The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7W-03484

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-44440 by Natalie Don-Innes on 24 March 2026, what assessment it has made of the impact of childcare costs on the ability of parents with twins and other multiple births to return to, remain in or increase their participation in the workforce, and whether it will publish the evidence informing that assessment.

The Scottish Government has not made an assessment of the impact of childcare costs on the ability of parents with twins and other multiple births to return to, remain in or increase their participation in the workforce.

As highlighted in answer to S7W-03482 on 29 September 2026, the recent Programme for Government set out our intention to publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. I encourage families with multiples to engage with the consultation when it is published to inform consideration of future policy.

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-03482

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether its forthcoming childcare blueprint will include a specific assessment of the case for extending 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare from the age of two to children in families with multiple births, including an assessment of the costs, benefits and potential impact on parental employment, and whether it will publish its conclusions on this issue as part of the consultation.

As set out in the Programme for Government in early September, we will publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. Given the scale of our ambition to transform childcare, it is only right we take the time to develop that blueprint and we will publish it for consultation next year. Decisions on future delivery and costs will be considered through the appropriate parliamentary and budgetary processes.

Question reference: S7W-03485

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of families with twins or other multiple births who are currently unable to access funded early learning and childcare for their children from the age of two solely because multiple-birth status is not an eligibility criterion, and what estimate it has made of the number of additional children who would become eligible if such a criterion was introduced.

As set out in answer to S7W-03483 on 29 September 2026, a definitive assessment of scope or costs of any new policy position has not been undertaken. Some limited consideration was given previously and released as part of a Freedom of Information request in May 2026. It can be found in the following document (document 33): FOI+202600511271+-+Information+Released+-+Attachment+3.pdf.

This included an estimate of the number of additional children who would become eligible although this was for illustrative purposes only.

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-03483

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answers to question S6W-44443 by Natalie Don-Innes on 19 March 2026 and question S7W-03030 by Siobhian Brown on 18 September 2026, whether it has undertaken or commissioned an estimate of the annual cost of providing 1,140 hours of funded early learning and childcare from the age of two to children in families with multiple births and, if not, whether it will undertake such an assessment before finalising its forthcoming childcare blueprint.

Full assessment of future childcare delivery options and costs will be undertaken as part of the parliamentary and budgetary processes. While a definitive assessment of scope or costs of any new policy position is not available at this time, information relating to previous limited considerations of this matter was released as part of a Freedom of Information request in May 2026. It can be found in the following document (document 33):

FOI+202600511271+-+Information+Released+-+Attachment+3.pdf

Question reference: S7O-00338

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it is taking in response to reported warnings from the Governor of HMP Barlinnie about overcrowding and the risk of critical failure arising from the prison’s ageing infrastructure.

Question reference: S7W-02993

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers current public awareness-raising activity on gynaecological cancers to be sufficient, and what assessment it has made of the case for a dedicated national awareness campaign highlighting the signs and symptoms of all five gynaecological cancers and the importance of seeking medical advice promptly.

An evaluation of our ‘Be the Early Bird’ campaign during 2024-25 can be found here - 10. Other marketing channels and activity - Detect Cancer Earlier Marketing Campaign: Evaluation Report 2024/2025 - gov.scot.

This report found that the campaign’s impact is evident in the high levels of recognition, engagement and reported action, and increased visits to our getcheckedearly.org website.

We plan to publish an evaluation into the 2025-26 outputs of the campaign before the end of 2026.

Regarding the potential for a specific campaign for gynaecological cancer, it is important to note that the Scottish Government takes a whole-system, cross-cutting approach to improving cancer survival and providing excellent care, rather than developing tumour-specific national action plans or campaigns.

The current Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 is structured around system-wide priorities such as prevention, diagnosis, treatment, workforce, inequalities, person-centred care, research and survivorship. This is with the aim of making system-wide improvements that benefit people with many different cancers, rather than any one tumour type.

In addition to this, we are working towards the ambition of our Women’s Health Plan, that all women and girls in Scotland experience the best possible health – throughout their lives.

Question reference: S7W-02994

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people are empowered to discuss symptoms of potential gynaecological cancer with healthcare professionals and that their concerns are appropriately considered, including when they are experiencing persistent or unexplained pain.

