- Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of NHS appointments missed, cancelled, or rescheduled by residents of island communities due to ferry cancellations or disruption in the last three years, and if it does not hold this data, what assessment it has made of any impact of ferry disruption on healthcare access.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of appointments missed, cancelled, or rescheduled by residents of island communities due to ferry cancellations or disruption in the last three years. We do however engage regularly with NHS Boards on the issue through our Transport to Health Delivery Plan and associated work. We have provided funding to HI Trans through our National Islands Plan to further develop the partnership work around Health and Transport, including consideration of resilience.
During a disruption, CalMac will undertake a network wide review for a core service to be delivered to all parts of the ferry network they serve. However, it is impossible to completely remove the risk of disruption due to either inclement weather or other reasons. During times of disruption, CalMac will always aim to minimise the impact.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to question S6W-43333, answered by Shona Robison on 29 January 2026, when it will begin the review of council tax arrears for victims of domestic abuse, as required by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.
Answer
The statutory review of the impact joint and several liability for council tax arrears has on victim-survivors of domestic abuse is currently underway.
The Scottish Government recognises that joint and several liability for council tax can create very difficult circumstances for victim-survivors of domestic abuse.
The review is taking a twin-track approach involving analysis of the available evidence base together with stakeholder engagement with groups such as domestic abuse support organisations, money advice and debt charities and local authorities.
On completing the review, we will lay a report on it before the Scottish Parliament by 6 November this year, which will include a statement of action we intend to take as a result. This is in line with the timescales established by section 76(2) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements will be in place from January 2027 to oversee and drive improvements in cancer care for children and young people, should a successor to Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care: Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People 2021-2026 not be in place when that strategy concludes.
Answer
Scotland is the only UK-nation to have a dedicated cancer for children and young people.
The children and young people’s cancer strategy – The Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care: Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People 2021-2026 sets clear expectations and priorities for the treatment and care of children and young people with cancer.
Scottish Government works closely with the Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MCN CYPC) who are a national network of healthcare specialists from different NHS boards across Scotland, responsible for overseeing and driving improvements in cancer care. They ensure that all children and young people’s cancer centres work together as one single, cohesive service in NHS Scotland and their work is ongoing.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how many newly qualified educational psychologists have secured permanent employment in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect data on the employment status of newly qualified educational psychologists. Local Authorities are responsible for the employment of educational psychologists and any data about their employment status is held locally. However, we continue to work closely with the National Scottish Steering Group for Educational Psychologists (NSSGEP) on workforce planning to ensure a sustainable supply of educational psychologists to meet future demand.
Educational Psychology Services sitting within Local Authority Education Services are responsible for carrying out workforce planning in conjunction with NSSGEP and will provide information regarding the number of Educational Psychologists (EPs) within their service. This data is used by the Steering Group to inform further planning and to assess availability of placements for EP trainees.
The Scottish Government recognises the important role Educational Psychologists play in supporting learners, raising attainment, promoting inclusion and equality, and helping those who are most vulnerable. That is why we continue to invest in the training of educational psychologists, in partnership with COSLA.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Intelligent Liver Function Test, first developed and introduced in NHS Tayside, to GPs and liver specialists across Scotland, and on what date it became, or is expected to become, available in each health board area.
Answer
The Intelligent Liver Function Testing (iLFT) pathway was developed in NHS Tayside and has been identified as best practice for the early detection and management of liver disease. A consortium of 12 NHS boards has procured a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) for Scotland and iLFT functionality is available within that system. NHS Fife was the first board to make use of this functionality through the National LIMS programme in summer 2023.
The National LIMS system is being rolled out across participating NHS boards. However, some NHS boards already have the capability to use iLFT through their existing laboratory information systems and are therefore not dependent on implementation of National LIMS to adopt the pathway.
The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on the date that iLFT became, or is expected to become, available in each NHS board area. Implementation is dependent on local laboratory infrastructure, digital systems and service arrangements and decisions on deployment are a matter for individual NHS boards.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of travel distances on access to cancer treatment for children and young people living in rural and remote areas, including those served by NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
Scottish Government is aware of the impact that travel for health can have on an individual diagnosed with cancer and their family. Scottish Government has a number of schemes in place to support children and young people with cancer with costs incurred for travelling for treatment. Scottish Government has not assessed, nor holds data on the impact of travel distances on access to cancer treatment for children and young people living in rural and remote areas.
Financial support for travel to hospital appointments, regardless of distance travelled to access cancer treatment for children and young people, or for specific Health Boards, including NHS Dumfries and Galloway, is available through the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes.
Under these schemes, patients and authorised escorts may reclaim reasonable travel costs associated with attending hospital appointments, subject to eligibility criteria and clinical requirements. These arrangements apply across Scotland and provide support to eligible young people and their families irrespective of condition.
Additionally, Scotland is the only UK-nation that currently has an active Young Patient Family Fund (YPFF). The fund provides support to the families of all babies, children and young people from birth to age 18 who require inpatient care, regardless of their health diagnosis.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Simita Kumar on 7 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the £400,000 that it committed to Dundee-based charity Kids Operating Room to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub, (a) what proportion of that funding has been provided, and (b) what update it can provide on progress in establishing the hub.
Answer
As announced by the First Minister in Parliament on 3 September 2025, the Scottish Government pledged £400,000 to establish the Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub.
This money was provided to Kids Operating Room in two payments. £337,680 was provided on 05 December 2025. The remaining £62,320 was paid on 25 February 2026.
The Field Readiness Hub has been built and is fully operational at Kids Operating Room's Global Centre of Operations. It is being used to design, test and refine modular healthcare infrastructure before deployment. The Hub replicates clinical environments, including a consultation room, imaging/isolation space, recovery area, maternity theatre and paediatric theatre.
The Hub's original purpose was to support preparation for a modular hospital in Gaza, however the current situation in Gaza has meant deployment has not been achieved at this point. Kids Operating Room are exploring multiple deployment options and potential sites, while maintaining readiness so it can respond when conditions allow.
Since the Hub was established, Kids Operating Room has secured funding and partner support for related projects in the West Bank, demonstrating the wider value of the initial investment. For example, in August 2026 a new dedicated paediatric operating theatre has officially opened at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron - the first of an initial three permanent children's surgical theatres that KidsOR will be delivering across the West Bank.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason thrombolysis door-to-needle times are significantly longer out-of-hours, and, further to the First Minister’s commitment to deliver 24/7 thrombectomy cover across Scotland, whether it will provide information on when the delivery plan for this commitment will be published, when the service will be fully operational and what resources will be required to deliver it.
Answer
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
- Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Programme for Government, how the new regional structures will be accountable to local authorities and local electorates.
Answer
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in the 2026-2031 Programme for Government to provide every person with a new Digital Health and Care Record, when the record will be launched, and what the estimated cost of its design and delivery is.
Answer
Answer expected on 21 September 2026
