottish Government Bonds Programme: Summary Outline Business Case, did not include the potential benefits to Scottish businesses, investors or pension funds, including the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

The Scottish Government Bonds Programme was developed following a recommendation from the independent Investor Panel that Scotland should consider issuing debt in capital markets to strengthen investor engagement, raise Scotland's profile with investors and establish a market track record.

The Critical Success Factors were designed to assess the extent to which options would support the programme's strategic objectives and satisfy requirements relating to value for money, affordability, achievability and deliverability. The Outline Business Case also considered wider economic benefits associated with increased investor engagement and investment in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02456

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to determine whether an applicant has been “supported” through the First Homes Fund for the purpose of measuring progress against the 2026 SNP election manifesto commitment to support at least 2,000 applicants within the first 100 days of the current Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of people in Scotland in its first 100 days. I committed to opening the First Homes Fund during a parliamentary statement on 27 May and the Fund itself launched within 4 weeks on 24 June. This is a demand led fund where the criteria is first time buyers who have not previously owned a residential property and have a mortgage in principle. It is a scheme designed to support deposit top ups for first time buyers who are able to sustain a mortgage. All applicants are supported by the scheme administering agents who process applications through to settlement. We will publish First Homes Fund data in due course.