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-40694

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for Safer Drug Consumption Facilities (SDCF). However, a mobile facility would be difficult to deliver while still being able to meet the criteria previously set out by the Lord Advocate in relation to what she would consider in terms of a proposal for an SDCF and for which she would be able to offer a statement of prosecution policy.

The current statement of prosecution policy is specific to the Thistle facility in Glasgow. Any alternative model, such as a mobile service, would require further detailed consideration with the Lord Advocate, Police Scotland and COPFS to determine whether it could be accommodated within the existing legal framework

Question reference: S6W-40696

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on opening an inhalation room in The Thistle safer drug consumption facility, and how much it estimates this would cost.

The position of the Scottish Government is that any intervention proven to save lives and reduce harms, such as an inhalation room, should be considered on its merits.

We would support a proposal from The Thistle facility to the Lord Advocate for the introduction of such an inhalation space. However, the ability to progress such a development remains constrained by the current legal framework under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the limits of the Lord Advocate’s prosecutorial discretion.

At this stage no cost estimate has been provided as no formal proposal for the inclusion of an inhalation room has yet been submitted by the Thistle.

Question reference: S6W-40695

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it would cost, per vehicle, to introduce mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland.

The only existing Statement of Prosecution Policy from the Lord Advocate in relation to a safer drug consumption facility applies only to the operation of a fixed facility, mobile units are not currently within scope.

The Scottish Government has not received any proposals for the introduction of mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland, nor have we undertaken any work to determine the estimated cost of such units.

As a result, we do not hold any cost estimates for this model.

Question reference: S6O-04991

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve night-time public transport connections between city centres and suburban areas, including support for late-night bus and rail services to improve affordability, safety and service reliability.

Question reference: S6O-04938

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to address gang-related violence.

Question reference: S6W-40299

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a transport service, including taxi provision, available to support individuals with addictions in travelling to and from the drug consumption facility in Glasgow, and, if so, how many individuals currently have access to or make use of this service.

The Scottish Government can confirm there is no transport service, including taxi provision, available to support individuals who use drugs, in travelling to and from the Glasgow Safer Drug Consumption Facility (The Thistle).

No provision has been made for funded transport as part of the current operating model. Consequently, there are no figures available on service users' access to transport service at the Thistle.

Question reference: S6O-04905

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, 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 relation to its policies on land reform and land use, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any action that can be taken to address concerns about derelict land and vacant buildings in urban areas, including Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-38617

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31484 by Neil Gray on 21 November 2024, when it plans to publish the national specification on treatment and recovery services for drugs and alcohol, as was originally planned for the first quarter of 2025.

Question reference: S6W-37484

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported absence of published waiting list data for gynaecology inpatient procedures and consultant-led outpatient appointments, and when up-to-date data will next be made available, in light of the most recent figures reportedly only covering up to the end of Q2 2024, with no updates expected before Q3 2025.

This is not correct.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publish data relating to the length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient or admitted for treatment as an inpatient or day case on a quarterly basis. The latest Stage of Treatment publication, published on 4 March 2025, includes information on gynaecology new outpatient and inpatient or day-case waits up to 31 December 2024. This can be accessed here: Stage of treatment waiting times - Inpatients, day cases and new outpatients quarter ending 31 December 2024 - NHS waiting times - stage of treatment - Publications - Public Health Scotland

The next Stage of Treatment report will be published on 27 May 2025 and will include waiting times data for all planned care specialities, including gynaecology, up to the quarter ending 31 March 2025.

Question reference: S6O-04657

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest Public Health Scotland statistics on delayed discharges in NHS Scotland, which show that the average length of delay for March 2025 was 27 days.