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-40391

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 22 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding (a) how many and (b) what proportion of care experienced people have enrolled in (i) the Open University and (b) other university education in each of the last 10 years.

Care Experienced students entering undergraduate courses at The Open University and other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been included below.

Further details on Care Experienced students in Scotland can be found in the annual Scottish Funding Council's Report on Widening Access (RoWA). https://www.sfc.ac.uk/publications/report-on-widening-access-2023-24/

Scottish Domiciled undergraduate entrants to Scottish universities, by Care Experienced status, 2014-15 to 2023-24

Academic year	Provider	Care Experienced	% of all UG entrants who are care experienced*
2014-15	The Open University	45	1%
	Other HEIs	230	1%
2015-16	The Open University	35	1%
	Other HEIs	225	1%
2016-17	The Open University	45	1%
	Other HEIs	250	1%
2017-18	The Open University	45	1%
	Other HEIs	325	1%
2018-19	The Open University	35	1%
	Other HEIs	425	1%
2019-20	The Open University	50	1%
	Other HEIs	450	1%
2020-21	The Open University	55	1%
	Other HEIs	600	1%
2021-22	The Open University	95	1%
	Other HEIs	670	1%
2022-23	The Open University	185	2%
	Other HEIs	710	2%
2023-24	The Open University	220	3%
	Other HEIs	815	2%

Source: HESA Student Data, SG Secondary Analysis

*Percentage is an estimate and could be influenced by the number of unknowns in the data and improved data quality in recent years.

1) When interpreting figures relating to care experienced students it is important to note that the reporting of students from care experienced backgrounds has been given more focus in recent years, with increased efforts made to encourage students to declare themselves as being care experienced.

2) Those on short part-time courses are more likely to include unknown information.

3) Numbers may differ slightly from other published sources due to the way data has been aggregated. This includes 2020-21 where SFC published a slightly higher number of Care Experienced students due to post-data collection changes.

4) Numers are rounded to the nearest 5.

Question reference: S6O-04964

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to redevelop town centres across Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04885

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its definition of what constitutes "substantial" damp and mould in a home, at what threshold such conditions are considered to require remedial action by social landlords.

Question reference: S6W-38641

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work with football organisations, what discussions it has had with the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) on the reported proposed move by Hamilton Academical FC.

Question reference: S6W-38636

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its reported plans to downgrade the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, in light of reports of continued concerns from the local community.

The decision to move to three Neonatal Intensive Care Units has been firmly based on clinical evidence that the most premature and sickest babies do best when they are cared for in larger specialist neonatal units with higher numbers of these babies, and with specialist staff and services (for example neonatal surgery) available on site to give them the very best care.

Local neonatal units across Scotland, including Wishaw, will continue to offer care to babies who need it, including a level of neonatal intensive care.

We have considered the data and evidence in relation to the proposals and have taken advice from clinical advisors, and are assured about the validity of the evidence base, the process and the conclusions reached.

We have consulted families on the changes to inform implementation of the new model. We have shared the outputs of that consultation with Regional Chief Executives and are taking forward Scotland-level actions required.

Question reference: S6W-38638

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the reported downgrading of the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Improving safety for the babies, families and staff is our utmost priority, which is why we are taking this step and why we have taken phased approach to transition, allowing time to build the right levels of capacity in all areas, with NHS Boards working towards full implementation by 2026.

We are working with Regional Planning Chief Executives to plan and deliver this service change, informed by the testing that has been underway since 2018 in Ayrshire and Fife, and supported by Scottish Government funding of over £6m since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-38637

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many babies have been admitted to Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025; how many of these babies came from other NHS board areas, and what the originating NHS board areas were.

The number of babies who have been recorded in the Scottish Birth Record (SBR) as admitted to Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in (a) 2024 was 504 and (b) for the period 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025 was 131.

Of these babies the number who were recorded as having an NHS board other than NHS Lanarkshire was (a) in 2024, 31 and (b) for 1 January 2025 to 31 March 2025, 21.

The NHS boards of residence for these babies included; NHS Ayrshire and Arran, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Highland, NHS Lothian, NHS Shetland and NHS Tayside.

Question reference: S6W-38640

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported plans to downgrade the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, what modelling has been undertaken of any increased use of the neonatal transport team to transport babies to other hospitals.

The transfer and repatriation of mother and babies is a normal component of neonatal care provision in Scotland, ensuring babies receive the best care in the right place at the right time.

The RSM report, published on 29 May 2024, New Model of Neonatal Care – RSM UK Consulting - Report, modelled demand and capacity requirements for the new model of neonatal care. The report was compiled based on data collected from each of the eight neonatal intensive care units, as well as information from Public Health Scotland (PHS) and, Scottish Specialist Transport and Retrieval (ScotSTAR) / Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). The RSM report included a section covering the impact on transfers. The Regional Planning Directors continue to work closely with ScotSTAR and the Scottish Perinatal Network to consider the ongoing impacts as the implementation work continues.

Question reference: S6W-38639

Asked by: Davy Russell, MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its reported plans to downgrade the Wishaw Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will have on existing staffing levels.

Regional Chief Executives have worked with NHS Board teams and strategic planning leads to undertake modelling and capacity work to develop local implementation plans, including plans for staffing levels. It’s important that the whole multidisciplinary team are involved in developing local plans, including obstetric and maternity staff. We expect that staffing resources in the neonatal units will be reflective of the workforce required to deliver care under the new model.