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-41405

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government of the 21 transfers of engagements of housing associations approved and actioned across Scotland since 2010, which of those involved (a) the transfer of a community-based housing association (CBHA) to a neighbouring CBHA, thereby retaining local accountability and (b) the transfer of a CBHA to a larger registered social landlord.

Question reference: S6W-41406

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) pause the withdrawal of the Family Protection Plan (FPP), in light of reports that members of credit unions across Scotland face the sudden loss of this long-standing insurance policy, which was brokered by CMutual and underwritten by Maiden Life Forsakrings AB (UK Branch), in order to help families cover funeral costs.

Question reference: S6W-40960

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of the reported benefits of the Community Syringe Redemption Program (CSRP) pilot schemes delivered in New York City and the City of Boston in the US and, if so, whether it will consider promoting similar pilot schemes with local integration joint boards in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of the Community Syringe Redemption Program pilot schemes currently delivered in New York City and the City of Boston in the United States. However, while this specific scheme has not been assessed, we will continue to monitor it, and other international developments, and are open to reviewing any robust evaluation of such initiatives.

Our priority remains to support services that reduce harm, promote recovery, and protect the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs. We will continue to work closely with partners to ensure that harm reduction interventions are evidence-based, locally responsive, and aligned with Scotland’s public health priorities.

Question reference: S6W-41399

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 14 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the temporary barriers will be removed from the carriageway at the railway overbridge at Sword Street in Dennistoun.

Question reference: S6W-40892

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is carrying out with Public Health Scotland to help promote healthy hearts and reduce the risk factors that might lead to cardiovascular disease.

Public Health Scotland are key partners in delivery of our Population Health Framework (PHF). The actions in the PHF – promoting healthy eating, investing in sport and active living, and work to reduce the harms of smoking – are relevant to improving heart health in Scotland.

Our Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework (SRF) includes a focus on early detection to support intervention and treatment to reduce the level of harm. For example, our CVD Risk Factors programme involves working with a range of partners, including PHS, to improve the identification and management of key risk factors (obesity, smoking, high blood sugar, blood pressure or cholesterol).

As part of this programme, we will support 100,000 patients, who may be at risk of cardiovascular disease, with extra GP appointments by March next year, with a particular focus on supporting people living in areas of deprivation.

Question reference: S6W-40989

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how Social Security Scotland is embedding the Armed Forces Covenant throughout its work processes and delivery outcomes.

Social Security Scotland is committed to treating all individuals with dignity, fairness, and respect, including veterans and their families. In line with the Armed Forces Covenant, the organisation works to ensure no one from that community faces disadvantage when accessing devolved benefits.

To support this, Social Security Scotland engages with veterans’ groups and other stakeholders to better understand and respond to their specific needs. This collaborative approach informs the design and delivery of services that are not only inclusive but also rooted in empathy.

Inclusive practices are embedded across the organisation – from accessible application processes to staff training and frontline service delivery. The goal is to foster an environment where compassion, dignity, and fairness guide behaviour, and where clients feel heard, understood, and supported. Social Security Scotland is committed to building a culture that recognises people’s experiences and needs, and ensures every interaction reflects empathy, respect, and understanding.

The organisation also actively engages with the Armed Forces community to build trust and improve accessibility and regularly reviews its procedures to uphold the values of the Covenant. The Scottish Government strongly supports the Covenant’s aims and the wider efforts across Scotland to strengthen support and integration for the Armed Forces community.

Question reference: S6W-40891

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland have been waiting for an echocardiogram for more than one year, and what support it can provide to them.

Public Health Scotland’s NHS Waiting Times – Diagnostics report holds data on the number of ongoing waits for echocardiograms at the end of each calendar month, including data on ongoing waits of more than 52 weeks. This can be found in the publication's non-key diagnostic test data tables.

Our Waiting Well resources offering support to patients currently on a waiting list can be found on NHS Inform at Waiting well | NHS inform.

Question reference: S6W-40850

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the opportunity for rail freight diversion from the east and west coast main lines will be a factor in the business case for extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle.

Question reference: S6W-41295

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to encourage organisations to buy from Scotland's social enterprises.

Question reference: S6W-41283

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support Glasgow City Council and Glasgow's 59 housing associations to establish a Common Housing Register to improve the efficiency of housing stock allocation in the city.