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-03165

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the approval of the EndoSure and Endotest rapid diagnostic tests for use within NHS England and NHS Wales earlier in 2026, whether it supports the roll-out of these tests within NHS Scotland for the diagnosis of endometriosis.

The Scottish Government welcomes innovation that can offer women improved care and support.

We are committed to ensuring those living with endometriosis are able to access the best possible care and support and that they benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put women at the centre of their care.

I welcome the development of this draft NICE guidance on technologies for diagnosing endometriosis in primary care. It is an important step towards health technologies which better meet the needs of women.

We will work with the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) to consider the final guidance and its implications for Scotland, including the potential role of these tests in supporting earlier diagnosis of endometriosis.

Question reference: S7W-03316

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 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis further Scottish Enterprise payments can continue to be made to companies that have previously received awards and have retrospectively been found to be implicated in genocide or other grave international law violations.

The measures announced by the First Minister in September 2025 in relation to defence companies seeking support from the Scottish Government apply to new requests for funding and are not retrospective.

Scottish ministers have explicitly requested that public bodies – including Scottish Enterprise – take the UN Human Rights database of companies believed to be active in the Occupied Palestinian Territory into consideration when carrying out their normal due diligence in relation to individual companies.

Separate guidance on procurement outlines actions that public bodies can take if they believe there are grounds to exclude companies from bidding for public contracts, however payments made from Scottish Enterprise to companies are ultimately an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

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.

Question reference: S7W-03314

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 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Scottish Enterprise regarding the publication of its Human Rights Due Diligence procedure, following previous indications that the agency planned to publish this guidance.

Question reference: S7W-03198

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce gender-neutral designation options for both parents when registering births and stillbirths.

Question reference: S7W-03315

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 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm which companies have been subject to and failed human rights due diligence checks since Scottish Enterprise’s revised human rights due diligence checks came into force, including on what basis Barclays reportedly passed the due diligence process.

As noted in response to S7W-01512 on 31 July 2026, Scottish Government officials remained in close contact with Scottish Enterprise throughout its review of its human rights due diligence checks, exchanging and providing relevant advice and views where appropriate. This included in relation to Scottish Government’s own guidance which sets out recommendations on how we, our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies should undertake appropriate due diligence on companies, including their human rights record, before entering into an "investment relationship" with them.

It is however for the accountable officer of each agency and non-departmental public body to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish ministers, including in decisions on which companies comply with human rights due diligence checks.

Decisions regarding the disclosure of information held by Scottish Enterprise, including in relation to its updated human right due diligence checks, are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S7W-03164

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide support to Palestinian students who have been offered places at universities in Scotland, ahead of the implementation of the Scottish Gaza Scholarship Programme.

The Scottish Government remains deeply concerned about the devastating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the impact it continues to have on civilians, including students whose education and future prospects have been profoundly affected by conflict and displacement.

Power over immigration is reserved to the UK Government and this includes decisions regarding safe and humanitarian routes to the UK for students in conflict settings. We welcomed the introduction in 2025 of the scheme enabling students from Gaza to travel to Scotland for study. The initiative supported 27 students on fully funded scholarships to take up places at Scottish universities during academic year 2025-26.

Scottish Ministers pushed the UK Government to continue these arrangements and it is welcome that they have resumed for academic year 2026-27.

We are urgently working with the UK Government and Scottish universities to make sure as many students as possible who meet eligibility criteria can begin their scholarships in Scotland.

Scottish universities, including Universities of Sanctuary, remain committed to supporting students affected by conflict and displacement. Together, we are providing humanitarian support to the people of Palestine and have already committed to explore how we can further support students from Gaza, including through the development of a new postgraduate Scottish Gaza Scholarship Programme.

Question reference: S7W-03167

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding witnesses who are deemed to be vulnerable under the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004, what plans it has to (a) provide all such witnesses with the same presumption that their evidence may be taken by a commissioner, (b) expand the scope of the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019 so that in cases involving any form of assault they are afforded the same presumption that their evidence may be taken by a commissioner, and (c) ensure that those whose vulnerability arises from a mental disorder are provided with the same protections and special measures as those afforded under the 2019 Act.

The published Implementation Plan for the Vulnerable Witnesses (Criminal Evidence) (Scotland) Act 2019, which has been agreed in discussion with justice partners, sets out our current plans to extend the presumption in favour of pre-recorded evidence to child witnesses aged 16 and 17 in the most serious sheriff and jury cases and all deemed vulnerable adult witnesses in the most serious cases in the High Court. In addition, through the provisions within the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025, we will extend the presumption in favour of pre-recorded evidence to all vulnerable complainers and child witnesses in the Sexual Offences Court when that is operational.

We all recognise that the expansion of taking evidence by commissioner is a significant reform for the justice system and will bring with it several practical and operational challenges. That is why it needs to be introduced in a controlled and achievable way, targeting first the youngest witnesses in the most serious cases. It is also important that any extension of the presumption is appropriately evaluated so that vital lessons can be learned before progressing further. It is essential that in all respects that we do what we can to ensure that any new intervention does not inadvertently overwhelm the system to the detriment of victims and witnesses.

While we do not currently have any plans to expand eligibility for a presumption in favour of pre-recorded evidence beyond what I have outlined, the court can approve applications for the use of pre-recorded evidence as a special measure in their individual cases. A deemed vulnerable adult witness is a victim of a serious intimate or sexual offence, such as sexual offences, human trafficking, domestic abuse or stalking; a vulnerable witness is someone who may, for example, suffer from fear or distress in giving their evidence, or who may have more difficulty in giving their evidence due to a learning disability. Vulnerable adult witnesses are also able to access pre-recorded evidence as a special measure upon application.

Question reference: S7W-03166

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions are in place for terminally ill victims of assault who are deemed to be vulnerable witnesses but are unable to testify at trial.

Guidance on the assistance available to victims and witnesses to help give evidence is available om the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service website - Vulnerable victims and witnesses (special measures) | COPFS.

In the circumstance where a terminally ill victim is deemed to be a vulnerable witness, then they would be entitled to give their evidence by special measures. The special measures that can be authorised could include the taking evidence by a commissioner; the use of a live television link; the use of a screen; the use of a supporter, the giving evidence in chief in the form of a prior statement and excluding the public during the taking of evidence, or a combination of these measures. Where a victim is unable to come to court to give evidence in any competent manner because they are unfit or unable to do so because of a mental or physical condition their statement may be admitted in evidence.

Question reference: S7O-00297

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, regarding its proposed facial authentication security access system, when is it due to be introduced and whether MSPs and parliamentary staff will be permitted to opt out of its use.

Question reference: S7W-02841

Asked by: Kate Nevens, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it has considered to support the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) in addressing the reported backlog of cases, and what its position is on whether the requirement for property factors to hold formal qualifications would prevent some cases from reaching this stage.