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: S7F-00025

Asked by: Malcolm Offord, MSP for West Scotland, Reform UK
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-00944

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains on track to fulfil the commitments of The Promise by 2030.

The Scottish Government continue to prioritise delivery of the Promise by 2030.

The Promise Implementation Plan, published in March 2022, set out the Government’s approach to fulfilling these commitments. A comprehensive update on progress was provided in the Implementation Plan Update, published in September 2024, which outlined the actions taken and the ongoing work required.

Progress is being assessed through the Promise Story of Progress, a joint approach co-authored by the Scottish Government, COSLA and The Promise Scotland. The Story of Progress was update and published in December 2025. One component of this is the Promise Progress Framework, which builds on a theory of change to identify the outcomes for care-experienced children, young people and families that need to improve by 2030, alongside national-level data to help understand where change is happening.

At the end of the last parliamentary session, a significant package of legislative change through the Children (Care, Care Experience and Services Planning) (Scotland) Act was unanimously approved in Parliament.

The Act will help improve the lives of people across Scotland with care experience, as well as those who care for them. This legislation represents a significant step forward in delivering our commitment to The Promise by 2030, by placing the needs and rights of care-experienced children and young people at the centre of the care system, and responding directly to what people with care experience have said they need to thrive.

Question reference: S7W-00945

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scot and Lothians West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the £2,000 Care Leaver Payment will become fully operational nationwide.

The Care Leaver Payment provides a payment of £2,000 to young people leaving care, with the intention of providing additional financial security for care leavers as they transition into adulthood and more independent living.

The Care Leaver Payment (Scotland) Regulations 2026 came into force on 1 April 2026, commencing the scheme for all of Scotland. The regulations place all local authorities in Scotland under a legal duty to make this payment to young people who are eligible on or from this date, if they also meet the other eligibility requirements.

Question reference: S7W-00992

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a 2024 UK Government report suggesting that ketamine use among young people in England and Wales had increased by 231% since March 2013, what plans it has for related research to be carried out in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is concerned at reports of harm from ketamine, particularly amongst young people.

The Scottish Government does not publish data on treatment for ketamine dependency at the level of detail requested.

In the 2023 Scottish Health Survey, 3% of those aged 16-24 reported that they had used ketamine in the previous 12 months. The Scottish Health Survey 2023 - volume 1: main report - gov.scot.

There is the possibility for under-reporting of drug use in surveys and those who have substance use issues may be less likely to take part in a survey. To note also that the survey only samples from private households, so anyone who is homeless or living in an institution will not be included.

The Scottish Health Survey includes questions on drug use every two years and the next release of this data will be later in 2026 which will provide further data on the prevalence of ketamine use.

Question reference: S7W-01098

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support disability football.

For financial year 2026-27, the Scottish Government will provide Scottish Para-Football with £160,000 to deliver a range of Summer of Sport and related legacy activities and allow Scottish Para-Football to appoint a Youth Development Officer for two years.

Activities will include holding a number of “come and try’ festivals, running an 18-month Youth Training Programme, providing coach training and education and para-football referee development, purchasing new equipment and holding public exhibition matches to raise awareness and encourage wider participation.

Question reference: S7W-00932

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce an instant digital access code system for Lasting Power of Attorney.

Question reference: S7W-00972

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Allied Health Professions workforce review.

Question reference: S7W-00975

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board has been spent on temporary staff engaged through staff banks in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S7W-00970

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the average daily traffic flow volume has been on the A96 trunk road between Aberdeen and Inverness, in each year since 2020.

Question reference: S7W-00977

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the average NHS expenditure per head of population over the last 10 years, broken down by NHS board area.

The Scottish Government allocates funding to territorial NHS Boards based on the NRAC formula, rather than on a population basis. The NRAC formula takes into account factors including relative deprivation and need for healthcare in different NHS Board areas, as well as population.

NHS Board’s baseline revenue allocations are published annually in the Scottish Budget. In addition, resource and capital spending limits are reported in each Board’s annual report and accounts.

Between 2016-17 and 2026-27, NHS Boards’ overall resource budget increased by 24.5% in real terms and 71.6% in cash terms.