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: S7W-02118

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total expenditure on prescription medicines and (b) average cost per prescription item dispensed was, in each financial year from 2021-22 to the latest date for which information is available.

The requested information is shown in the following table.

Table 1: Prescription Cost Analysis Totals

Paid Financial Year	Number of dispensed Items	Gross ingredient cost (£)	Cost per item (£)
2021-22	106,601,987	1,168,834,872	10.96
2022-23	110,339,683	1,235,560,290	11.20
2023-24	113,609,076	1,305,189,021	11.49
2024-25	116,527,075	1,318,286,930	11.31

Source: Public Health Scotland Prescribing Information System

This data is based on prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacy contractors, appliance suppliers and dispensing doctors. This data also excludes prescriptions dispensed in England. Gross Ingredient Cost (GIC) is the cost of medicines and appliances dispensed and reimbursed at list price.

Question reference: S7W-02119

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on prescribing (a) aspirin and (b) paracetamol, in each financial year from 2021-22 to the latest date for which information is available.

The requested information is shown in the following table.

Prescription Cost Analysis – Aspirin and Paracetamol

Paid Financial Year	BNF drug/device name	Number of dispensed items	Gross ingredient cost (£)
2021-22	ASPIRIN	1,786,645	1,798,992
	PARACETAMOL	2,362,586	9,775,540
2022-23	ASPIRIN	1,756,051	2,678,122
	PARACETAMOL	2,459,823	11,755,882
2023-24	ASPIRIN	1,746,735	3,109,038
	PARACETAMOL	2,472,463	14,154,347
2024-25	ASPIRIN	1,741,667	3,149,495
	PARACETAMOL	2,530,044	15,500,371

Source: Public Health Scotland: Prescribing Information System

The data shown is based on prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacy contractors, appliance suppliers and dispensing doctors only.

The data excludes prescriptions dispensed in England and does not include combination products.

Gross Ingredient Cost (GIC) is the cost of medicines and appliances dispensed and reimbursed at list price.

Question reference: S7W-02090

Asked by: Sanne Dijkstra-Downie, MSP for Edinburgh Northern, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 25 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers or officials have held with ScotWind developers since January 2023 regarding supply chain commitments and what discussions have taken place on increasing the proportion of project expenditure retained within Scotland.

There has been clear growth in the offshore wind sector over the past decade, with increasing employment opportunities across a broad range of roles driven by continued investment in infrastructure, manufacturing, and skills development.

The latest edition of Scotland’s Marine Economy Statistics (published December 2025) provides an estimate of 4,400 people directly employed by the Scottish offshore wind sector in 2023, in comparison to 3,900 people in 2022 (published November 2024). These figures capture only direct employment and do not reflect the sector's significant wider economic and social impacts, including the supply chain growth and induced employment opportunities that are expected to be derived from ScotWind projects.

The Draft Updated Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy Social and Economic Impact Assessment (2025) estimated cumulative potential employment impacts for ScotWind, INTOG and Test & Demonstration sites. It reported an estimated maximum number of FTEs generated or supported nationally as 18,000 (direct employment only in a low installed capacity scenario) up to 41,000 (direct and upstream supply chain employment impacts in a high installed capacity scenario).

These estimates are further supported by the Offshore Wind Industry Council Skills Intelligence Model, which reports that at its peak, the offshore sector in Scotland could support up to 49,000 jobs in 2031.

Question reference: S7W-02674

Asked by: Adam Harley, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is given to each NHS board to reduce waiting times for autism assessments.

Question reference: S7W-02669

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will expand the Young Patients Family Fund eligibility criteria to include under-25s.

Question reference: S7W-02671

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made since January 2021 of the accessibility and suitability of the Young Patients Family Fund.

Question reference: S7W-02666

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult with charities and healthcare providers as part of any evaluation of the rollout of the Young Patients Family Fund.

Question reference: S7W-02670

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that claims are increasing year on year, for what reason it has reduced the budget for the Young Patients Family Fund in real terms since its inception in 2021.

Question reference: S7W-02643

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding from the National Mission on Drug Deaths has been specifically allocated to the evaluation, purchase, and distribution of rapid drug-checking technologies over the last two financial years.

Question reference: S7W-02641

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the feasibility of making rapid adulterant screening test strips available alongside naloxone at community fire stations and other civic safe access points.