Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-41870

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Islands Connectivity Plan’s proposed development of Gourock Ferry Terminal by December 2026, and what the budget is for this project.

Question reference: S6W-41762

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider mandating uniform reporting of restrictive practices in adult psychiatric care units.

The Scottish Government will revise the Code of Practice under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 to add guidance on the use of restrictive practices in inpatient mental health wards against children, young people and adults. This will include minimum expectations for reporting, and will be aligned to the new role for the Mental Welfare Commission with regards to national monitoring and reporting on the use of restraint. The Code of Practice will be revised before the end of October 2026.

Question reference: S6W-41760

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timescale for the designation of the Mental Welfare Commission as the appropriate monitoring body of the use of restraint and seclusion in children’s psychiatric care facilities.

Question reference: S6T-02748

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by Professor Catriona Matheson, former chair of the Drug Deaths Taskforce, that the national mission on drug deaths has failed to deliver robust, evidence-based clinical care for people affected by drug use, due to clinical and practitioner expertise being sidelined.

Question reference: S6W-41377

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve outpatient waiting times in NHS Ayrshire and Arran, in light of reports that the NHS board is failing to meet the target of 95% of new outpatients being seen within 12 weeks.

We are investing more than £135.5 million this year to cut waits, and we expect to see the full impact of our targeted funding in the coming months. As detailed in my response to question S6W-37797 on 30 May 2025, NHS Ayrshire & Arran was initially allocated over £5.7 million funding. This was later supplemented with an additional allocation of almost £600,000 as well as a further allocation of over £1.3 million for dermatology services, bringing total funding up to £7.6 million.

Across Scotland, this targeted funding is expected to deliver more than 213,000 additional procedures and appointments this year, including thousands of additional new outpatient appointments in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.

Our plan is clearly working; the latest data shows 61.7% of new outpatient appointments were seen within 12 weeks last quarter, and over 42% of those still waiting have waited less than 12 weeks.

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: S6W-41421

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent analysis Transport Scotland has undertaken of trends in wave height on subsidised ferry routes.

The ICP Vessels and Port Plan notes that vessel and infrastructure project design development should consider issues such as wind and wave/swell modelling data to ensure and provide an optimum solution for ferry services to island communities. We will continue to work closely with all port owners and both our subsidised operators to ensure that climate change adaption is an integral part of the design and delivery of all projects.

Both CalMac and CMAL have also conducted wave height analysis at specific ports as part of project development and as part of ongoing service operation. Information is gathered from a number of sources including installed wave buoys to inform day to day operational decisions. CMAL intend to continue gathering wave data at certain ports which will enable monitoring for any trends over time. This will be complementary to the wind, weather and tidal data that CMAL and operators already gather across the network from a range of sources.

CMAL have recently discussed trends in wave heights with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency as part of the SVRP Phase 1 and Phase 2 projects, with data primarily sourced from the Met Office. This approach is also taken on other vessel and infrastructure projects to inform potential service review and design requirements. CalMac will be producing a weather resilience and climate adaptation plan which will look at the wider impact of climate change on services.

Question reference: S6W-41419

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to publish the specifications in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service 3 contract.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-40730 on 1 October 2025 and confirm the specification is not a stand-alone document, it is embedded within the grant agreement which was published on 1st October 2025 on the Transport Scotland website, alongside other relevant governance documentation.

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: S6W-41420

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected cost is of CalMac Ferries time charter of MV Arrow for additional freight capacity on the Ullapool-Stornoway route between October and November 2025.

Question reference: S6W-41422

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to conclude the purchase of Ardrossan harbour from Peel Ports, and whether it will take steps to ensure that the planned upgrade of Ardrossan harbour includes repair of the Irish Berth.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6O-05083 on 30 October 2025 regarding the conclusion of the purchase.

The redevelopment of Ardrossan and the current focus on potential purchase remains a priority for this Government. I will of course update members of the Ardrossan Taskforce and the relevant Parliamentary Committee and other interested parties and MSPs on an outcome as soon as I am able to.

It is acknowledged that the upgrade of the Irish Berth was not included within the original project scope and commercial proposal from Peel Ports and North Ayrshire Council. If the change in ownership proceeds, Transport Scotland and CMAL will consider the future of the Irish Berth and other areas/facilities included in the harbour area.

All answers to 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: S6W-41583

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to COSLA’s recently published manifesto, which calls for an additional £750 million of funding for social care.

Local government is a crucial partner in helping to deliver better outcomes for the people of Scotland. That is why we have provided councils with a record £15.1 billion this year, a real terms increase of 5.5%, and have delivered a wide range of powers for local councils.

Our joint Local Governance Review with COSLA will conclude by the end of the Parliament, setting out how power and resources can be better shared between national and local government and with communities.

In addition, this year the Scottish Government has allocated nearly £2.2 billion for social care and integration, representing an increase of over £1.2 billion since
2021-22. This goes almost £350 million beyond the Scottish Government’s original commitment to increase social care funding by 25% (£840 million) over the lifetime of the Parliament.

The Scottish Government has been investing heavily in the social care workforce through its fair work commitments. We will continue to work with local government partners to ensure the people of Scotland can access the services they need when and where they need them.

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