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-38733

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that women and girls who experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) are supported, in light of the reportedly unique and severe symptoms associated with this disorder.

Through the actions in our Women’s Health Plan there is now a Women’s Health Platform on NHS Inform, to help women find the information they need on a range of issues relating to their health, including conditions like PMDD.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has also delivered a series of women’s health webinars, with accompanying resources, which included a session on PMS and PMDD, PMS resource pack - Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland.

We have taken steps to raise awareness and support better understanding of PMDD among healthcare professionals by commissioning NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to create a bespoke training package and framework on menstrual health, which includes PMDD, for general practice and others working in Primary Care, which is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland.

We remain committed to our ambition is that women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives as we develop the second phase of the Women’s Health Plan with the aim of publishing by the end of this year.

Question reference: S6W-38734

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it has measured any impact of the women’s health plan’s targeted training for key professionals on women and girls with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).

The Scottish Government does not hold data on the impact of training for healthcare professionals on women and girls with a diagnosis of PMDD.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) published an eLearning module for healthcare professionals on Menstrual Health in September 2024. The module is available on TURAS, the education platform for NHS Scotland. To date, 211 learners have completed the resource with 59% of those completing the module evaluation. A further 728 learners are in progress.

Specific impact data for the section on premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD) is not available. Initial evaluation data of the module as a whole suggests increased empathy and compassion, as well as practitioners reporting plans to change their communication and consultation styles because of the learning.

Question reference: S6W-39091

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36002 by Jenni Minto on 1 April 2025, whether it or Public Health Scotland can provide an update on the timeline for the introduction and delivery of the Fracture Liaison Service audit.

Question reference: S6W-39092

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what interim mechanisms are being used to monitor the performance of fracture liaison services while work on the national audit is ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-39093

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the reported delay in delivering the national Fracture Liaison Service audit on its ability to monitor any inequalities in access to early osteoporosis diagnosis.

Question reference: S6W-39090

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s South Sector Fracture Liaison Service, which provides services for patients across the country, has significantly reduced the time taken to identify fragility fractures in patients, and the Scottish Parliament motion S6M-17886 highlighting that the service won the William Cullen Prize for Innovation, whether it is aware of the work undertaken by this service and the results that it has achieved, and what mechanisms it has in place to share good practice in fracture prevention across the country.

Question reference: S6W-39094

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36795 by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2025, whether it can provide any figures on the proportion of fragility fractures in patients currently identified by fracture liaison services.

Question reference: S6W-38736

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support any social care workers on low pay, in light of reported evidence stating that there is a link between the level of pay for people working in social care and child poverty.

The Scottish Government has a long-standing commitment to support social care workers rates of pay. For the 2025-26 financial year, the Scottish Government are investing £125 million to enable adult social care workers, delivering direct care in the third and private sectors, to be paid at least the Real Living Wage. This takes the estimated total investment to deliver this policy up to £950 million this financial year.

This policy is to enable the Real Living Wage to be paid to these workers as a minimum, and employers and commissioners have the locus to set rates in excess of this where local circumstances allow.

In addition, the Scottish Government is committed to establish voluntary sectoral bargaining arrangements for the commissioned adult social care sector in Scotland and we have been working with stakeholder partners, through the Fair Work in Social Care Group, to progress this. We have also been engaging with the UK Government on their Employment Rights Bill, which we hope will extend the scope for the option of a regulatory Social Care Negotiating Body, and associated Fair Pay Agreements, to Scotland.

Once developed and introduced, sectoral bargaining arrangements will encourage improvements in pay, and terms and conditions for the social care workforce.

We know that there are a number of factors which can compound the relationship between work and poverty, including in sectors such as social care. That is why we are taking action to tackle child poverty and make a real difference to families. On average, households with children in the poorest 10% of households are estimated to be £2,600 a year better off in 2025-26 as a result of Scottish Government policies like the Scottish Child Payment. This value is projected to grow to an average of £3,700 a year by 2029-30.

We are also taking decisive action to end the impact of the two-child limit in Scotland. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, the new Two Child Limit Payment will open for applications on 2 March 2026, with payments beginning as soon as possible thereafter. Worth up to more than £3,500 a year for each eligible child, these payments will make a significant difference to larger families who are currently denied support, and Scottish Government modelling published in March estimates this will result in 20,000 fewer children living in relative poverty in 2026-27.

While the Joseph Rowntree Foundation predict child poverty will rise in other parts of the UK by 2029, they highlight that policies such as our Scottish Child Payment, and our commitment to mitigate the two-child limit, are behind Scotland bucking the trend.

Question reference: S6W-38735

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding welfare benefits assessments, how it plans to support those affected by premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which can often result in debilitating pain for two to three weeks in a month.

We want everyone eligible for disability benefits to access their entitlements. Child Disability Payment and Adult Disability Payment provide financial support to help mitigate the additional costs of being disabled or living with a long-term health condition. We take a person-centred approach to decision making, based on individuals’ level of need, rather than on the specific condition or disability.

The Scottish Government have abolished anxiety inducing private sector assessments for Adult Disability Payment. Instead, Social Security Scotland make decisions on the information provided in the application form and any supporting information.

If more information is needed, a consultation with a Social Security Scotland health and social care practitioner may be carried out. Consultations are based on trust and they do not involve degrading examinations.

Question reference: S6T-02608

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the use of Scottish Government-owned infrastructure by the United States military, in light of US air strikes on Iran.