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-03394

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland regarding the safe use of weight loss drugs in industries where workers are subject to a maximum weight limit.

Obesity medicines offer a highly effective treatment for obesity, as part of a range of weight management interventions for eligible patients, used alongside a reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity.

Individual Health Boards are responsible for decisions on the implementation and availability of medicines, including obesity medicines. These decisions are supported by guidance set out in the national consensus statement published in September 2024.

NHS Lothian is partnering with Ministry of Defence (Defence Medical Command) to develop obesity medicines pathways for military personnel, including policy that may have application across all safety critical industries. Learning from this national innovation programme will be shared widely and used to inform future treatment pathways across the NHS in Scotland.

Question reference: S7O-00345

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support domestic abuse advocacy services.

Question reference: S7W-03393

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) employers regarding the potential impact on offshore workers of any maximum worker weight limits applied in the oil and gas industry.

Question reference: S7W-03015

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's (a) resource and (b) capital budget, how much has been allocated, and how much would have been allocated had budgets increased in line with the inflation measure used by the Scottish Government, in each year since its creation.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Budget from 2013-14

Year	Resource £m	Depreciation £m	Capital £m	Total £m
13-14	277.230	22.016	15.3	314.5
14-15	287.541	22.625	22.3	332.5
15-16	259.221	24.679	25.3	309.2
16-17	259.221	24.679	10.8	294.7
17-18	259.221	24.679	32.5	316.4
18-19	264.4	24.679	32.5	321.6
19-20	269.9	24.753	32.5	327.2
20-21	276.007	24.753	32.5	333.26
21-22	287.4	26.0	32.5	343.2
22-23	294.207	26.0	32.5	352.7
23-24	304.2	27.0	32.5	363.7
24-25	317.3	33.0	43.0	393.3
25-26	332.1	33.0	47.0	412.1
26-27	353.56	34.0	48.4	435.96

The budget for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is set each year as part of the annual Budget Act process. The Scottish Government provides SFRS with the budget it needs to keep communities safe and therefore the budget is not allocated in line with inflation.

In terms of comparisons with hypothetical inflation figures, I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-02951 on 17 September 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.

Question reference: S7W-02961

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the recommendations contained in the University of Central Lancashire report, Minimising firefighters’ exposure to toxic fire effluents, have been implemented and how many remain outstanding.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has made substantial progress in implementing the recommendations contained within the University of Central Lancashire report, Minimising Firefighters' Exposure to Toxic Fire Effluents.

Measures implemented include the introduction of a dedicated Fire Contaminants Standard Operating Procedure, enhanced decontamination arrangements, improvements to PPE and laundering arrangements, exposure recording processes and investment in firefighter welfare measures.

The majority of recommendations have been implemented or incorporated into ongoing programmes of work.

Further work continues in longer-term areas including health surveillance, exposure monitoring, welfare infrastructure and future estate improvements. SFRS continues to review emerging evidence and participate in research to inform future developments.

Question reference: S7W-02952

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service's budget has fallen in real terms since its creation in 2013.

Question reference: S7W-02868

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the recent Cairngorms wildfire, what assessment it has made of whether best practice was adhered to in relation to cumulative exposure to toxic smoke, including guidance that firefighters should shower within one hour of such exposure.

Operational decision-making and decontamination procedures are matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

SFRS has established procedures and guidance to reduce firefighters' exposure to contaminants, including guidance that personnel should shower as soon as reasonably practicable following exposure. SFRS continues to review operational activity and learning from significant incidents to inform ongoing improvements to firefighter health, safety and wellbeing.

There will be a multi-agency debrief to examine the specific circumstances of the recent Cairngorms wildfire incident.

Question reference: S7W-02872

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to rolling out specialist lightweight personal protective equipment (PPE) to all firefighters.

The provision of appropriate firefighting kit is the responsibility of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). SFRS is committed to introducing a new generation of lightweight PPE certified for wildfire and other operational activities.

The Chief Fire Officer has provided assurances to the Scottish Government that firefighter safety is an absolute priority, that all specialist wildfire PPE and existing standard PPE in place is safe, and that the service is fully prepared and equipped to respond to wildfires.

Question reference: S7W-02866

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the current resources available to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service are adequate to respond effectively in the event of multiple large-scale and protracted wildfires occurring simultaneously.

Deployment of resources is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, (SFRS). As a national service it has the ability to strategically mobilise operational capabilities from across Scotland to meet operational risk and demand.

SFRS has established specialist wildfire capabilities, including Wildfire Tactical Advisors, dedicated wildfire support assets and specialist vehicles strategically placed throughout the country and have in place defined escalation arrangements for larger incidents.

The Scottish Government is assured that the SFRS continually reviews and develops its operational capability to respond to wildfire incidents, recognising that climate change is increasing both the frequency and complexity of wildfire events in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02870

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the current crewing arrangement for specialist wildfire firefighting resources is suitable.

Deployment of resources and crewing arrangements are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). It has the ability to mobilise resources nationally for any wildfire incident.

As part of the SFRS Wildfire Strategy, which was launched in 2023, 37 community fire stations across Scotland now provide enhanced wildfire response capability. While this forms the specialist wildfire response capability all other operational community fire station personnel are able to respond to wildfire incidents and support operational activity.