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: S6W-41150

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 10 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 13 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of 12 October 2025 marking the first anniversary of the death of the former First Minister, Alex Salmond, whether it will consider commissioning a memorial to be located within the Scottish Parliament.

The SPCB’s Memorials Policy sets out its approach to marking the deaths of prominent individuals and other significant events. In line with this policy, the SPCB does not commission permanent memorials within the Scottish Parliament building or grounds. Accordingly, the SPCB does not intend to commission a memorial within the Scottish Parliament to mark the first anniversary of the death of the former First Minister, Alex Salmond.

Question reference: S6O-05677

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to reduce journey times and congestion for commuters travelling to and from Edinburgh and East Lothian, including measures to progress with the delayed upgrade of Sheriffhall Roundabout and to improve transport reliability across the region.

Question reference: S6W-43747

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measurable improvements in patient outcomes and service delivery have been observed since the recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland report were accepted, particularly in areas flagged as urgent, including paediatric diagnostic safety, waiting times and equitable access to audiology services across all NHS boards.

The final report in March 2025 on the Implementation of the Recommendations from the Review of Audiology Services in Scotland set out progress that has been made nationally on each of the 55 recommendations of the independent review.

As part of ongoing longer term improvement work, NHS Boards are currently undertaking a review of audiology services against the Improving Quality In Physiological Services (IQIPS) standards. This process will be completed by the summer of 2026 and will set out where Health Boards are achieving the standard, where there are any gaps, and what actions should be taken to address any such gaps.

Question reference: S6W-43748

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to monitor, escalate and publicly report on the ongoing delivery of the 55 recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland report, and how it ensures that workforce shortages, variability between NHS boards and incomplete quality assurance systems do not prevent the implementation of all 55 recommendations.

The publication of the final report in March 2025 on the Implementation of the Recommendations from the Review of Audiology Services in Scotland marked the conclusion of the national programme of work.

As set out in the final report, responsibility for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the remaining Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland report now lies primarily with NHS Boards themselves via their Audiology Local Action Plans.

Question reference: S6W-43749

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the 55 recommendations in the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland that it accepted, whether it will confirm if the draft Budget 2026-27 will dedicate funding to ensure full delivery of these audiology services reforms across all NHS boards.

Question reference: S6O-05596

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures success in protecting care-experienced children, in light of reports that its flagship policy, The Promise, has failed to keep vulnerable children safe.

Question reference: S6W-43746

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 16 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland report making 55 recommendations to improve services, whether it will provide (a) a breakdown of the number of recommendations that (i) have been fully implemented to date, (ii) are in operational work plans and (iii) remain dependent on linked actions and (b) the timescale for completion of each outstanding recommendation.

A national programme of work to address recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland was concluded in 2025. A final report was produced which sets out how recommendations have either been implemented and completed, or embedded in longer term work programmes within the health and social care system.

This report is available at: Implementing-the-Recommendations-from-the-IRASS-March-2025.pdf

Question reference: S6O-05571

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that withdrawing funding for Wave Energy Scotland from March 2026 will have on Scotland’s ability to leverage investment, including through Horizon Europe, and on confidence in the marine energy sector.

Question reference: S6O-05530

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since 2007 to address prostitution, including legislative measures aimed at tackling demand for paid sex as a means of preventing harm to vulnerable women and girls, and the provision of exit support services for recovery from any complex trauma resulting from prostitution.

Question reference: S6W-43396

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of testimony from survivors of grooming gangs, frontline service organisations and justice agencies that child sexual exploitation (CSE) and grooming are core pathways through which vulnerable children are drawn into the commercial sexual exploitation of prostitution, both in childhood and later in adulthood, whether it consulted Professor Alexis Jay, its expert adviser on CSE, including grooming, in relation to the Prostitution (Offences and Support) (Scotland) Bill, ahead of the stage 1 vote on 3 February 2026.

It would be a matter for the sponsoring MSP to determine who she would wish to consult with on her Bill.

Professor Alexis Jay has been appointed independent Chair of the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation (CSAE) Strategic Group and will provide expert advice to Scottish Ministers on CSAE, and on the findings of the National Review of local responses to group-based CSAE announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills in December 2025. Professor Jay chaired her first meeting of the Group on 28 January 2026.

A key focus of the Group’s current activity is to recommend improvements to workforce education and training to ensure professionals are better equipped to identify and respond when children are at risk of experiencing abuse.

This includes consideration and collaboration with other key workstreams and initiatives, including our Strategic Approach to challenge demand for prostitution.