- Asked by: David Linden, MSP for Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 9 November 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what provision is available for memory assessment for prisoners with suspected dementia.
Answer
Answer expected on 9 November 2026
- Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it will make of any potential impact on the sustainability of the college sector before determining future funding arrangements in its 2027-28 Budget.
Answer
The fiscal environment remains extremely challenging and decisions on future funding will be taken as part of the Budget process, with spending directed towards the delivery of the First Minister's priorities.
We are working with the Scottish Funding Council and the sector to strengthen financial sustainability and provide greater flexibility, while also supporting the College Sector of the Future workstream. These measures will improve the sustainability of the sector.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many students receiving support from the Student Awards Agency Scotland are recorded as (a) living at the parental home and (b) living away from the parental home during their studies, broken down by year since 2016-17 and, if available, by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile.
Answer
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) does not collect the information requested, as Higher Education student support is not assessed on the basis of whether an individual resides in the parental home or lives away from the parental home during their studies.
SAAS does publish information relating to supported students by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile within its annual statistical publication. However, these figures represent the overall population of full-time supported Higher Education students for whom SIMD data is available. The published data is not segmented according to whether students live in the parental home or away from home.
The available SIMD information for the period held is set out in the following table:
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) analysis of full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students (all support), 2016-17 to 2025-26 |
| | Statistic | Most deprived | | | | Least deprived | |
SIMD 1 | SIMD 2 | SIMD 3 | SIMD 4 | SIMD 5 | All full-time students matched to SIMD |
2016-17 | Number of students | 19,960 | 21,090 | 24,985 | 29,090 | 35,250 | 130,375 |
Percentage composition | 15.3% | 16.2% | 19.2% | 22.3% | 27.0% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 140.0 | 138.1 | 155.6 | 173.9 | 196.7 | 804.3 |
Average per student | 7,010 | 6,550 | 6,230 | 5,980 | 5,580 | 6,170 |
2017-18 | Number of students | 21,635 | 22,175 | 25,175 | 29,450 | 36,775 | 135,210 |
Percentage composition | 16.0% | 16.4% | 18.6% | 21.8% | 27.2% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 153.3 | 147.7 | 160.2 | 177.6 | 212.2 | 851.0 |
Average per student | 7,080 | 6,660 | 6,360 | 6,030 | 5,770 | 6,290 |
2018-19 | Number of students | 22,340 | 22,195 | 25,355 | 29,765 | 36,760 | 136,420 |
Percentage composition | 16.4% | 16.3% | 18.6% | 21.8% | 26.9% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 158.7 | 148.4 | 161.6 | 180.8 | 214.0 | 863.4 |
Average per student | 7,100 | 6,680 | 6,380 | 6,070 | 5,820 | 6,330 |
2019-20 | Number of students | 22,805 | 22,130 | 25,000 | 29,675 | 36,630 | 136,240 |
Percentage composition | 16.7% | 16.2% | 18.3% | 21.8% | 26.9% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 165.4 | 151.1 | 163.4 | 184.2 | 218.3 | 882.5 |
Average per student | 7,250 | 6,830 | 6,540 | 6,210 | 5,960 | 6,480 |
2020-21 | Number of students | 23,845 | 23,740 | 25,840 | 31,650 | 38,260 | 143,335 |
Percentage composition | 16.6% | 16.6% | 18.0% | 22.1% | 26.7% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 169.9 | 159.9 | 166.6 | 195.5 | 225.4 | 917.3 |
Average per student | 7,120 | 6,740 | 6,450 | 6,180 | 5,890 | 6,400 |
2021-22 | Number of students | 22,870 | 22,870 | 24,945 | 30,650 | 37,350 | 138,685 |
Percentage composition | 16.5% | 16.5% | 18.0% | 22.1% | 26.9% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 157.6 | 148.9 | 156.5 | 185.3 | 217.5 | 865.8 |
Average per student | 6,890 | 6,510 | 6,270 | 6,050 | 5,820 | 6,240 |
