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-42567

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that some Edinburgh Western constituents are yet to receive their Winter Heating Payments and have been told that they may need to wait until February to get them in their accounts, what the reasons are for some payments not having been allocated.

Question reference: S6W-42542

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to work with other UK nations to develop a consistent approach to the confirmation process in Scotland, equivalent to probate in England, for executors to get authority to manage and distribute a deceased person's estate, in light of reported concerns from residents in the Edinburgh Western constituency that there are differences in the process in Scotland and England.

Question reference: S6W-42540

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the confirmation process for executors to get authority to manage and distribute a deceased person's estate.

Question reference: S6W-42305

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing publicly accessible bleed control kits in high-footfall locations, as is done with defibrillators, to help save the lives of victims of knife crime or other traumatic injuries.

We do not currently have a plan to make bleed kits available nationally across Scotland but we encourage the public to focus on calling the emergency services for assistance in the case of an emergency and encourage members of the public, including young people themselves, to learn the basic first aid skills which could be vital in saving a life.

Whilst our approach to tackling knife crime is to prevent young people from picking up a knife in the first instance, it is important that bystanders are given the best advice on how to provide direct pressure to a bleeding wound using readily available items such as dry towels or clothing. Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) call handlers are well trained to provide first aid advice to bystanders before an ambulance arrives.

SAS is following the position of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, which is supported by a number of UK organisations such as the London Ambulance Service and the NHS England London Violence Reduction Programme, in promoting bystander first aid but not the general role out of commercially available bleed kits. The SAS major trauma team regularly reviews how best to treat patients experiencing significant bleeding, which includes reviewing and taking part in guidance and research.

Question reference: S6W-42497

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure meaningful and consistent involvement of (a) Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), (b) local midwives and (c) families in each stage of the independent review of maternity services in Caithness.

Question reference: S6W-42499

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a timetable for the independent review of maternity services in Caithness, including key milestones, community engagement sessions and the anticipated publication date for the final report.

Question reference: S6W-42498

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the independent review of maternity services in Caithness will be conducted separately from the new Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, and whether the review will be chaired by an individual who is fully independent of both NHS Highland and the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-42182

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to introduce a legal requirement for kitchen knives to be security-tagged or kept behind the counter in retail premises, as is done with other products that could be used as weapons.

Existing laws already regulate the sale of dangerous bladed items. We continue to work closely with Police Scotland, local authorities and retailers to reduce knife related harm and to support the enforcement of these safeguards, including age restriction requirements. Retailers also have an important role to play in keeping their communities safe by ensuring the items they sell, including kitchen knives, are stored and displayed responsibly.

In this context, the Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce a legal requirement for kitchen knives to be security-tagged or kept behind the counter in retail premises.

Question reference: S6W-42145

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to raise awareness of endometriosis in schools.

Endometriosis is a priority in the Women’s Health Plan and will continue to be so. The ongoing action we will take to support those living with endometriosis will be set out in the next phase of the Plan, which is expected to be published in January 2026.

In schools, menstrual health and wellbeing education is a key part of relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education. RSHP education is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the Scottish curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence. Learning about RSHP education begins early on in primary school and continues right up to S4-S6.

Education Scotland have a summary of RSHP teaching resources on their website, providing age and stage appropriate learning activities on RSHP education for use in all education settings and aligned to Curriculum for Excellence. This resource includes learning activities on menstruation from second level (P5 to P7), with endometriosis introduced at third/fourth level (S1 to S3).

This online RSHP teaching resource was subject to review and refresh in 2023. Teachers continue to access the resource regularly.

Question reference: S6W-42147

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take with the NHS to support people who may have been affected by exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) as a result of their mother using the drug during pregnancy, and how it plans to test any people exposed to DES in this way for any potential health issues resulting from this exposure.

The Scottish Government has the utmost sympathy for women who were prescribed diethylstilbestrol (DES) and the impact it may have had on them and their families.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) does not currently recommend increased screening for individuals whose mother may have been administered diethylstilbestrol while pregnant with them. The most recent guidance advises that routine screening is appropriate for those who believe that they were exposed to stilbestrol in utero, and we would encourage all women to attend their routine breast and cervical screening appointments.

In line with the UK NSC’s current recommendations, all women aged between 50 to 70 are invited for breast screening every three years. In addition, those aged 25 and 64 are invited for routine cervical screening every 5 years. Individuals may be invited for more regular cervical screening or until they are aged 70 if previous results have found changes that need to be monitored.

Anyone concerned that they may have side effects from possible or known exposure to DES should discuss this with their GP in the first instance, who can provide support and advice, and request a referral for any further testing or treatment if this is determined to be appropriate.