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: S6W-34088

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what financial or policy commitments it made during the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy’s meetings at the Handelsblatt Energy Summit in Berlin.

Question reference: S6W-34117

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to work with NHS boards and other stakeholders to reduce instances of patients refusing to leave hospital after being deemed “surgically fit for discharge.”

In addition to existing policies in place that address situations where patients who are deemed ready for discharge refuse to leave hospital, the Scottish Government continues to meet with NHS Boards to understand what actions can be taken to inform policy development and seek assurances on the implementation of Discharge without Delay and Home First principles, and reduce instances of patients refusing to leave hospital after being deemed fit for discharge.

Question reference: S6W-34119

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what legislative or policy changes it is considering to ensure that hospital capacity is not unduly impacted by any patients who are deemed “surgically fit for discharge” but refuse to leave, while ensuring patient rights are upheld.

Question reference: S6W-34283

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current bed occupancy rate is at safe level for staff and patients.

The Scottish Government acknowledge the capacity challenges currently within the system, however, we have a clear plan to reduce waiting times and delayed discharges supported by £200 million targeted investment through the 2025-26 Budget.

Through this investment we will focus on shifting the balance of care from acute, to community. We will expand the Hospital at Home service, deliver additional support for GPs, and invest in new hospitals at Belford and Monklands. These actions will release capacity in the acute system.

Hospital at Home is a key component in tackling capacity pressures as the service continues to provide care for people at, or as close to home as possible, avoiding unnecessary stays in hospital, relieving pressures on urgent care services and reducing delays in the system.

Additionally, the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) are working with Boards to identify opportunities within the acute system for more efficient use of inpatient capacity and implement improvement actions that will support patient flow.

Question reference: S6O-04331

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to increasing community resilience and supporting their ability to respond to storm-related disruption such as power outages.

Question reference: S6O-04330

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with SEPA regarding how it will address any environmental concerns that arise from new waste incineration sites that have already received approval.

Question reference: S6O-04337

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has recently completed into the efficacy and standardisation of the presumption of inclusion in mainstream education.

Question reference: S6O-04335

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the representations that it has made to the UK Government regarding reimbursements to the public sector in Scotland due to the increase in employer national insurance contributions.

Question reference: S6O-04336

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the impact that the UK Government’s decision to raise employer national insurance contributions will have on Scottish public services and the economy of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04332

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to Dundee Heritage Trust to ensure the long-term future of the organisation.