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-02360

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of educational psychologists employed by local authorities are on temporary or fixed-term contracts.

The Scottish Government collects yearly data on the number of Educational Psychologists in Scotland via the Pupil Census but does not collect data on their employment status. 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.

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.

Question reference: S7W-02410

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost of extending eligibility for the Young Patients Family Fund to those children and young people with cancer who receive day-patient treatment.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of the cost of extending eligibility for the Young Patient Family Fund (YPFF) to children and young people with cancer who receive day-patient treatment. YPFF continues to be offered to families of in-patients only, regardless of diagnosis.

In addition to support available under the YPFF, financial support for travel to hospital appointments is available through the patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes. Under these schemes, patients and authorised escorts can reclaim reasonable travel costs associated with attending a hospital appointment, in line with eligibility criteria and medical requirements.

Question reference: S7W-02379

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43897 by Angus Robertson on 4 March 2026, whether it will set out in detail what progress it has made over the past five months in actively exploring options to ensure that listed places of worship in Scotland are not disproportionately affected by the withdrawal of UK-wide VAT relief.

Question reference: S7W-02404

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many times officials have met with the Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer in 2026 to date, and what progress has been made towards developing a successor to Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care: Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People 2021-2026.

Scottish Government officials meet with the Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MCN CYPC) every six weeks, to discuss a range of issues relating to children and young people with cancer. In addition to these scheduled meetings, we have additional, adhoc, meetings.

The current children and young people’s cancer strategy – The Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care: Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People 2021-2026, runs until the end of 2026. Scottish Government works with the MCN CYPC to consider approaches that best support improved outcomes for children and young people with cancer.

Question reference: S7W-02387

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many IVF treatment cycles have been provided in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S7W-02971

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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.

Question reference: S7W-02974

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the First Minister during First Minister's Questions on 3 September 2026 regarding "a planning appeal relating to a proposed green data centre in Edinburgh", what specific characteristics of the proposed development led the First Minister to describe it as a "green data centre".

Question reference: S7W-02899

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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 that no patient will wait more than 26 weeks for the treatment they need by the end of 2031, (a) what modelling has been undertaken to assess whether this target is achievable, (b) what its position is on why previous waiting-time targets have not been met, and (c) when waits of more than 52 weeks will be eradicated.

Question reference: S7W-02980

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
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.

Question reference: S7W-02962

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any cost estimates, financial modelling or resource assessments relating to the implementation of the commitments contained in Palliative Care Matters for All: palliative care strategy 2025 to 2030.