- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Gethins on 29 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what financial and technical support it is providing to local authorities to progress the heat network opportunities identified in their local heat and energy efficiency strategies into investment-ready projects.
Answer
Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) identify opportunities for heat network development, and the Scottish Government supports local authorities to progress these opportunities into investment-ready projects through the Heat Network Support Unit (HNSU).
The HNSU provides grant funding and specialist advice to support the pre-capital stages of project development, including feasibility studies, Outline Business Cases and the strategic and commercial planning required to deliver large-scale heat networks. To date, it has formally supported projects across 18 local authority areas.
Technical support is provided by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the HNSU, with successful applicants also able to access specialist consultants for technical studies. For legal, financial and commercial matters related to projects, Scottish Futures Trust provides support and performs a “critical friend” role on behalf of the HNSU. Additional support is available through the District Heating Mentoring Scheme, which connects local authorities with experienced officials from Denmark to build capacity and skills. Twenty-one local authorities currently participate in the scheme.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how it will engage with the new National EDI Forum for Scottish Sport, Scottish Disability Sport’s National Advisory Forum and Young Person’s Sport Panel to ensure that disabled people are directly involved in the development and evaluation of national sport and physical activity policy.
Answer
The Scottish Government understands the importance of sport and physical activity to support positive mental, physical and social health outcomes. We believe there should be no barriers to participating in sport and physical activity, and everyone should be able to enjoy being physically active.
We welcome the establishment of the National EDI Forum for Scottish Sport, which includes our national agency for sport, sportscotland, as well as wider sport sector partners. The Scottish Government regularly meets with Scottish Disability Sport, Scottish Women in Sport and LEAP Sports Scotland where we receive updates on the forum, and discuss challenges and opportunities to address inequalities in participation.
The Scottish Government also recognises the importance of lived experiences to inform decision making across the sector. sportscotland, is a national partner of Scottish Disability Sport and invests in and supports initiatives such as Scottish Disability Sport's Young Person's Sport Panel. sportscotland remains committed to ensuring underrepresented groups are reflected within planning and governance arrangements.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop clear and supported pathways to enable disabled children and young people to progress from school physical education and Active Schools programmes into community and competitive sport.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that disabled children and young people have opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity at all levels.
Active Schools teams work proactively with schools, sports clubs, governing bodies and community organisations to establish pathways that enable young people to move from school-based opportunities into sustained participation in community sport and, where appropriate, into competitive pathways. The Active Schools programme has been supported by Scottish Disability Sport and is delivered with an inclusive focus in both mainstream and ASN schools across all 32 local authorities.
Our additional £40 million investment into sport and physical activity in the 2026/27 Budget will also help to ensure that there are more and better opportunities to engage in sport and physical activity at all levels, including for disabled people.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on actions NHS Scotland is taking to reduce waiting times for assessments of children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism and ADHD.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government when it will set out national targets and timelines for the continued rollout of insulin pumps and hybrid closed-loop systems as part of its plan to ensure person-centred treatment and equity of access for people with diabetes.
Answer
As hybrid closed-loop (HCL) systems become embedded within routine diabetes care, funding for their ongoing provision, including £14.4 million for consumable costs, has been incorporated into NHS Board baseline allocations for 2026-27 as part of the wider £17.6 billion allocated to NHS Territorial Boards.
NHS Territorial Boards are responsible for planning and delivering services in line with national clinical guidance and local need. On 29 May, the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Ms Constance wrote to Boards making clear the expectation that funding transferred into baseline allocations should continue to support people with type 1 diabetes using closed-loop systems and seeking assurance that it is being used as intended.
To inform future decisions on access, the Scottish Government commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Delivery at NHS Golden Jubilee to examine options for further expansion of HCL systems. This work has been completed and is being considered as part of planning for the 2027-28 Budget.
There are currently no plans to establish national targets or timelines for further rollout.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently waiting to access Tier 3 adult weight management services, and what the (a) median and (b) longest waiting time is.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not centrally hold validated waiting times for weight management services. Health Boards provide the Scottish Government with a data return that reflects a snapshot of the previous year of activity such as the status of different pathways Boards deliver. These include Tier 2 and 3 Weight management, Gestational diabetes and Diabetes Type 2 remission and prevention.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what equality impact assessment it has undertaken of the current eligibility criteria and waiting times for Tier 3 adult weight management services, including in relation to disabled people and individuals whose obesity is compounded by mobility-limiting conditions.
Answer
It is for Health Boards to manage the delivery of their services, including the consideration of how they allocate treatment to patients. As such we would expect health boards to consider the potential equalities and other impacts as part of implementing their weight management services based on the local eligibility criteria.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alison Thewliss on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider recognising access to sport and physical activity within the Self-Directed Support assessment process where this would help an individual to maintain their health, independence and wellbeing or reduce their future need for social care.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the important role that sport and physical activity can play in supporting health, wellbeing and independence.
Responsibility for assessing social care needs rests with local authorities, which should have regard to the statutory guidance accompanying the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013. The guidance promotes person-centred, outcomes-focused approaches and consideration of individuals' views, aspirations and participation in community life.
The Self-directed Support framework does not prescribe specific activities, allowing flexibility to meet agreed outcomes. Where sport or physical activity supports those outcomes, it may be considered through support planning.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to NHS boards regarding the prioritisation of patients referred to Tier 3 adult weight management services, including what consideration boards are expected to give to disability, restricted mobility, chronic pain, musculoskeletal conditions, mental health, employment and the risk of further deterioration, in determining clinical priority.
Answer
The Scottish Government and NHS national consensus statement sets out guidance regarding clinical prioritisation of obesity medicines.
Public Health Scotland’s Standards for the Delivery of Tier 2 and Tier 3 Weight Management Services for Adults in Scotland sets out the expectation that weight management services should support a consistent and equitable approach to service delivery across Scotland.
Standard 1 of those standards sets out consideration to be given to a range of groups as part of local delivery including that health boards should, “focus on engaging with and delivering services to excluded, marginalised, or otherwise vulnerable population groups who are known to be at high risk of developing obesity e.g. minority ethnic groups.”
In partnership with Healthcare Improvement Scotland and PHS work is underway to review the current Weight Management Standards to determine the next steps for the guidelines.
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it centrally collects and publishes waiting time data for Tier 3 adult weight management services and, if not, what consideration it has given to introducing national performance monitoring for those services.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not centrally hold validated waiting times for weight management services. Health Boards provide the Scottish Government with a data return that reflects a snap shot of the previous year of activity such as the status of different pathways Boards deliver. These include Tier 2 and 3 Weight management, Gestational diabetes and Diabetes Type 2 remission and prevention.
We are improving the way this data is collected in order to allow for more in-depth analysis such as comparability between boards which is currently not possible.
The Scottish Government also commissions Public Health Scotland(PHS)to report on referrals and activity. The latest report can be found on PHS website: Outcomes of referrals to Weight Management and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Remission Services
We are not currently considering the introduction of national performance monitoring for these services.
