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-40368

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of reviewing and implementing the recommendations of the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and by what date the board's final recommendations, including those on data improvement, will be published.

The Scottish Government has received the final report from the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and is grateful for their work. We are working with the organisations responsible for screening to implement the recommendations from the report. Funding has been provided to Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland to oversee and progress this work.

The final report will be published in the coming weeks. In line with the prioritisation of recommendations suggested within the report, immediate work is focused on exploring possible changes to the way in which breast screening is managed.

Question reference: S6W-40367

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish breast screening statistics for 2023-24, which were initially scheduled to be published in spring 2025, have been postponed until December 2025.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) announced on their website that they have delayed publication of their breast screening report to December 2025. This is due to data quality concerns identified during their standard quality assurance process. PHS are in communication with their data supplier to investigate and resolve these concerns to ensure accurate data is published in the report. These identified issues have not affected the operation of the breast screening programme itself or participants’ results.

Question reference: S6W-40369

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve access to defibrillators nationally.

Question reference: S6W-39990

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the long-term support needs of brain tumour survivors and their families.

Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that anyone diagnosed with cancer has access to a range of services throughout their cancer pathway. We are aware that individuals’ support needs change and evolve during this time.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) has developed National Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for adult neuro-oncology. This sets out an optimal treatment and support pathway for adults diagnosed with a brain tumour from diagnosis to end of life care.

The CMP outlines a consensus of clinical best practice, and includes information on a range of treatment and supportive care support following a diagnosis. This, ensures that everyone diagnosed with and living with a brain tumour have access the best possible care and support.

Question reference: S6W-39989

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring equitable access to specialist neuro-oncology services across all NHS boards.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) has developed a Clinical Management Pathway on adult neuro-oncology. It sets out the delivery of a Scotland-wide approach to optimal treatment options throughout the patient journey, from diagnosis through to follow-up or end of life care.

The neuro-oncology pathway provides a clinical consensus to delivering the optimal treatment and support options to individuals diagnosed with and living with brain cancer, regardless of individual or geographical variation. It also signposts resources and support services to live well with a brain tumour, take control and find practical help that meets their specific needs.

I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39990 on 4 September 2025. 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: S6W-39991

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to address any unmet need in diagnosing cancer, including brain tumours.

Scottish Government knows that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat, and even cure. Diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague.

We continue to have a focus on the less survivable cancers, including brain tumours, and improving their outcomes and this vision is part of our Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026.

The Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme initially launched in 2012, takes a whole-systems approach to early detection and encompasses primary care, diagnostics, public education, data, innovation and screening.

A new primary care cancer education platform - Gateway C, launched in 2024, is a free online platform providing innovative and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making.

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. For the first time, the guidelines includes an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours, to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time.

A new National Headache Pathway has also been published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.

Question reference: S6W-39986

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to reduce diagnostic delays for brain tumour patients.

Scottish Government recognises that diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague.

Through our Cancer strategy 2023 to 2033 - gov.scot and initial three year Cancer action plan 2023 to 2026 - gov.scot published in June 2023, a new Earlier Cancer Diagnosis Vision was developed. This vision aims to reduce later stage disease by 18 percentage points in 10 years’ time, with a focus on reducing the health inequalities gap, including for those with brain tumours.

Actions and resources to aid this vision include the Get Checked Early and NHS Inform websites, which highlight the possible symptoms of brain tumours, encouraging individuals to contact their General Practice for early detection and referrals.

In August 2025, Scottish Government published the updated Scottish Referral Guidelines for Urgent Suspicion of Cancer. These guidelines support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist and for the first time, the guideline includes an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours

Other resources to support primary care also include:

Gateway C, a new primary care cancer education platform launched in April 2024. Gateway C provides tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis and enable effective decision-making. This platform is accessible to all primary care clinicians and includes a brain tumour course specifically aimed at assisting the effective assessment and management of patients with a potential brain tumour.
A new National Headache Pathway published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.

Question reference: S6W-39988

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review current referral pathways to improve early detection of brain tumours.

Question reference: S6O-04912

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s recently announced funding to test new ways to tackle obesity and the reported limited access to weight management treatments across Scotland, what steps it is taking to ensure that people in rural areas, such as Dumfries and Galloway, can access new weight loss treatments, including through innovative models such as pharmacist-led pilot schemes in GP practices.

Question reference: S6W-39987

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider providing match-funding for the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence.