- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 25 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to the Convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 24 June 2026, in which the cabinet secretary stated "I recognise the importance of ensuring that Parliament has timely and relevant information to support pre-Budget scrutiny. To support this, I intend to deliver a fiscal statement to Parliament in September, aligned with the Programme for Government, setting out the current fiscal context and the key issues and choices facing the Scottish Budget", whether it will confirm by what date this statement will be delivered.
Answer
Answer expected on 25 September 2026
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01240 by Màiri McAllan on 10 July 2026, in which it stated that the consultation on legislative approach to restrictions on mobile phones in schools would be launched within its first 100 days, for what reason the consultation has not yet been launched and when it expects it to open.
Answer
I can confirm that the consultation on restricting mobile phones in Scotland’s schools has been published and is open for responses until 17 November 2026. I would like to take this opportunity to invite MSPs, and their constituents, to respond to the consultation here: Restricting mobile phones in Scotland’s schools.
The consultation will provide an important opportunity to hear a range of views from children, young people, parents and carers, school staff, education authorities and interested organisations, and enable their voices to shape future action.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the minimum standards set for the operating life of hearing aid batteries within the current national hearing aid battery contract, and how compliance with those standards is monitored.
Answer
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Tayside regarding the quality and lifespan of hearing aid batteries currently being distributed, in light of reported concerns raised by patients and audiology staff.
Answer
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that hearing aid batteries with a shorter-than-expected operating life may have on patient care.
Answer
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the criteria used in the procurement of hearing aid batteries under the current contract, and how those criteria differ from those used in previous procurement exercises.
Answer
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 21 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reported concerns regarding the quality and lifespan of hearing aid batteries currently provided to NHS patients.
Answer
These questions relate to the procurement, specification, quality assurance, performance monitoring and contract management of hearing aid batteries supplied through National Procurement arrangements. This is a matter for Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSDS) and NHS Boards and the information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
Prior to 1 April 2026, these functions were undertaken by National Services Scotland and now sit within PSDS. While the Scottish Government sponsors PSDS and provides strategic oversight, operational responsibility for procurement and contract management rests with PSDS, while the delivery of audiology services is a matter for NHS Boards.
PSDS has advised that NHS Boards may raise supplier or product performance concerns through National Procurement's complaints process where products supplied under the framework do not meet the required standards. PSDS has also advised that it holds no record of a formal complaint relating to hearing aid battery performance under the current framework agreement that has resulted in contractual remedies being exercised since the commencement of the contract.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alison Thewliss on 10 August 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the contractual remedies available to NHS boards where hearing aid batteries supplied through the national procurement framework do not meet the required standards, and whether it holds information on any such remedies having been exercised since the commencement of the current contract.
Answer
From 1 April 2026, shared services previously provided by National Services Scotland – including the national procurement framework – are managed and overseen by the new national body, Public Services Delivery Scotland (PSD Scotland). While PSD Scotland is sponsored by Scottish Ministers in order to ensure proper oversight and discharge of function, Scottish Government does not hold any information with respect to the particulars of individual contracts. This is instead held by PSD Scotland and its commercial partners.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the funding of private specialist assessment or treatment in circumstances where an NHS board is unable to provide the required service and is unable to secure an onward NHS referral within a clinically appropriate timescale.
Answer
Service delivery and patient care are the responsibility of NHS Boards and healthcare professionals locally. Clinical decisions on the care and treatment of individual patients are always matters of professional judgement for the responsible practitioner.
In certain circumstances, NHS Boards may make limited use of alternative providers, including independent sector providers, in response to capacity constraints and to improve access to patient care.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether current cross-board referral arrangements provide equitable access to specialist services across NHS Scotland, particularly in specialties where service provision is limited by workforce shortages.
Answer
The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework and Population Health Framework, published in 2025, set out an ambitious vision for transforming Scotland’s public services.
To support this vision, NHS Boards are introducing a new collaborative, sub-national planning approach through Subnational Planning and Delivery Committees (SPDCs) East and West, which will drive a renewed focus on population-based planning across NHS Scotland.
This approach will shift health service planning beyond organisational boundaries and strengthen accountability for meeting the needs of local populations.
SPDCs East and West will work collaboratively to optimise capacity and ensure equitable access to services based on population need. By doing so, they will place the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s population at the heart of service design and delivery.
