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: S7W-02606

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of curling to sport and physical activity.

The Scottish Government recognises the important contribution curling makes to sport and physical activity in Scotland.

With a strong tradition and cultural identity, the sport provides opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to be active, connect with others, and compete at every level, while also delivering wider benefits for physical and mental wellbeing, confidence, and community connection.

Our national agency for sport, sportscotland, recognises this through its investment in Scottish Curling. Between 2023-2027, this includes £742,300 in core funding and a further £284,428 provided through the additional sports investment announced in the 2026-27 Scottish Budget, to support coaching, athlete pathways, clubs and the Summer of Sport programme.

Question reference: S7W-02608

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Curling over the last 12 months.

On 22 September 2025, Scottish Ministers met with Vincent Bryson, Chief Executive of Scottish Curling, and Richard Lochhead MSP to discuss issues affecting curling and ice sports in Scotland. Discussions were centred on the sustainability of ice rinks, the impact of rising energy costs on facilities, investment in sport, and opportunities to host major events.

The Scottish Government remain engaged with Scottish Curling directly and through our national agency sportscotland.

Question reference: S7W-02854

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 11 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to use social impact investment across government departments.

Social Impact partnerships have the potential to change the way preventative work is funded. Our manifesto commitment is to develop a Justice Social Impact Partnership which targets reoffending and provision of safe spaces for young people. A partnership of nine organisations with experience in investment, philanthropy, prevention, and programme evaluation has been formed to take this work forward. Learning from the justice pilot will inform the wider use of social impact partnerships across government, including on issues such as creating the legal and financial structures to support investors and partnership delivery.

Question reference: S7O-00238

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the provision of services for people with Type 1 diabetes across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02601

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions (a) nitazenes and (b) other synthetic opioids were discovered in Scotland in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S7W-02599

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions ministers have had with Police Scotland regarding the discovery of Scotland's first nitazene lab in 2025.

Question reference: S7W-02597

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions in the last three years the Scottish Ambulance Service has been unable to transfer a patient from an island community by ferry due to a cancellation or disruption, and what alternative means of transfer were used.

Question reference: S7W-02596

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of NHS appointments missed, cancelled, or rescheduled by residents of island communities due to ferry cancellations or disruption in the last three years, and if it does not hold this data, what assessment it has made of any impact of ferry disruption on healthcare access.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of appointments missed, cancelled, or rescheduled by residents of island communities due to ferry cancellations or disruption in the last three years. We do however engage regularly with NHS Boards on the issue through our Transport to Health Delivery Plan and associated work. We have provided funding to HI Trans through our National Islands Plan to further develop the partnership work around Health and Transport, including consideration of resilience.

During a disruption, CalMac will undertake a network wide review for a core service to be delivered to all parts of the ferry network they serve. However, it is impossible to completely remove the risk of disruption due to either inclement weather or other reasons. During times of disruption, CalMac will always aim to minimise the impact.

Question reference: S7O-00202

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Police Scotland to help reduce incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour.

Question reference: S7W-02239

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 03 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 31 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it last engaged with NHS boards regarding how they will use the £4.5 million funding provided in its Budget 2025-26 for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and long COVID services.

The Scottish Government has been engaging with NHS boards regarding their use of the £4.5 million funding for myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) and long COVID services since April 2026 and continues to do so.

The funding is being allocated to NHS boards on a recurring basis to support the delivery of specialist support across Scotland for people with long COVID, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and similar conditions.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with NHS boards to monitor progress and identify any further support that may be required.