2022-23 | Number of students | 21,245 | 21,140 | 23,295 | 29,390 | 36,010 | 131,080 |
Percentage composition | 16.2% | 16.1% | 17.8% | 22.4% | 27.5% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 149.9 | 141.9 | 150.6 | 182.3 | 215.2 | 839.8 |
Average per student (£) | 7,050 | 6,710 | 6,460 | 6,200 | 5,980 | 6,410 |
2023-24 | Number of students | 21,155 | 20,765 | 22,830 | 29,275 | 35,650 | 129,670 |
Percentage composition | 16.3% | 16.0% | 17.6% | 22.6% | 27.5% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 161.2 | 150.8 | 159.7 | 197.8 | 230.6 | 900.1 |
Average per student (£) | 7,620 | 7,260 | 7,000 | 6,760 | 6,470 | 6,940 |
2024-25 | Number of students | 21,925 | 21,260 | 23,055 | 29,845 | 36,705 | 132,790 |
Percentage composition | 16.5% | 16.0% | 17.4% | 22.5% | 27.6% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 205.1 | 187.9 | 195.0 | 242.3 | 284.7 | 1,115.0 |
Average per student (£) | 9,350 | 8,840 | 8,460 | 8,120 | 7,760 | 8,400 |
2025-26 | Number of students | 22,555 | 22,115 | 23,620 | 31,110 | 37,515 | 136,915 |
Percentage composition | 16.5% | 16.2% | 17.3% | 22.7% | 27.4% | [z] |
Amount (£ million) | 209.0 | 193.6 | 197.3 | 247.1 | 284.5 | 1,131.5 |
Average per student (£) | 9,265 | 8,755 | 8,350 | 7,945 | 7,585 | 8,265 |
Source: SAAS
Note: Analysis is based on those students where the provided home address is a valid Scottish postcode. Home address is that provided by the student and may not necessarily reflect where their permanent residence is - for example, they may declare their term-time address as being the home address. As such the analysis may not reflect the actual residence circumstances of the students.
Note: Data for 2016-17 is based on SIMD 2012, data for years 2017-18 to 2019-20 is based on SIMD 2016 and data for years 2020-21 to 2025-26 is based on SIMD 2020.
z – not applicable
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many endoscopies have been undertaken in each year since 2016, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The table below provides information on the number of endoscopies of the gastrointestinal tract (including capsule endoscopy), cytosponge and cystoscopies of the bladder performed by NHS Boards of treatment in each of the past ten calendar years.
Table 1: Number of endoscopies of the gastrointestinal tract (including capsule endoscopy), cytosponge and cystoscopies of the bladder by NHS Health Board of treatment in Scotland, 2016 – 2025
NHS Board of treatment | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
NHS Ayrshire & Arran | 14,791 | 14,037 | 14,048 | 15,255 | 7,186 | 8,837 | 9,200 | 10,248 | 9,828 | 9,243 |
NHS Borders | 2,873 | 3,472 | 3,451 | 3,332 | 1,666 | 2,404 | 2,239 | 1,242 | 1,383 | 1,756 |
NHS Dumfries & Galloway | 7,784 | 7,222 | 7,806 | 7,911 | 5,685 | 7,277 | 7,501 | 8,136 | 7,653 | 8,175 |
NHS Fife | 16,632 | 10,427 | 11,090 | 10,175 | 6,613 | 7,437 | 7,948 | 7,950 | 7,476 | 6,293 |
NHS Forth Valley | 9,919 | 10,414 | 9,987 | 6,380 | 2,436 | 3,012 | 3,557 | 4,465 | 4,489 | 4,605 |
NHS Grampian | 19,915 | 19,854 | 20,685 | 21,565 | 13,264 | 17,358 | 15,939 | 14,111 | 14,456 | 16,320 |
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde | 65,503 | 65,358 | 64,212 | 65,668 | 33,374 | 45,889 | 51,428 | 54,635 | 60,393 | 55,356 |
NHS Highland | 10,399 | 8,965 | 8,759 | 8,591 | 6,100 | 6,784 | 6,731 | 6,539 | 7,552 | 7,059 |
NHS Lanarkshire | 28,260 | 27,821 | 27,649 | 29,012 | 12,464 | 17,375 | 20,327 | 24,256 | 26,822 | 24,541 |
NHS Lothian | 17,544 | 16,943 | 17,297 | 18,095 | 10,030 | 11,915 | 11,751 | 14,073 | 12,616 | 13,246 |
NHS Orkney | 727 | 727 | 852 | 991 | 837 | 1,020 | 994 | 870 | 977 | 919 |
NHS Shetland | 999 | 1,059 | 1,117 | 1,068 | 784 | 1,016 | 1,069 | 1,068 | 1,058 | 1,063 |
NHS Tayside | 13,517 | 13,143 | 12,878 | 12,831 | 9,990 | 11,565 | 13,415 | 14,743 | 13,765 | 14,208 |
NHS Western Isles | 1,535 | 1,473 | 906 | 1,258 | 847 | 1,029 | 1,021 | 1,093 | 1,192 | 1,309 |
National Waiting Times Centre | 1,756 | 1,857 | 2,439 | 2,837 | 2,280 | 5,606 | 6,870 | 8,224 | 8,107 | 11,342 |
Non-NHS Provider | 263 | 702 | 387 | 280 | 646 | 132 | 2,146 | 2,717 | 1,918 | * |
Total† | 212,417 | 203,474 | 203,563 | 205,249 | 114,202 | 148,656 | 162,136 | 174,370 | 179,685 | 175,435 |
* Indicates values have been suppressed.
