- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scale of land ownership in Scotland by overseas (a) individuals and (b) state entities.
Answer
Information relating to overseas ownership of property in Scotland is available through Registers of Scotland, including its Country of Origin report. Information on overseas entities that own or transact in land and property in Scotland is also available through the UK Government's Register of Overseas Entities, maintained by Companies House.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration was given to EMIS or EMIS Web as an alternative to the Vision 3 system during the procurement process for a GP clinical IT system.
Answer
EMIS originally joined the framework agreement with its EMIS-X product. It later advised NSS (now Public Services Delivery Scotland) that the solution to be delivered in Scotland would instead be EMIS Web. However, in October 2022, EMIS notified NSS that it was withdrawing from the framework agreement.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what powers the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park has to limit the use of jet skis on the loch.
Answer
As per answer for S7W-01554 The Loch Lomond Byelaws, which came into force on 1 November 2024, contain the following powers in relation to jet skis and powered vessels:
- Mandatory User Registration – any person in charge of a powered vessel (including jet skis) must register their personal details and vessel with the National Park Authority. Registered vehicles must display the unique, highly visible identification stickers;
- Low Speed Zones – Vessels (jet skis) must stay below 6 kph in Low Speed Zones to avoid generating a wake and prevent collisions with paddleboarders and swimmers. These are located in high-traffic or mixed use areas of the loch at Balloch Castle Country Park, Duck Bay, Manse Bay, Milarrochy Bay, Luss, Sallachy and Rowardennan. There is also a speed limit of 11kph around the southern islands;
- If an alleged byelaw contravention is assessed to be worthy of charging an individual, LLTNPA will report the case directly to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, which can result in a defendant gaining a criminal record if they are found guilty.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the current Vision 3 system to be meeting the operational needs of GP practices, and what evidence it has used to reach that view.
Answer
The Scottish Government considers that the Vision 3 system meets the operational needs of GP practices, having successfully met the standards and requirements set through the national procurement framework. These requirements were developed with input from GPs and other stakeholders to ensure that procured systems support the operational needs of general practice.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include proposals to review the regulation of the keeping and sale of exotic animals as pets in its forthcoming Programme for Government.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to include a review of the regulation of the keeping and sale of exotic animals as pets in the forthcoming Programme for Government.
The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission's final report on exotic pets was published on 11th November 2022, and we will give due consideration to the conclusions of their report in any future policy development work.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received representations from GP practices, NHS boards, primary care staff or professional bodies regarding the implementation or functionality of the Vision 3 system, and, if so, what action it has taken in response.
Answer
Scottish Government has received a range of correspondence in relation to Vision 3. We take all feedback received seriously and are actively engaged with Public Services Delivery Scotland as the lead organisation responsible for delivery of the programme to ensure any concerns raised are proactively investigated and addressed in conjunction with One Advanced, the supplier of Vision 3.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the contractual arrangements for the Vision 3 system, in light of reported concerns raised by GP practices about the system’s functionality, usability and impact on workload and patient care.
Answer
A contract was signed in 2022, its Initial Term ends in August 2029 and appropriate governance (Public Services Delivery Scotland Contract Approval Board) will consider extending or replacing at that time. In the meantime, the functional specifications and Service Levels achievements continue to be monitored, and the KPIs reviewed, by existing governance groups to ensure that the Vision system is managed and maintained efficiently and safely.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider allowing GP practices to return to, or adopt, alternative clinical IT systems, including EMIS or EMIS Web, where practices consider that the Vision 3 system is adversely affecting their ability to provide safe and efficient care.
Answer
Optum/EMIS has advised that EMIS PCS will be end-of-life and no longer available for use after June 2027. As a result, practices currently using EMIS PCS are required to migrate to an alternative GP clinical system before that date.
Vision 3 is currently the only GP clinical system available through the national framework for replacement of EMIS PCS in Scotland.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31971 by Gillian Martin on 12 December 2024, whether it still plans to bring forward proposals to improve water, wastewater and drainage policy, and if so, by what date it will do so.
Answer
The Scottish Government is considering its water related policies to ensure they continue to meet the public’s expectations and deliver adaptation to the growing impacts of drought and flooding arising from climate change. We will set out our commitments as usual in our Programme for Government.
Our publicly owned Water and Wastewater services are funded by customers. Any changes to policies or legislation must strike a balance of producing the right outcomes at an affordable price for customers.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 23 July 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment was carried out, prior to contract award, of the functionality, reliability, integration capability and clinical usability of the Vision 3 system in modern general practice settings.
Answer
During the procurement process, supplier responses were assessed through a series of scoring exercises involving Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), including GPs, nurses, pharmacists, practice managers, health board facilitators, IT specialists and information governance experts. Functional and non-functional requirements were reviewed, tested and validated by both clinical and administrative users to ensure they met the agreed specification. Evidence of compliance was assessed and approved by relevant experts, and all requirements were accredited before migrations commenced.