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-04294

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the University of Edinburgh proposing reductions in Outdoor and Environmental Education provision, how it plans to support the provision of outdoor education across primary, secondary and tertiary education.

As universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for determining their own academic provision, the Scottish Government has no role in decisions relating to individual courses or programmes. The Scottish government continues to support the provision of outdoor education across primary, secondary and tertiary education by:

Working with partners to implement the Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Action Plan, available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/target-2030-movement-people-planet-prosperity/
Providing £457,400 of funding in 2026/27 to support delivery of programmes and initiatives that help schools provide curriculum linked outdoor learning experiences. This includes the Climate Action Schools programme, maintenance of the Scottish Advisory Panel on Outdoor Education’s Going Out There resource, and roll out of the Nature Discovery Map Scotland tool;
Working closely with Education Scotland as they lead delivery of the Curriculum Improvement Cycle;
Working with key partners to prepare for the commencement of the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Act 2026; and
Investing over £2.4 billion in 2026-27 in the post school education and skills system, supporting the delivery of outdoor education provision at providers across Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-04867

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities in providing schools and other educational establishments with the means to offer CPR training to all pupils and students.

Question reference: S7W-04088

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its understanding is of medical misogyny, how it (a) monitors and (b) addresses instances of this in NHS Scotland services, and how this work will inform the Women's Health Plan.

The Scottish Government understands that women and girls continue to experience avoidable health inequalities, which is why we were the first county in the UK to publish a Women’s Health Plan.

During the first phase of the Women’s Health Plan research: Women's experiences of discrimination and the impact on health: research - gov.scot was undertaken to explore women’s experiences of discrimination and the impact on their health. This research, and the experiences of women and girls across Scotland, informed Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan and will continue to inform its implementation.

We want all women and girls to feel valued and listened to when they seek healthcare. Through the delivery of Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan, we will work to address the particular, specific and intersectional needs of women and girls through a Realistic Medicine approach so that they receive the care that matters to them, in the right place and at the right time. Practising in this way should empower women and girls to be able to make choices about their healthcare based on reliable information on options available to them, in the context of what would work best for their personal situation.

The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 places a duty on NHS Boards to investigate and respond to any concerns raised, to take improvement actions where appropriate and to share learning from the views they receive.

Question reference: S7W-04296

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address reported concerns regarding the levels of sewage discharge around Portobello beach in Edinburgh, and whether it plans to work with Scottish Water and SEPA to address the recorded levels of E.coli and intestinal enterococci at the site.

Last year, 97% of designated bathing waters in Scotland achieved the bathing water quality standard and 82% achieved the higher standards of “Good” and “Excellent"

The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to address water quality concerns at Portobello.

Scottish Water is undertaking a £1 million project to protect and potentially improve the water quality at Portobello. This work includes detailed modelling and a “find and fix” watercourse pollution study to identify and mitigate sources of pollution as they are identified, such as misconnections, where household waste pipes have been incorrectly connected to surface water drains. Scottish Water expect to conclude the project in March 2027

In addition, last year, SEPA established a Management Group together with the City of Edinburgh Council, and Scottish Water, to provide oversight of the investigations in Portobello and Fisherrow to consider wider improvement and beach management activities.

I have also asked SEPA to consider opportunities to raise awareness of the positive role everyone can play in helping to protect water quality at Scotland’s bathing waters.

Question reference: S7W-04295

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether a review of the guidance relating to the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 has been undertaken, and, if so, when any recommendations or amendments will be published and how they will inform future legislative work.

Question reference: S7W-04124

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support the Sleep Support Line, which is run by Sleep Action, has supported nearly 5,000 families and is reported to be at risk of closure due to financial pressures.

The Scottish Government recognises the significant contribution that Sleep Action makes in supporting children, young people and families experiencing sleep difficulties across Scotland. Good sleep is fundamental to children's health, wellbeing, learning and development, and sleep difficulties can have a profound impact on family life.

The Scottish Government currently supports Sleep Action through the Children, Young People, Families and Adult Learning Third Sector Fund (CYPFEI & ALEC), with core funding of £89,250 committed until March 2027. This funding supports work to improve sleep outcomes for children, young people and families, including families of children with additional support needs, while also increasing the skills, knowledge and awareness of health and education professionals to better identify sleep issues and support families to access help.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Sleep Action regarding its financial position and future plans and will continue to engage constructively with the organisation on the sustainability of its services. We understand the concerns that have been raised about the future of the Sleep Support Line and the impact this could have on families who rely on the service.

Future funding decisions, including support provided through the CYPFEI & ALEC Third Sector Fund , will be considered in the context of the Scottish Budget 2027-28 and wider spending priorities.

Question reference: S7W-04087

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 23 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide funding to improve cycling infrastructure between Midlothian and the City of Edinburgh, including on the A702, to help ensure that people from south of the city have adequate active travel options.

The Scottish Government provides funding to all local authorities through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF), which supports the development of cycling infrastructure. ATIF Tier 1 provides flexible capital funding to all local authorities to support the planning, design, development and delivery of active travel infrastructure, while Tier 2 provides targeted funding for specific active travel projects through a competitive application process. Through ATIF Tier 1, the Scottish Government has allocated £3.94 million to City of Edinburgh Council and £701,000 to Midlothian Council for 2026-27. In addition, through ATIF Tier 2 in 2026-27, City of Edinburgh Council was awarded £7.98 million, while Midlothian Council was awarded £831,750. Decisions regarding the identification, design and development of local active travel projects are the responsibility of the relevant local authority.

Question reference: S7W-03318

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alyn Smith on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure that any company restricted from access to public funding is also restricted from involvement in the governance of public funds, including holding a leadership role on public bodies and assets such as Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) and Apprenticeship Approvals Group (AAG).

The Scottish Government expects all public bodies, advisory groups and their members to operate in accordance with established standards of conduct and governance.

The Scottish Apprenticeship Advisory Board (SAAB) and Apprenticeships Approvals Group (AAG) are independent, industry-led bodies responsible for providing advice, assurance and approval of apprenticeship standards and frameworks. Neither body is responsible for the governance, allocation or management of public funding.

Question reference: S7W-03368

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding proposals to reopen the Edinburgh South Suburban Railway for passenger services, which would provide an orbital rail service for residents from Craiglockhart to Portobello.

Question reference: S7W-03317

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 28 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of companies that receive Scottish Enterprise funding and are involved in illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian Territories.

The Scottish Government’s human rights due diligence guidance sets out recommendations on how we, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies – including Scottish Enterprise - should undertake due diligence on an individual or company’s human rights record before entering into an “investment relationship”.

We also have been clear with Scottish public bodies that they should take the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights database of companies believed to be active in listed activity in the Occupied Palestinian Territory into consideration as part of their due diligence processes, writing to them on several occasions to that effect.

It is for the accountable officer of each agency and non-departmental public body to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish ministers.