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-03610

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Pauline McNeill (on behalf of the SPCB) on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider offering discounted gym memberships for MSPs, MSP staff and SPCB staff at locations outwith Edinburgh.

The SPCB provides a wide-range of wellbeing services for the benefit of MSPs, their staff and SPCB staff. This includes an online wellbeing platform which provides access to online fitness programmes, wellbeing podcasts and nutrition guides. In addition to this, the SPCB provides access to discounts for staff via the Edenred MyLifestyle app, including discounts with a number of corporate gym groups. Details of how to access these discounts can be found on the SPCB’s intranet. The SPCB is always looking for ways to improve wellbeing services and welcomes feedback from MSPs, their staff and SPCB staff.

Question reference: S7W-04018

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards delivering a Third Sector Partnership Agreement and Fairer Funding for the voluntary and community sector.

Question reference: S7W-03915

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications of hyperscale data centre applications already in the planning system on its forthcoming national planning guidance, and whether it expects planning authorities to determine such applications before the guidance is published.

Question reference: S7W-03916

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards developing a national strategic framework for hyperscale AI data centres, including how it is taking account of the number and scale of proposed developments and by what date it expects to publish the framework.

Question reference: S7W-03917

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve communities affected by proposed hyperscale AI data centre developments, including the Auchtertool community in Fife, in the development of its forthcoming national planning guidance and spatial framework, and what opportunities there will be for communities to contribute before these are finalised.

Question reference: S7W-03853

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-02101 by Stephen Flynn on 25 August 2026, whether it will provide an update on (a) the publication date of the updated code of conduct on the treatment of passengers and staff using public transport, as outlined in the National Bus Travel Concession Schemes (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Order 2026, and (b) on what date the updated code and underpinning processes supporting the suspension of access to free travel if the code is breached will take effect.

Question reference: S7O-00299

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Pauline McNeill (on behalf of the SPCB) on 24 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it is supporting MSPs to offer benefits to their employees, including those which promote healthy living and wellbeing.

The SPCB offers a wide range of services and benefits which promote healthy living and wellbeing. These are available to MSP staff as well as SPCB staff and include, for example, a free on-site gym for staff based in Holyrood, corporate gym membership discounts and the cycle to work scheme. Staff also have access to an Employee Assistance Service which delivers 24/7 counselling as well as an online wellbeing platform. This platform contains fitness programmes, nutrition guides and on-demand e-learning and podcasts on a wide-range of wellbeing topics. The SPCB takes seriously its responsibility to support positive wellbeing for all members of the parliament community, including MSP staff.

Question reference: S7W-02718

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01865 by Mairi McAllan on 17 August 2026, (a) what the current minimum level of school clothing grant is for (i) primary and (ii) secondary pupils, (b) when each minimum level was last increased, and (c) whether there are any plans to increase these minimum levels and, if so, when.

The national minimum amounts for School Clothing Grant are £120 for eligible primary pupils and £150 for eligible secondary pupils. These amounts were agreed with local government in 2021. Local authorities are responsible for administering the School Clothing Grant, including setting eligibility criteria, and have the flexibility to pay families more than the national minimum.

The Scottish Government is providing increased funding of £14.6m in 2026-27 financial year to support local authorities to maintain the School Clothing Grant. This includes a £400k inflationary increase on the previous year’s funding and represents an increase of £2.8m since 2021-22. We have committed to uprating funding in line with inflation during this Parliament.

Question reference: S7W-02987

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what training and guidance is provided to NHS Scotland staff on recognising heart attacks in women, including presentations that may differ from the symptoms traditionally associated with myocardial infarction.

The Scottish Government does not mandate a single national training programme recognising heart attacks in women for NHS Scotland staff. Decisions on workforce training and professional development are primarily a matter for individual NHS Boards, informed by national clinical guidance, professional standards and evidence-based practice.

NHS Scotland staff are supported through a range of clinical guidelines, professional education and evidence-based resources relating to the recognition, diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction. For example, NHS Inform provides dedicated information on women's heart health, including information on heart attack symptoms in women and the importance of seeking urgent treatment. NHS Inform also highlights that women may experience symptoms differently and may delay seeking help, emphasising the importance of recognising symptoms and accessing emergency care promptly.

Question reference: S7W-02985

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the August 2026 publication of the Fifth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction by the European Society of Cardiology, American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association and World Heart Federation, what assessment it has made of the implications for NHS Scotland.