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-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.

Question reference: S7W-02986

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 assessment it has made of whether women are more likely than men to experience delays in the diagnosis or treatment of a heart attack, and what action it is taking to address any such disparity.

While the Scottish Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of whether women are more likely than men to experience delays in the diagnosis or treatment of a heart attack in Scotland, we recognise that there can be sex differences in the presentation, diagnosis and outcomes of heart attacks and remain committed to ensuring that all patients have equitable access to timely diagnosis, treatment and care following a suspected heart attack.

Through Public Health Scotland's Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme and dedicated myocardial infarction audit, which includes a number of measures reported by sex, including incidence, mortality and survival following heart attack. This enhanced audit will support ongoing monitoring of outcomes, identification of variation in care and outcomes, and quality improvement activity across NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-02988

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing arrangements, similar to the pilot programme in France, that would allow women who suspect that they have been the victim of drink or drug spiking to submit blood, urine or hair samples for laboratory testing without first having to make a formal complaint to Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government has and continues to take a proactive approach to understand the prevalence and address concerns about reported spiking in Scotland.

We have recently consulted on further protections for women in the criminal law, including in relation to spiking, and the analysis of responses to that consultation is currently underway, and will inform our next steps. We always seek to learn from effective interventions in any jurisdiction, although it is important to understand how any approach in a different jurisdiction may or may not operate effectively in Scotland, alongside current routes to report in both health and criminal justice services.

A similar pilot, Project Alliance, has been sponsored by the UK Home Office. The evaluation of that pilot will provide useful intelligence as we develop our response to spiking.

The Safer Scotland webpage provides guidance on reporting and support available to victims of spiking. We would always encourage anyone who suspects they have been spiked or witnesses an incident to report this to Police Scotland, and security in any venue they witness the behaviour.

Question reference: S7W-02774

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, following the introduction of the initial pilot phase of the HPV self-sampling kit programme, when it expects that the national expansion of HPV self-sampling will take place.

The first phase of the cervical screening HPV self-sampling pilot is expected to conclude in summer 2027, with subsequent phases anticipated thereafter, subject to evaluation findings. The Scottish Government remains committed to increasing uptake of cervical screening across Scotland and, in particular, to reducing screening inequalities. HPV self-sampling is one of a number of interventions being progressed to support this aim, alongside wider efforts to improve access to and participation in the cervical screening programme.

Question reference: S7W-02773

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the outcomes of the initial pilot phase of the HPV self-sampling kit programme, and what the next stages are for the national expansion of HPV self-sampling.

Question reference: S7W-02588

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects any changes to the recommended level of community benefit for solar developments, as proposed in its working paper, Refreshing the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy, to take effect.

Question reference: S7W-02320

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish updated Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments.

Officials are currently considering evidence gathered through the 2025 public consultation on the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments and the subsequent stakeholder engagement undertaken in spring 2026 on the Working Paper: Onshore renewable energy - refreshing the good practice principles for community benefits: working paper - gov.scot. Subject to the completion of this work, the Scottish Government plans to publish the refreshed onshore Good Practice Principles before the end of 2026.

Question reference: S7W-02319

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of the process to update the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments, what (a) regional discussion events and (b) targeted engagement have taken place with (i) community groups and (ii) developers.

The Scottish Government is updating its Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments to reflect how Scotland’s energy landscape has evolved since the last publication in 2019.

To inform this work, and alongside a full public consultation in 2025, officials undertook a programme of engagement during spring 2026 to seek feedback on proposals in Onshore renewable energy - refreshing the good practice principles for community benefits: working paper - gov.scot.

Regional discussion events with community groups consisted of five online events covering the Highlands, Islands, Central Scotland, North East Scotland, and South Scotland. These sessions were attended by representatives of community benefit groups, community councils, development trusts, third sector organisations and local authorities.

Targeted engagement with developers and community groups included two online roundtable discussions chaired by the former Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy. One roundtable was attended by renewable energy developers, trade associations and enterprise agencies. The second brought together representatives from community councils, community development trusts, community benefit funds, regional partnerships and national intermediary organisations from across Scotland.

A youth workshop was also delivered in partnership with the Scottish Youth Parliament as part of the wider programme of engagement supporting the update of the Good Practice Principles.

Question reference: S7W-02321

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 24 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its working paper on refreshing the Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy, published on 18 February 2026, when it expects the recommended community benefit fund level for solar developments to take effect.

The recommended community benefit fund level for solar developments will be set out in the refreshed Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments. Decisions on implementation arrangements, including when any revised recommended fund levels should take effect, are subject to Ministerial approval.

The Good Practice Principles are non-statutory guidance and the recommended community benefit fund levels are voluntary. The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to use its reserved powers to mandate community benefits for mature onshore renewable energy technologies.

Question reference: S7W-02586

Current Status: Withdrawn