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: S6W-43938

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on what date Healthcare Improvement Scotland last inspected Caithness General Hospital, and whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care will order an inspection to take place if the last one took place more than three years ago.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) operates independently of the Scottish Government and uses a risk based, proportionate and intelligence led approach. HIS determines inspection activity by applying a data informed prioritisation process to decide how often to inspect and which service areas require review. This strategic approach ensures resources are targeted where they are most needed. A list of inspections carried out by HIS can be found here on the HIS website: Inspections of NHS hospitals and services – Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43962

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the safe staffing guidance for early learning and childcare settings has been reviewed, including in relation to safe staffing levels when supporting children with additional support needs.

The legislative requirements for Early Learning and Childcare settings falls under The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act which was enacted on 1 April 2024. The Act is applicable to all health and care staff in Scotland. Statutory guidance was published on 1 April 2024 alongside the Act to support services to understand their responsibilities and ensure staffing arrangements meet the individual needs of people using care services.

The Health and Social Care Standards also detail expectations in relation to meeting the needs of people experiencing care, which includes children in ELC settings. In particular, section 3 includes details about staffing arrangements to meet individual needs.

The Care Inspectorate guidance on adult to child ratios in early learning and childcare settings sets out the minimum expectations for staffing levels in children's services. However, all children should have a personal plan where the service would capture, among other things, children's support needs, interests and stage of development, and this should be used to inform decisions about staffing levels. The ongoing maintenance of this guidance is the responsibility of the Care Inspectorate.

Under the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) Act 2004, education authorities are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of children in ELC settings. In line with the National Standard, we expect local authorities and funded providers to work together to support children with additional support needs to access appropriate support to ensure that children's disabilities or additional support needs do not provide a barrier to them accessing a full range of experiences, and meets their individual needs. It is for education authorities to determine the most appropriate provision for children and young people with ASN, taking account of their legislative responsibilities and the individual circumstances and wishes of children, young people and their families. Education authorities are supported with these decisions through the statutory supporting learners' code of practice guidance, which is accessible online at Additional support for learning: statutory guidance 2017

Question reference: S6W-43995

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health-related calls Police Scotland officers have attended in each year since the creation of Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering on mental health distress response, with continued delivery on Programme for Government commitments since 2023 to reducing mental health demands on police officers and protecting people in mental health distress through improved frontline multi-agency responses.

Data on how many mental-health related calls Police Officers have attended in each year since the creation of Police Scotland is not held by the Scottish Government. Statistics reported to the Scottish Police Authority Policing and Performance Committee in September 2025 show that mental health related incidents recorded by Police Scotland are dropping, so far reducing by 1% between 2023-24 and 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-43898

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential closure of the butchers in Inverurie, Donald Russell, when it last met with the affected (a) trade unions and (b) employees to discuss this.

The company has indicated that there is no trade union involved in the consultation process. The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform & Islands and myself met with Donald Russell’s Interim CEO on 19 February to understand how the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise can work with the company to explore all options to support a positive outcome for the business and the workforce.

The local Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) Team has contacted the company to make them aware of the assistance available to employees if a positive outcome cannot be found and they are facing redundancy.

Question reference: S6T-02943

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the fire at Union Street in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6T-02941

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place with football authorities concerning the recent deplorable fan behaviour after the match between Celtic and Rangers.

Question reference: S6F-04740

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04747

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any impact on the NHS arising from reports that the number of consultants working in the private healthcare system is the highest on record.

Question reference: S6F-04748

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

To ask the First Minister what measures the Scottish Government can take, in discussion with the UK Government, to assist households in very rural areas that are wholly dependent on oil or liquefied natural gas for heating, and are not connected to the gas mains, to assist with increased costs.

Question reference: S6F-04739

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.