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-04301

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the availability of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and spirometry testing services across Scotland's islands and what funding it is providing to the three island NHS boards to support the rollout of these services.

Question reference: S7W-04297

Asked by: Joe Fagan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to families awaiting post-mortem reports where there are delays in the completion of those reports following the death of a loved one.

Question reference: S7W-04304

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental implications and consumer transparency issues associated with the use of poultry-derived processed animal protein in salmon feed by salmon producers, particularly in light of the commitment in its Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture to use 100% responsibly sourced marine and vegetable ingredients in finfish feeds.

Question reference: S7W-04302

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with Police Scotland and survivors to ensure trust in Scotland's police force, in light of reports that nearly 70% of Police Scotland officers currently suspended while under criminal investigation are accused of offences relating to violence against women.

Question reference: S7W-04293

Asked by: Duncan Dunlop, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the 4,841 young people who were eligible for aftercare services but were not receiving them on 31 July 2025, (a) how many declined the offer of aftercare support, (b) how many had not been offered aftercare support, (c) what reasons were recorded for eligible young people declining the offer of support, and (d) how many were contacted between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026 to determine whether they required aftercare support.

Question reference: S7W-04299

Asked by: Heather Anderson, MSP for Dundee City West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry’s Module 4 report on vaccines and therapeutics across the UK.

The Scottish Government has today published its response to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 4 report. The Scottish Government is grateful to the Inquiry and all those involved in producing such a detailed and thorough examination of vaccines and therapeutics.

The Covid-19 pandemic touched every community in Scotland and left a lasting impact on individuals, families and public services. As we publish our response to the Inquiry's Module 4 report, we take this opportunity to remember those who lost their lives, acknowledge those who continue to live with the consequences of the pandemic, and recognise the suffering experienced by so many across the country.

Vaccines and therapeutics played a critical role in protecting lives, reducing serious illness and supporting our recovery from Covid-19. The speed with which safe and effective vaccines were developed and delivered was unprecedented and demonstrated what can be achieved through collaboration between governments, public health agencies, researchers, healthcare professionals, industry and communities. It is essential we build on these achievements, whilst also learning from the challenges and inequalities highlighted by the Inquiry.

We are particularly grateful to those who shared personal experiences and evidence with the Inquiry. Their contributions have provided invaluable insight into the realities of the pandemic and have helped ensure that lessons for the future are grounded in the experiences of those most affected. We also want to acknowledge the vital work of the Covid Inquiries Response Engagement Group, whose input to the response has been invaluable. The insights shared by representatives of groups disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including bereaved families, disabled people, minority ethnic communities, older people and others most affected by the pandemic have shaped our response.

The report's recommendations provide an important opportunity to strengthen our preparedness for future public health emergencies, reduce inequalities and build on the achievements of Scotland's vaccination programme. The Scottish Government welcomes the recommendations and remains committed to working collaboratively with partners across Scotland and the UK to build a more resilient, equitable and responsive system that protects the health and wellbeing of everyone in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will provide regular progress updates on the actions set out within the response. The response is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781807756307

Question reference: S7W-03918

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has formally instructed local authorities to pause any determinations on planning applications relating to hyperscale data centres.

Question reference: S7W-03925

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the socioeconomic backgrounds of students entering allied health professional training, and what action it is taking to increase uptake of allied health professional courses among people from deprived communities and lower-income households.

The Scottish Government does not routinely undertake a specific assessment of the socioeconomic backgrounds of students entering allied health professional (AHP) training programmes. However, data on participation in higher education by socioeconomic background, including measures based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), are collected and published through widening access reporting by the Scottish Funding Council.

The Scottish Government is committed to widening access to higher education and supporting applications from individuals from deprived communities and lower-income households, including those applying for allied health professional courses. Universities are expected to deliver on widening access objectives through measures such as contextual admissions, outreach activity and articulation pathways.

In addition, the Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) provides progression routes for learners who may not have followed traditional educational pathways into a range of allied health professions, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography, podiatry and paramedic science.

The Scottish Government also continues to work with the higher education sector, NHS Education for Scotland and the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer to implement recommendations arising from the Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review, which includes actions to support recruitment, education pathways and workforce diversity.

Question reference: S7W-03953

Asked by: Yi-pei Chou Turvey, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of adults reported that people causing a nuisance with motorised vehicles, including cars, mopeds or scooters, was very or fairly common in their neighbourhood in each year for which data is available since 2016, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) found that 30% of adults in 2024-25 said that people causing a nuisance with motorised vehicles was common in their local area. As this question was first introduced to the survey in 2024-25, figures are not available for earlier years. The SCJS does not provide breakdowns by local authority as the sample is not designed to be representative at that lower geographical breakdown.

Question reference: S7W-03819

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the HMICS and HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland report, Citing witnesses in the sheriff court, which found that email citation has been a competent method of citation since 2007, what assessment it has made of barriers to its routine use for civilian witnesses.

COPFS is committed to working with justice partners in exploring opportunities to improve witness citation arrangements, making use of technology in doing so, while ensuring the effectiveness and reliability required of the criminal justice process. While email has been a competent method of citation since 2007, its application raises practical, technological and legal considerations, including how receipt by the intended individual can be reliably established in order for effective enforcement action to be taken in the event of failures to attend court in response to citation and data protection considerations.

Email is not the only potential solution, nor would it be appropriate in every case. Consideration is extending to the opportunities that a wider range of digital solutions may offer. The approach taken must account for the needs and preferences of those receiving citations, the potential for greater choice, the operational and delivery implications of any future approach and, as recognised in the joint inspection, the need for witness citation processes to be trauma informed and use accessible language.