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-43223

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42932 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what it expects the accelerated timeline of the national rollout of MyCare.scot to be.

Question reference: S6W-43227

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42980 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 January 2026, whether any training is provided to (a) benefits advisors, (b) benefits assessors and (c) any other staff at Social Security Scotland on the importance of disabled people remaining physically active.

As noted in the previous question, S6W-42980, Social Security Scotland makes it clear on their website that disabled people are encouraged to improve their wellbeing by being more physically active, in a way that suits them, without it impacting their eligibility for disability benefits.

Social Security Scotland staff receive training on disability awareness, equality and trauma-informed practice, with in-house health and social care practitioners focusing on how conditions affect daily living.

Social Security Scotland does not provide training on promoting physical activity, as it is not a healthcare provider.

Question reference: S6W-43009

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what training has been made available to civil servants to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Civil servants in Scottish Government and its Executive Agencies have access to an online training module on the UNCRC and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. They also have access to self-led and facilitated training, guidance and a template on the section 17 duty of the UNCRC Act, which requires Scottish Government and Executive Agencies to prepare and publish a child rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) in certain circumstances.

Question reference: S6W-42981

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42575 by Maree Todd on 7 January 2026, how it is working with (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards to encourage disabled people to participate in physical activity or sport.

The Scottish Government remains committed to increasing opportunities for everyone to participate in sport and physical activity, no matter their background. This involves working closely with a wide range of partners across the sector, including both local authorities and NHS boards.

Our national agency for sport, sportscotland, invests in all 32 Scottish local authorities. This investment includes support for Community Sport Hubs and the Active Schools programme, which provide inclusive opportunities to participate, including for disabled people.

sportscotland has increased investment in Scottish Disability Sport (SDS) to £750,000 in 2025-26. This investment helps SDS to deliver a range of programmes to increase the participation of disabled people in sport and physical activity across Scotland, including through their work with local authorities and wider partners in the delivery of Parasport Festivals.

Our Physical Activity for Health Framework was delivered in partnership with CoSLA and recognises the important role that local authorities play to help increase rates of physical activity for all across the population.

In addition, the Framework acknowledges the vital role of health professionals in encouraging and supporting their patients to be active, including disabled people. The Framework includes an action to integrate the NHS Physical Activity Pathway into routine healthcare and exiting clinical pathways as part of treatment and rehabilitation. Public Health Scotland are working with NHS Boards to review progress with implementation.

Question reference: S6W-42982

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42573 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026, what action it is taking to encourage households with a disabled parent to take part in sport or physical activity with their children.

Sport and physical activity is crucial for the health and wellbeing of our communities and we want everyone to have the opportunity to be active.

Our devolved disability benefits help with the additional costs of being disabled. They are non-means tested and people can spend them as they choose in line with their needs. These vital payments can reduce barriers to equal participation in communities and increase life opportunities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42574 on 7 January 2026. 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-43309

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Energy Consents Unit has contacted the Children’s Rights Unit to request a consultation or advice regarding any impacts on children.

Question reference: S6W-43145

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recent announcement by the Minister for Public Finance of a new public portal for submitting representations to energy consents applications, what level of weight will be given to representations made by individual community members through this new portal when evaluating planning applications referred to the Energy Consents Unit.

Question reference: S6W-43197

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42935 by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026, what timeline it has given to the Collaborative Response and Assurance group to consider the recommendations and report back to it.

The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group (CRAG), which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, to come together to consider the recommendations as a whole and to develop a partnership approach to addressing them. We remain committed to reforming the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, which will play a critical role in embedding this recommendation in future.

The Audit Scotland report was discussed at the CRAG meeting held on 12 January with a sub-group due to meet in coming days to review all the recommendations. As such, we are not yet at a point where it is possible to provide specific deadlines or a definitive timeline for when the Group will conclude its consideration of the recommendations and report back. However, the Scottish Government will provide an update to Parliament when the Group is in a position to do so.

Question reference: S6W-43198

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42936 by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026, what form this work is taking, and what the timeline is for completion.

The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group, which is co-c-haired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, to come together to consider the recommendations as a whole and to develop a partnership approach to addressing them. The Scottish Government has begun this work and is engaging with key partners to discuss the delivery of Powers of Attorney and Guardianship processes.

This work is still at an early stage. As such, the form that the Group’s work will ultimately take, and the timescales for its completion, have not yet been determined. The Scottish Government will provide further updates as this work progresses.

Question reference: S6W-42933

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what governance arrangements are in place with the population health framework, the health and social care service renewal framework and the NHS operational improvement plan to promote shared accountability and joint decision-making between it, local authorities, NHS boards, health and social care partnerships and integrated joint boards.

We have now finalised plans for Health and Social Care Reform Portfolio and programme governance to take forward the commitments within the Operational Improvement Plan (OIP), the Population Health Framework (PHF) and the Service Renewal Framework (SRF), and it is through these frameworks that we will deliver the vision of a Scotland where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

The Reform Oversight Board brings together national and local accountability for delivery of the aims and priorities of the PHF and SRF. The Board complements, not replaces, local and national reform governance. It is jointly accountable to Scottish Ministers and COSLA Leaders. The first meeting of this quarterly board took place on 12 November, and it is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the COSLA spokesperson for Health and Social Care.

Additionally, Programme Boards have been established for the PHF (first meeting 26 November) and the SRF (first meeting 2 December) to set strategic direction and provide oversight. Board membership includes representatives from COSLA, SOLACE, NHS Boards and Integration Joint Boards.

The Collaborative Response and Assurance Group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA have been asked to come together to consider the Audit Scotland report's recommendations as a whole and develop a partnership approach to addressing them. Local systems are working to reduce delays and deliver on the commitments set out in the OIP.