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-43265

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with NHS Borders on the role that independent charitable perinatal mental health services play in supporting statutory services, and whether any options exist for direct or indirect NHS funding to support their continuation.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role that third sector organisations play in supporting perinatal mental health outcomes, including working alongside NHS Boards to complement statutory services.

While engagement on perinatal mental health takes place regularly between Scottish Government officials and NHS Boards, decisions on how Boards work with and fund third sector partners are a matter for individual boards, based on local needs and priorities.

In 2019, the Scottish Government established the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Fund, administered by Inspiring Scotland.

Between October 2024 and March 2026, we are investing £1.5 million through this fund to support third-sector organisations delivering vital (non-clinical) mental health support during pregnancy and the early years. This funding has been distributed to 16 organisations, geographically spread across Scotland, including the Scottish Borders. Inspiring Scotland’s most recent reporting shows that the Fund continues to have a resoundingly positive impact.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the 2026-27 Scottish budget, we have committed to continue to fund these vital supports in the coming financial year.

Question reference: S6W-43266

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that any changes to funding criteria for mental health support do not disadvantage specialist services providing individual or family-based therapeutic interventions, particularly in rural and remote communities.

The Scottish Government maintains its ongoing commitment to funding perinatal and infant mental health support through the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Fund, administered by Inspiring Scotland.

Funding previously allocated directly to NHS Boards to improve specialist perinatal and infant mental health services as part of the Enhanced Mental Health Outcomes Framework has now been baselined directly into core NHS Board budgets. This provides greater long term funding stability and allows for better planning and continuity when making local spend decisions and providing local services and support.

All of our funding arrangements with partners are regularly reviewed to ensure they support a balanced range of provision and align with the aims and principles of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.

We regularly engage with stakeholders to monitor impact of funding, to ensure that service design and future funding decisions are informed by local need.

Question reference: S6W-43263

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the sustainability of third sector and charitable perinatal mental health services in rural areas, including the Scottish Borders, in light of reports that demand for specialist one-to-one counselling and therapy remains high but funding streams are increasingly focused on community-based provision.

The third sector continues to play a key role for families in providing access to perinatal mental health support. In 2019, the Scottish Government established the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health (PIMH) Fund, administered by Inspiring Scotland.

Between October 2024 and March 2026, we are investing £1.5 million through this fund to support third-sector organisations delivering vital (non-clinical) mental health support during pregnancy and the early years. This funding has been distributed to 16 organisations, geographically spread across Scotland, including rural areas such as the Scottish Borders, Western Isles and Dumfries and Galloway. Inspiring Scotland’s most recent reporting PIMH Progress Update: April - September 2025 - Inspiring Scotland shows that the Fund continues to have a resoundingly positive impact.

Subject to Parliamentary approval of the 2026-27 Scottish budget, we have committed to continue to fund these vital supports in the coming financial year.

Question reference: S6W-43267

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide longer-term funding certainty for charitable perinatal mental health services beyond short-term or transitional funding arrangements, in order to prevent any loss of established and effective provision.

In 2019, the Scottish Government established the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund (PIMH), administered by Inspiring Scotland. Between October 2024 and March 2026, we are investing £1.5 million through this fund to support third-sector organisations delivering vital (non-clinical) mental health support during pregnancy and the early years.

Inspiring Scotland’s most recent reporting PIMH Progress Update: April - September 2025 - Inspiring Scotland shows that the Fund continues to have a resoundingly positive impact. Subject to Parliamentary approval of the 2026-27 Scottish budget, we have committed to continue to fund these vital supports in the coming financial year.

Question reference: S6W-43268

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what provision there is within the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 for dedicated funding to support third sector and charitable perinatal mental health services, including those operating in rural areas such as the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6O-05469

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work it is doing to improve access to thrombectomy services across the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6O-05423

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will propose the scheduling of time for a ministerial statement on the written case for the Scottish Ministers and Lord Advocate in the judicial review of the Scottish Prison Service policy for the management of transgender people in custody, including how many times women’s rights are mentioned.

Question reference: S6O-05418

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 will have on social security in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-42505

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the feasibility of capping annual increases in non-domestic rates liability for self-catering businesses in order to prevent sharp cost escalation.

Question reference: S6W-42506

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will explore sector-specific non-domestic rates relief options similar to those applied to hospitality businesses in other parts of the UK.