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-04547

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00042 by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026 regarding the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, whether it will provide an update on when (a) the Taskforce last met, (b) it is next scheduled to meet and (c) the minutes of its most recent meeting will be published.

Question reference: S7W-04537

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Ivan McKee on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many external recruitment exercises it authorised in each financial year from 2021-22 to 2025-26 where one or more employees of the relevant grade were on the priority movers list, and in how many of those cases an appointment was made following an assessment that no suitable priority mover was available.

Question reference: S7W-04709

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established any targets, guidance or governance framework for the adoption of AI across public bodies as part of the delivery of its proposed public service reform.

AI will be a key enabler of the proposed Public Service Reform actions. As part of the Digital Strategy refresh, we are producing and continuing to develop guidance to support the safe and effective adoption of AI across public bodies and help ensure effective, reliable public services.

Alongside this, we are strengthening governance arrangements to ensure appropriate oversight, accountability and risk management.

We do not currently have specific targets for AI adoption across public bodies.

Question reference: S7W-04572

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects that the organisational audit will be routinely published as part of the Scottish Stroke Care Audit process.

Question reference: S7W-04798

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what additional powers it is considering granting to local authorities to support the delivery of the housing required in their local areas.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 places a statutory requirement on local authorities to set out its strategy, priorities and plans for the delivery of housing and related services. As statutory housing authorities, local authorities play a central role in meeting housing need in their areas through their strategic housing, planning and homelessness responsibilities. The Scottish Government is establishing More Homes Scotland from 1 April 2027 to help strengthen support for local authorities and wider partners in delivering the homes their communities need, bringing together funding, expertise and delivery tools under one roof to help unlock and accelerate housing delivery.

Alongside this, work is ongoing through the Scottish Government's proposals for public service reform and local governance, which identify housing as a key area for discussion. Following recent joint engagement between the Scottish Government and COSLA, there is agreement that reform should strengthen local government and local decision-making. As part of ongoing work with external partners, the Scottish Government is considering which housing functions are best exercised at local or community level, and which may be better organised at a regional level to support more strategic delivery of homes and homelessness prevention. These discussions are ongoing and no decisions have been taken.

Question reference: S7W-04620

Asked by: Pauline Stafford, MSP for Bathgate, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing recommendation 36 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), which called for a national review of freight parking and rest areas to better understand the barriers to their development, whether the review has been completed, what its findings were, and what actions have been taken, or are planned, to increase the provision of safe and secure freight parking and rest facilities across Scotland.

STPR2 is the long-term framework for transport investment, and its recommendations are being progressed on a phased basis. A formal review under Recommendation 36 has not yet commenced. However, Transport Scotland is currently considering the most effective approach to taking this work forward. This includes planned engagement with stakeholders such as the Road Haulage Association to identify available evidence and better understand barriers to the provision of freight parking and driver welfare facilities, recognising that the needs of drivers, operators and freight customers will evolve as the freight system changes.

Question reference: S7W-04566

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of thrombectomy procedures performed across Scotland in the last year, broken down by where the patients (a) were treated and (b) initially presented.

Tables below provide thrombectomy procedures broken down by:

the NHS Board where the patient initially presented
the NHS Board where the patient was treated

Board of Presentation	Procedures
Ayrshire & Arran	8
Dumfries & Galloway	*
Fife	12
Forth Valley	*
Grampian	18
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	70
Highland	9
Lanarkshire	20
Lothian	53
Tayside	29

Board of Treatment	Procedures
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	103
Lothian	71
Tayside	53

Data are provided for the 2025 calendar year 1 January to 31 December 2025. Data for 2026 are still being collected and are undergoing quality assurance and validation and have therefore not been included.

* Indicates values that have been suppressed due to the potential risk of disclosure of patient identity and to help maintain confidentiality.

Question reference: S7W-04595

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with West College Scotland about its Greenock Campus.

The then Minister for Innovation, Technology and Tertiary Education visited West College Scotland (WCS) in July 2026 for a tour of the Greenock campus, in addition to meetings with the College’s staff.

In March 2026, the Scottish Government provided an additional £2 million to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), enabling it to select a first wave of colleges to receive a share of the funding. West College Scotland was among those selected, receiving funding to help address urgent health and safety issues at its Greenock campus. The SFC will continue to work closely with the College and provide ongoing support as it considers its future plans.

Question reference: S7W-04637

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the 9.15am weekday travel restriction for the ScotRail Friends and Family Railcard discount was retained despite the removal of peak fares on ScotRail services.

The removal of ScotRail peak fares reduced the cost of travel at peak times and represents a significant saving for passengers. Where an off-peak equivalent was already available, the Anytime fare was reduced and timing restrictions on off-peak tickets were removed.

As part of the implementation of the policy, the existing weekday morning timing restriction for the Friends and Family Railcard discount was retained, alongside restrictions that apply to a range of railcards, concessionary products and other discount schemes. Retaining these restrictions helps manage demand during the busiest periods of the day and preserves an additional discount for passengers who are able to travel on quieter services.

Question reference: S7W-04568

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has used the breakdown of thrombolysis cases between core and non-core hours to inform its planning for 24/7 acute stroke care.