†Total includes figures for NHS Scotland, and figures for non-NHS provider, except where the non-NHS provider value has been supressed.
- Source: SMR01, SMR00 Public Health Scotland.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which the cost and availability of student accommodation is resulting in more students choosing to live at home while attending university.
Answer
UCAS recently started to publish data on a student’s intention to stay at home, however they do not collect information on the reasons why students make this choice.
Latest data from UCAS shows that 48.4% of Scottish 18 years old intend to live at home.
Published data from the Higher Education Statistical Agency (HESA) shows that the number of students actually choosing to stay at home while studying has remained steady over the last 3 years.
Scottish Government commissioned research by the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHe) in 2022 on students’ experiences of PBSA, including affordability and accommodation choices. Only 3.5% of respondents to that research were living at home, and so the findings were not conclusive.
- Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government when it will amend the Local Government (Allowances and Expenses) (Scotland) Regulations to update the motor mileage rate to 55p per mile, as agreed by local authorities.
Answer
The amount councillors can claim in expenses, including the motor mileage rate, is set in the Local Government (Allowances and Expenses) (Scotland) Regulations 2007. These regulations are ordinarily updated on the advice of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC). COSLA has approached us regarding the recommendation SLARC made in February 2024 relating to councillor expenses. The Scottish Government accepted this recommendation in principle in July 2024 but considered it required further consideration by local government.
As part of engagement with COSLA, the updated HMRC mileage rate has been raised. Discussions are ongoing and no decisions have been taken regarding any changes to the current arrangements at present. We expect COSLA to keep councillors updated on any progress in this area.
- Asked by: Lloyd Melville, MSP for Angus South, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on rural and agricultural businesses.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to engage with representatives of rural and agricultural businesses regarding the impact of the UK Government's increase in Employer National Insurance Contributions. Through this engagement, stakeholders have highlighted concerns that increased employment costs will add further pressure to businesses already facing a range of operating costs. We recognise the concerns raised by stakeholders and continue to monitor the effects of the policy on the sector.
The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting farming and crofting businesses and has provided over £660 million in support to Scottish agriculture, representing the most generous package of support available anywhere in the UK.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to preventing vape shops from operating in listed, historic or other architecturally significant buildings, in light of the potential fire risk associated with the storage and charging of lithium-ion batteries and the vulnerability of historic buildings to fire.
Answer
The planning system has limited scope to control what specific goods are sold within shops.
Regardless of the location, the storage of lithium-ion batteries, which are used in a range of products, should be informed by a fire risk assessment carried out by a competent fire risk assessor. Fire risk assessments are already a legal requirement for duty holders of all relevant (non-domestic) premises
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the cost of student accommodation is affecting students’ choice of university by making it financially necessary for some to study within commuting distance of their family home, and what action it is taking to ensure that accommodation costs do not create a barrier to accessing higher education.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers to questions S7W-03729 and S7W-03930 on 26 October 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.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Alyn Smith on 26 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the cost of student accommodation is limiting university choice for students from lower-income households by making it financially necessary for them to study within commuting distance of their family home.
Answer
It is open to students to accept any placement offer made to them and a number of factors will contribute to that decision.
Please refer to the response to PQ S7W-03729 on 26 October 2026 for information regarding the research/data that is available.
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.
