- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Fife North East, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the availability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide testing for asthma in primary care settings, including the proportion of primary care settings that offer such testing.
Answer
While FeNO testing is included within current national clinical guidance, Scottish Government is aware it is not currently embedded routinely across all primary care settings in Scotland. Responsibility for the planning and delivery of primary care services rests with individual NHS Boards and General Practices.
The Scottish Government does not hold centrally collected information on the availability of FeNO testing in primary care settings and is therefore unable to provide the proportion of primary care settings that offer this test.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for Fife North East, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland and NHS boards regarding increasing the availability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide testing for asthma in primary and secondary care settings, and whether additional funding would be required to enable such an increase.
Answer
Scotland’s National Severe Asthma Pathway was launched earlier this year and shared with all NHS Boards. The pathway supports early identification and management of severe asthma across NHS Scotland. It includes primary care use of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) for diagnostics and referral to secondary care. The Centre for Sustainable Delivery are working with Health Boards to support implementation.
The Scottish Government will continue to consider opportunities to engage with relevant stakeholders on developments in respiratory care and diagnostic services.
Responsibility for planning and delivering local respiratory services, including decisions on the provision of diagnostic equipment and testing pathways, rests with individual NHS Boards.
Increasing the availability of FeNO testing would have resource implications, including equipment, workforce and service delivery considerations. Any future funding requirements would need to be considered with NHS Boards and the National Respiratory Programme as part of service planning and implementation of clinical guidance.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the £10 million Travel Fund for children and young people with cancer being introduced in England in 2027, and the Welsh Government's announcement that work has begun on an equivalent fund in Wales, whether it will ensure that equivalent support regarding the costs of travelling to treatment is available for children and young people with cancer in Scotland, whether by expanding the eligibility criteria of the Young Patients Family Fund or through a separate scheme.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01758 on 3 August 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.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to review the policy on repeated Adult Disability Payment (ADP) reassessments for people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), in light of the condition being permanent and progressive in nature.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that Multiple Sclerosis is a lifelong condition which can affect people differently and can progress over time.
Our person-centred approach accounts for fluctuating and progressive conditions. Adult Disability Payment reviews are tailored to people’s circumstances, making sure they receive the appropriate support for their level of need. Existing information is considered, along with any new information gathered at review, to support the right decisions being made first time.
We have also introduced indefinite awards for people with the highest level of needs which are highly unlikely to change. This helps to avoid the stress and anxiety associated with reviews while providing long-term financial security.
I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00433 on 9 June 2026 which sets out our planned enhancements to the disability benefit review process. 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.
- Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2026
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by John Swinney on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in publishing a draft referendum Bill.
Answer
I’m pleased to announce that the draft referendum bill is being published today.
The largest number of pro-independence MSPs in history has voted to support the call for powers to hold a referendum on Scottish independence to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
This draft Bill, which is a First 100 Days commitment, is being published to show what a referendum bill would look like at the point at which an agreement to hold a lawful independence referendum has been reached.
- Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help rectify recent pressures at University Hospital Crosshouse as a result of reported unsustainable demand on the hospital’s A&E department.
Answer
We continue to work with NHS Ayrshire and Arran to reduce pressure across its acute hospitals by improving patient flow and ensuring people access primary and community care services when appropriate, allowing hospitals to focus on emergency and specialist care.
Our newly published Improving Flow Plan, developed with key partners across health and care services, sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to improving flow across health and care services over the next five years. Its ambition is: One connected system, simple routes to care, ensuring every person receives the most appropriate response as quickly as possible.
To improve ambulance flow and reduce ED pressures, operational controls are now embedded within daily management processes at University Hospital Crosshouse. UHC and Scottish Ambulance Service have implemented a Joint Improvement Plan focusing on hospital handovers, flow navigation, SAS Call before you Convey, virtual beds, remote monitoring and shifting activity to the community.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 28 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce demand for hip and knee replacements over the next five years through preventative approaches, including what additional and targeted investment is being made in musculoskeletal services, such as physiotherapy, and how it will assess the effectiveness of this.
Answer
Everyone should be able to access the services they need, when and where they need them and that is why we have provided a record £17.6bn to territorial health boards for 2026-27.
Further to this, we are providing an additional £90 million investment in planned care to reduce waiting times. I refer the member to the answers to questions S7W-02165, S7W-02166 and S7W-02170 on 17 August 2026 and S7W-02168 on 20 August 2026.
Our Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, as part of our wider Health and Social Care Reform Portfolio, sets out a ten-year strategic vision for reform focused on delivering sustainable health and social care services through prevention, integration, improved access, digital transformation and system redesign.
Following the election, work is underway to review and refresh programme priorities. Our Programme for Government will be put to Parliament in due course.
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.
- Asked by: Kristopher Leask, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Holding Answer by Stephen Gethins on 27 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what community consultation took place prior to the renewal of the lease for Whitelee Windfarm and whether any opportunities were provided for local community organisations to bid for the lease and, if so, what those opportunities were.
Answer
Holding Answer by Stephen Gethins on 27 August 2026
- Asked by: David Barratt, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 27 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its pre-election statements and manifesto commitment to introduce anti-SLAPP legislation in Scotland, what progress has been made in preparing, and when it expects to introduce, such legislation.
Answer
In 2025, the Scottish Government consulted on strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), including a draft Model Law prepared by interested stakeholders. The majority view expressed by respondents was that SLAPPs need to be tackled and that reform should resemble the Model Law consulted on. The Scottish Government agreed and further work is being carried out on aspects of the Model Law, including how it would operate in practice. The Scottish Government continues to consider how this may be taken forward. The legislative programme will be agreed by Ministers and announced to Parliament in due course in the usual way.
- Asked by: Michelle Campbell, MSP for Renfrewshire North and Cardonald, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Simita Kumar on 27 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland will support and actively engage with communities across Scotland.
Answer
The Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) is independent of the Scottish Government. However, AROS has made clear that it is committed to working collaboratively with communities across Scotland through a trauma-informed, inclusive, participatory and non-extractive engagement approach. It will support communities by building confidence, skills and knowledge, enabling greater participation in anti-racism action and accountability.
This approach is grounded in co-production and seeks to strengthen existing community infrastructure and networks rather than create parallel structures:
- AROS has established partnerships and Memoranda of Understanding with Regional Equality Councils (RECs), is developing regional hubs across Scotland, and has undertaken community engagement to build relationships with grassroots community organisations.
- AROS is developing an engagement framework to ensure communities have meaningful opportunities to inform and shape its work through transparent communication and regular feedback mechanisms.
- AROS will take an intersectional approach, working with organisations representing disabled people, LGBTQ+ communities, faith groups and others experiencing intersecting inequalities.
- An Experts by Experience Panel, nominated through REC partners, will ensure lived experience informs AROS's priorities, research, scrutiny and reporting.
