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-34330

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the support it provides to projects in such countries through its International Development Fund, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the Cancel Debt, Choose Hope campaign, which calls for governments to champion improvements to the debt cancellation process for lower-income countries.

Debt repayments put extra burden for low-income countries and take way resources from much needed investment in key areas such as health and education. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our partner countries in efforts towards SDGs with funding for programmes focused on health, inclusive education, equalities, renewable energy, and climate justice.

The Scottish Government has continued to raise with UK Government the financial pressures on global south countries, including Scottish Government partner countries, through the reduction of aid, eg UK Aid from 0.7% to 0.5% of GNI.

We have also consistently called for funding to address loss and damage to be provided as grants, not loans, so that vulnerable communities can access support without adding to their debt burden. However, we have not had discussion with the UK Government regarding the live Cancel Debt, Choose Hope campaign to demand action on unjust debt.

Question reference: S6F-03871

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on how the Scottish Government is working to tackle Islamophobia in Scotland, in light of reports that anti-Muslim hate incidents across the UK reached record levels in 2024.

Question reference: S6O-04384

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what resources it has allocated to projects in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, including transport projects.

Question reference: S6W-34796

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, following the drug, exagamglogene autotemcel, being approved for use in England to treat sickle cell disease, what progress has been on approving it for use in Scotland.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has not yet received a submission from the manufacturing company, Vertex, for exagamglogene autotemcel (Casgevy®) for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD).

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO) and the SMC have engaged regularly with the marketing authorisation holder, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, on the SMC’s process for assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of exagamglogene autotemcel (Casgevy®) for use in the SCD indication in the NHS in Scotland. The SMC would welcome a submission from Vertex for Casgevy® in the SCD indication at any time.

Question reference: S6O-04347

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to increase the number of film and television productions created in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34285

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the creation of the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34284

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland will be separate and additional to existing budgets.

We can confirm the budget allocation for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS) is separate and additional to existing budgets.

We are currently within the evaluation phase of the procurement process to identify a host for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland. The conclusion of this phase has been delayed due to the need for approval of the annual budget bills by the Scottish Parliament and spending reviews by the Scottish Government.

The contract for the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland will be awarded once the procurement process concludes, which is currently scheduled for Spring 2025 subject to budgetary approval. It is anticipated that there would be a two-month mobilisation period following the award of any contract, with AROS becoming operational soon after this time.

Question reference: S6W-34367

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its draft Budget 2025-26, how much funding it plans to allocate to NHS capital projects, once the replacements for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, Monklands Hospital and Belford Hospital in Fort William are accounted for.

The 2025-26 draft budget provides increased investment of £139 million across the NHS estate. This allows plans for Monklands and Belford hospital replacements and a new eye pavilion to be progressed, supports a new radiopharmacy facility and provides increased core capital allocations to NHS Boards, as well as additional support for Boards’ priority maintenance and improvements.

The budget also provides continued support for NHS projects already in construction and for the national replacement programmes for ambulances and radiotherapy equipment.

Beyond this, further NHS projects cannot be supported at this time, as there remains challenge and uncertainty in the capital budget position. All due consideration will be given as to which projects are affordable and deliverable, following the outcome of the UK Government’s spending review.

This will be supported by our work with Health Boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan which will consider health infrastructure needs for the whole of Scotland, supporting the continued safe operation of existing facilities, as well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-34286

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland to become operational.

Question reference: S6W-34354

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 7 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to ensure that (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations provide social housing suitable for families with multiple disabled people.

We want disabled people in Scotland to have choice, dignity and freedom to access suitable homes, built or adapted to enable them to participate as full and equal citizens.

As the statutory housing authority for their area, local authorities are responsible for assessing housing need and demand, including specialist housing requirements, and for setting out how this will be met through their Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans. This includes the location, size and type of housing required.

Local authorities are also required to include all-tenure wheelchair accessible housing targets as part of their Local Housing Strategy.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme provides a flexible grant system to local authorities and registered social landlords to support the delivery of specialist affordable housing, including wheelchair accessible homes.

In addition, the draft budget includes funding of £20.9 million for 2025-26 to enable registered social landlords to deliver necessary adaptations to ensure disabled people can live independently at home for as long as possible.