- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve timely access to CT and MRI scans, and how the impact of initiatives such as seven-day services and mobile scanning units are being evaluated.
Answer
In 2025-26 we allocated more than £22 million additional funding to Health Boards to help tackle the longest waits for Radiology. The latest data shows that the Radiology list size decreased by 18.1% compared to last quarter. We are determined to continue to build on this momentum, ensuring people receive the treatment they need as soon as possible.
We have also provided additional funding of more than £12 million for 13 MRI mobile scanners and 4 CT mobile scanners, this will provide capacity of almost 90,000 additional scans throughout 2025-26.
The Scottish Government commissioned Centre for Sustainable Delivery who routinely monitor planned and actual diagnostic performance, and work with Boards towards the delivery of the 95% of patients seen within 6 week target. Their evaluation of this work will help inform plans for 2026-27.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the existing CT and MRI scanner stock across NHS boards is sufficient to meet (a) present and (b) future demand.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43974 on 5 March 2026. the National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to provide plans to support delivery of the 95% target of patients seen within 6 weeks throughout 2026-27.
Furthermore, we are looking at options to increase the amount of CT and MRI scanners as well as more robust replacement plans of the current stock to ensure technology advances are optimised which in turn can improve throughput, reduce radiation dose and improve energy efficiency.
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: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 5 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has undertaken of how radiographer and clinical radiologist staffing levels impact timely access to CT and MRI scans.
Answer
We have increased Radiography staff from 2,248.2 WTE to 2,773.0 WTE a 23.3% increase (Dec 2015 – Dec 2025). This includes:
- 24.1% increase in Diagnostic Radiographers (from 1,978.8 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 2,455.9 WTE as at Dec 2025).
- 17.7% increase in Therapeutic Radiographers (from 269.4 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 317.1 WTE as at Dec 2025).
The National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to provide plans to support delivery of the 95% target, of patients seen within 6 weeks, throughout 2026-27.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will meet with stakeholders to discuss school provision and safe travel routes in Robroyston.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2026
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of ScotRail tickets are currently (a) purchased using its app and (b) still paper-based.
Answer
This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail directly.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 3 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing in conjunction with administrator FRP Advisory to ensure that Orbex and its work to develop a sovereign space launch capability in Scotland is maintained as a going concern.
Answer
The Scottish Government has been engaging with FRP Advisory, as the appointed administrators of Orbex, to understand both the position of the company, its workforce and its infrastructure and assets to explore any measures that could support continuity of operations.
The Scottish Government’s enterprise and skills agencies are also monitoring developments closely to support any viable pathways that safeguard strategic capability and skilled employment.
Finally, Scottish Ministers have sought clarity from the UK Government around its intentions for generating and maintaining sovereign launch capability for the UK, given its relevance to our national security.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health workers are currently employed in general practice, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Mental Health Workers working in General Practice can be employed by either Health Boards or by GP practices.
Data on the whole-time equivalent (WTE) Mental Health Workers, who are employed as part of Primary Care Improvement Plans associated with delivery of the 2018 GMS contract, is published annually by Scottish Government: Primary care improvement plans - implementation progress summary: March 2025 - gov.scot. Most of these staff are employed by Health Boards and most are funded from the Scottish Government’s Primary Care Improvement Fund.
Data on the Mental Health Workforce, which is directly employed by GP practices, is published annually by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) in the General Practice Workforce Survey 2025 Dashboard | Turas Data Intelligence report. This reports that as of 31 March 2025, there are 23 Mental Health Nurses(14.1 WTE) employed by GP practices.
The combined data from both sources above is displayed in the following table.
| Mental Health Workers – WTE |
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Greater Glasgow and Clyde | |
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- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support registered social landlords with the costs of retrofitting the building fabric of social homes to make them energy efficient and fit for the future.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2026
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to local authorities to support their work to address habitual fly-tipping.
Answer
No additional direct funding has been provided to local councils for the implementation of the National Litter and Fly tipping Strategy. However, we have funded Keep Scotland Beautiful to deliver targeted interventions working with councils and communities, and SEPA has developed the partnership enforcement model with councils.
The Scottish Government is making available record funding of £15.7 billion for Local Government in 2026-27. The vast majority of funding allocated to councils is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including meeting the requirements set out in the 2018 Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (CoPLAR).
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 February 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what statutory powers are available to local authorities to tackle habitual fly-tippers.
Answer
Fly tipping is a criminal offence in Scotland under Section 33(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 with maximum penalties on summary conviction of a fine of up to £40,000, or a custodial sentence not exceeding six months or both and on conviction on indictment, a fine or term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.
Local Authority enforcement officers may also issue fixed penalty notices(FPN)for fly tipping to persons believed to have fly tipped which provide the opportunity for a person to discharge liability to conviction by payment of a fixed penalty of £500, noting that habitual fly tippers should be reported to the Procurator Fiscal for prosecution. Amendments to section 33A by the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, once in force, will allow for further increases of the fixed penalty up to a maximum of a level 3 fine(currently £1000) and also for different penalties in different circumstances, for example on a second FPN. Local authorities also have powers under section 59 to require clean-up of fly tipped waste by land occupiers, under certain circumstances.
New powers introduced by the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024 will, when fully implemented, strengthen the legislative foundation for tackling and deterring fly tipping. For example, section 19 will amend the Environment Act 1995 to provide local authority and SEPA officers to search and seize vehicles suspected of being used in relation to specified waste crimes, which may include fly tipping.