As stated in response to S7W-02992 on 15 September 2026, Our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme takes a whole-systems approach to early detection and encompasses primary care, diagnostics, public education, data, innovation and screening. Detect Cancer Earlier’s ‘Be The Early Bird’ campaign launched in March 2023 aiming to reduce fear of cancer and empower those with possible symptoms to act early.

It is essential that primary care professionals are supported to recognise signs and symptoms when seeing people concerned about cancer. The Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist, including for gynaecological cancers. A clinical review of SRGs has been completed with updated guidance published on 6 August 2025.

Our Gateway C platform provides innovative and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making. This free online platform is accessible to all primary care clinicians including pharmacists, dentists, and optometrists.

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-03061

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in the current parliamentary session to deliver on its ambition to end the need for food banks.

The Scottish Government’s ambition is for a Scotland without the need for food banks. No one should have to compromise on food or other essentials and people should have sufficient money to access these with dignity and choice.

To support this, across this Parliament we will go further to protect and expand our cost-of-living package, recognising the pressures on household budgets. Putting more money into people’s pockets – through maximising the support they are entitled to or cutting everyday costs – is one of the most direct ways we can tackle poverty, protect people from the cost crisis and ensure they have the resources they need to thrive. That aim is built on a solid foundation, with Scotland having the most generous cost-of-living package anywhere in the UK including reducing council tax costs for over 100,000 households with children, funding free bus travel for over 2.4 million people and helping households save an estimated £450 a year on energy bills.

Specifically in 2026-27 we will allocate around £3.5 billion to policies that tackle poverty and the cost of living, including maintaining our investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund at £41 million, which provides vital support to those in crisis. We are also investing more than £18 million for the provision of free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice.

Through “Cash-First: Towards Ending the Need for Food Banks in Scotland”, we took forward nine actions over three years, 2023-2026, to improve the response to crisis, using a cash-first approach so that fewer people need to turn to food parcels. Our nine point plan included a Cash-First Programme (the Programme) to improve urgent access to emergency income when someone has no money for food, which was supported by Scottish Government funding of over £1.5 million.

An interim independent evaluation of the Programme was published on 9 July 2025, highlighting the individual work of the eight cash-first Partnerships and the impact of the Programme. The final evaluation report will be published in early Autumn 2026 and the learning will be considered and shared widely to inform future policy development by both central and local government.

Question reference: S7W-02990

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to mitigate firefighters’ and other personnel’s exposure to toxic fire effluents during large-scale and protracted wildfire incidents, including to ensure that firefighters and volunteers can shower and undertake appropriate decontamination within one hour of exposure, in light of the particular risks associated with prolonged grass and peat fires and any differences in PPE provision between professional firefighters and volunteers.

Decisions concerning deployment of firefighters and personnel regarding exposure to contaminants is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), who has a responsibility to ensure that firefighters, including volunteers, are not exposed to unacceptable levels of risk while supporting wildfire operations.

The Scottish Government is aware that the SFRS has established decontamination arrangements to support firefighters operating at prolonged incidents, including wildfires. Where local facilities are unavailable, alternative arrangements are in place to support access to decontamination facilities.

All firefighters deployed to wildfire incidents are provided with PPE which conforms to Health and Safety standards for the role they are undertaking and the risk assessment being applied by incident commanders.

Question reference: S7W-02991

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered strengthening the role of wildfire prevention, preparedness and response within Scotland’s civil contingencies arrangements under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, including whether the current arrangements adequately reflect the increasing risk posed by large-scale and protracted wildfire incidents to communities, infrastructure, the environment and emergency service capacity.

The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 already provides the statutory framework concerning preventing, planning for and responding to emergencies in Scotland, including wildfires. To strengthen preparedness for wildfire specifically, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) have developed a multi-agency Wildfire Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for consideration by the Scottish Resilience Partnership. It promotes a greater emphasis on prevention, risk reduction, readiness and multi-agency coordination, alongside operational response.

The Scottish Government’s Wildfire Strategic Action Plan sets out a coordinated approach to preventing, preparing for and responding to wildfires, and was published on 5 March 2026.

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