- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the historically high numbers of people presenting as homeless and being housed in temporary accommodation for extended periods of time, what action it plans to take to ensure that people experiencing homelessness can eat well and maintain good nutrition during periods spent in temporary accommodation and while longer term ambitions to reduce the numbers of people housed in temporary accommodation are realised.
Answer
The legal duty for housing and homelessness services, including responsibility for the provision and management of temporary accommodation, rests with local authorities. Under The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2014, temporary accommodation provided to households must meet specified standards, including access to adequate cooking facilities. Access to suitable cooking facilities is important in enabling households to prepare meals and make their own choices about the food they eat while living in temporary accommodation.
The Scottish Government provides funding to regional community food networks to work with local authorities and health boards to help improve access to healthier food options and improve diets, including for people living in temporary accommodation.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 28 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure consistent access to NHS prescribing and shared care for people with an appropriate private ADHD diagnosis, regardless of where they live in Scotland, while maintaining the necessary clinical safeguards.
Answer
Answer expected on 28 October 2026
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 28 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to any additional funding and specific timescales for reducing ADHD assessment and treatment waiting times across Scotland, and, if so, how much funding it will provide, what the timescale will be and what support will be available to people while they wait.
Answer
Answer expected on 28 October 2026
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2026
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026
Question to be taken in Chamber.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 29 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports that NHS Lothian is unable to offer mammogram appointments in Edinburgh, and how it is working with NHS Lothian to ensure that local appointments for breast screening services can be offered to women in Edinburgh who require one.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware that the NHS Lothian ‘Increased-Risk Breast Surveillance’ service for all eligible individuals has been relocated from Ardmillan House, Edinburgh to St John’s Hospital, Livingston.
Whilst this is an operational matter for NHS Lothian, the Scottish Government understand that this decision was driven by sustained growth in Edinburgh’s routine screening population (aged 50 to 70), which has increased by 10% since 2018 and exceeded the capacity Ardmillan House was originally designed to support. The Health Board undertook an assessment of patients booked in January 2026 which found that St John’s Hospital was more accessible for those travelling from Fife, West Lothian, South and West Edinburgh, and Midlothian, although longer public transport journeys were recognised for some residents of Central and North Edinburgh and East Lothian. As one of NHS Lothian’s three acute hospitals, St John’s provides a reasonable and equitable location for the service, with limited alternative options currently available.
The Scottish Government wants everyone accessing health services to be treated as close to home as clinically appropriate. Where travel is necessary, the Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to work collaboratively with transport providers to make suitable arrangements to ensure that the necessary treatment and services can be provided in a patient-centred way.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 29 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a costed delivery plan and timetable for extending funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to children under three.
Answer
As set out in the Programme for Government in early September, we will publish and consult on a blueprint for a transformed childcare offer in 2027, focussing on what matters most to families. Given the scale of our ambition to transform childcare, it is only right we take the time to develop that blueprint and we will publish it for consultation next year. Decisions on future delivery and costs will be considered through the appropriate parliamentary and budgetary processes.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it can provide regarding when local authorities and community groups will be able to access the recently announced Flood Resilience Fund.
Answer
In August 2026, we announced £15 million of new funding to enhance flood resilience in Scotland’s most vulnerable communities. The funding will support a range of measures, including community-led projects, nature-based solutions, improved flood data, and targeted local interventions. This investment forms part of our wider Flood Resilience Strategy to create a safer and more resilient Scotland.
The programme will include:
- The creation of community-led small grants and funding for projects delivered through local authority and community partnerships.
- Investment in blue-green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.
- Support for measures to enhance the resilience and extend the lifespan of existing flood protection assets.
- Funding for innovative projects to strengthen coastal resilience.
Following preparatory work during 2026-27, funding for local projects is expected to become available from 2027-28.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what resources, in addition to the advice available through the Parent Club platform, it is developing to provide parents and caregivers with clear and comprehensive guidance on managing screen time, device exposure and AI-driven tools for children under five in the home environment.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware that children are increasingly engaging with digital devices from an earlier age. The Scottish Government recognises that it is important that we provide parents with access to clear and up to date advice on how they can support their children’s development and wellbeing.
The Scottish Government currently supports parents and carers with comprehensive guidance on online behaviours via our Parent Club resource, which is our key communication channel for reaching parents and carers across Scotland. Additionally, the Scottish Government funds the Mind Yer Time website and the Aye Feel online resource, which also provide advice on managing screen time and device use, as well as understanding AI for children, young people and parents, carers.
As well as the existing resources for parents available through Parent Club, Mind Yer Time and Aye Feel, the Scottish Government recently issued Digital Wellbeing surveys to children and young people and to parents and carers. In addition, as part of the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan, the Scottish Government is developing a robust evidence base on the key factors shaping children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing. This will include consideration of the impact of screen time and AI. The Scottish Government will work with stakeholders, children and young people, parents and carers to further develop policy responses to address these issues. The surveys and the evidence review will inform and strengthen our understanding of parent/carer’s and children/young people’s use of digital devices and provide information on what areas of digital use they want and need support on, but importantly how they want to receive that support.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce national guidance on screen time for children under five, including specific limits, similar to the guidance introduced in England.
Answer
In November 2025, the Scottish Government published guidance on its Parent Club website, in line with World Health Organisation recommendations, in recognition that excessive screen time in early years can impact children's development, including their ability to concentrate and communicate.
The guidance advises- no screen time for babies and infants under two, apart from video calls with known adults, and no more than one hour daily for children aged two to four. The Scottish Government understands that screen time can bring benefits, allowing children to stay in touch with loved ones, however it needs to be managed and will not replace the benefit of face-to-face interaction.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Kirsten Oswald on 23 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government who regulates taxi fares, and what capacity ministers have to review or monitor price increases in this area.
Answer
Taxis and Private Hire Cars (PHCs) are licensed under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (“the 1982 Act”).
While the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament has responsibility for the overarching legislation, the day to day administration of the licensing regime is devolved to independent licensing authorities through the 1982 Act – in effect the 32 Scottish local authorities.
All licensing authorities have a duty under section 17 of the 1982 Act to fix the scales for fares and all other charges in connection with the hire of taxis in their area, and have a duty to review the resultant fare scales within 18 months of the scales coming into effect. These are matters for each licensing authority to determine.
While the Scottish Ministers do not have any specific functions in relation to the day to day operation of the Taxi/ PHC licensing regime in any given local authority area, we provide best practice guidance to inform and assist local licensing authorities in their independent decision making.
In 2023 the Scottish Government published updated best practice guidance for local licensing authorities and Taxi and PHC operators on the licensing of Taxis and PHCs and their drivers. Chapter six of the best practice guidance includes information in relation to taxi fares.
