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-43798

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 4 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to implement the recommendations from the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape by James Withers, particularly around engagement with business.

The Scottish Government remains committed to driving change through our Post-School Education and Skills Reform Programme. Recent progress includes the passing of The Tertiary Education and Training (TET) Bill on 20 January, which will simplify the system by giving responsibility for funding national training programmes and all apprenticeships to a redesigned Scottish Funding Council. We have also reached agreement on a new model for skills planning with the Scottish Funding Council and Skills Development Scotland. In the period ahead, this work involves identifying a manageable number of sectors for national Skills Needs Assessments (SNAs). This will focus assessment capacity where national level insight can add the greatest value, rather than attempting to assess the whole economy in depth at once.

Once we have enhanced understanding of the skills needs in these sectors, the Scottish Government will identify priority skills and set expectations for the system in addressing these, whereas SFC will ensure planning and reporting is in place for delivery of post-school provision for the priority skills. This is being tested with partners across industry, regions and providers before any decisions are finalised. In all of this we continue to engage closely with businesses and employers. The Scottish Government hosts an employer roundtable which provides an opportunity for strategic engagement with employers. In addition, officials have set up a national reform employer network to engage employers at project level. I have also led extensive engagement with employers, businesses and business representative organisations on specific proposals including the TET Bill and the new model for Skills Planning. We will continue to engage closely with them as we progress this work.

Question reference: S6W-43916

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Ayrshire and Arran's escalation to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework, what discussions it has had with the board regarding the (a) operating cost so far and (b) date of the opening of the National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service for Scotland (Foxgrove); what its response is to the recent information released under Freedom of Information that £5,243,606 has been spent on salaries for staff at the site since 2021, despite it not yet formally being opened, what its position is on whether this represents good value for the public purse, and whether it expects Foxgrove to open prior to 7 May 2026, before the Scottish Parliament election.

Ministers remain committed to ensuring that the National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service at Foxgrove opens as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so. Scottish Government officials meet regularly with NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Scotland Assure to monitor progress towards opening, including discussion of operational readiness, workforce matters and associated costs.

Recruitment of specialist staff in advance of opening is necessary to ensure appropriate training, governance arrangements and regulatory compliance are in place for what will be a highly specialist national service. The costs referenced relate to establishing and retaining a skilled workforce to support safe delivery of care once the service becomes operational.

Opening will take place once all safety, clinical and regulatory requirements have been fully satisfied.

Question reference: S6W-43914

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Ayrshire and Arran's escalation to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework, what discussions it has had with the board regarding whether it is seeking to sell the Carrick Glen National Treatment Centre, and whether the board has formally made such a request, including whether the board asked that the sale takes place after 7 May 2026, following the Scottish Parliament election.

The escalation of NHS Ayrshire and Arran to level 4 of the framework has no impact on decision making around the National Treatment Centre or the Carrick Glen site.

Carrick Glen Hospital has not yet been disposed of because the necessary service-planning and asset-surplus processes are still ongoing, and it would be inappropriate to bring a site to market before those steps are complete. Also, no request has been made regarding the timing of any sale in relation to the Scottish Parliament election.

We are currently working with all health boards to develop an NHS whole system infrastructure plan for Scotland. This will support continued safe and effective use of existing facilities as well as informing future investment priorities based on assessment of need across the whole of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43836

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision in the case Raeshaw Farms Limited vs The Scottish Ministers and Energiekontor UK Ltd, whether any changes will be made to the processes followed by planning reporters.

Question reference: S6W-44024

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s statement on 3 September 2025 regarding defence firms linked to Israel, how this policy is being delivered by (a) its relevant departments, (b) its enterprise agencies and (c) the Scottish National Investment Bank; whether the review of the policy has now taken place; if (i) so, by what date it was completed and the findings published and (ii) not, by what date it will do so and when this will be completed and the findings published, and what other similar policies it has since implemented or is considering.

Question reference: S6W-43837

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Opinion of the Court delivered in the case Raeshaw Farms Limited vs The Scottish Ministers and Energiekontor UK Ltd on 17 February 2026.

Question reference: S6W-43946

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the existing CT and MRI scanner stock across NHS boards, what conversations it has had with NHS boards and what assessment it has made of whether it is sufficient to meet present and future demand.

Question reference: S6W-43944

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the most recent Public Health Scotland data, what assessment it has made of the likelihood of meeting the March 2026 diagnostic waiting times target for radiology.

Question reference: S6W-43945

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has undertaken of any impact of radiographer and clinical radiologist staffing levels on timely access to CT and MRI scans.

Question reference: S6W-43943

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve timely access to CT and MRI scans, and how the impact of initiatives, including seven-day services and mobile scanning units, is being evaluated.