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-38191

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) accountability and (b) monitoring mechanisms are in place to ensure that Scottish Enterprise’s review of its human rights due diligence processes is undertaken in line with relevant international human rights standards.

The Scottish Government’s human rights due diligence guidance sets out recommendations on how we, our executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies should undertake due diligence on an individual or company’s human rights record before entering into an investment relationship.

It is for the accountable officer of each agency and non-departmental public body to ensure that their organisation complies with guidance issued by Scottish Ministers.

Scottish Enterprise is progressing in its work on its review and the Scottish Government continues to stay in close contact with Scottish Enterprise on this. I will update Parliament and wider stakeholders once the review has concluded.

Question reference: S6W-37870

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of article 8 of the Human Rights Act 1998, how it will ensure that the human right to respect for private life is protected in the implementation of any measures that it is taking as a result of the Supreme Court ruling in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-38192

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects Scottish Enterprise to have finalised the review of its human rights due diligence processes.

Question reference: S6W-38193

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided to Scottish Enterprise regarding the (a) scope, (b) timescales and (c) terms of reference of the review of its human rights due diligence processes.

Question reference: S6W-37869

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the emergency composite motion, “Legal Protection for Gender Identity and Trans Rights”, which was passed at the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Dundee on 30 April 2025.

The Scottish Government notes the emergency composite motion from the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

The motion calls for updates to be made to the Equality Act 2010 with respect to the protected characteristic groups as defined in the 2010 Act. As the Equality Act 2010 is a mainly reserved piece of legislation any updates to protected characteristics under the Act would have to be brought forward by the UK Government.

The Scottish Government believes in equality and fairness for all. Our 2025-26 Programme for Government includes a commitment to create safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community - funding work that tackles discrimination and upholds the human rights of this group, including through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and progressing actions within the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-38728

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to develop guidance for schools on responding to racism and racist incidents.

I can confirm that guidance on responding to racism and racist incidents in schools was published today: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836916987

This guidance forms part of a wider whole school approach to addressing and responding to racism and racist incidents, being developed by the Anti-racism in Education Programme’s racist and racist incidents workstream. The whole school approach will be published in early 2026.

Question reference: S6W-38445

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to support stoma dispensing suppliers, which dispense stoma pouches and other stoma products to over 20,000 stoma patients across Scotland, as they reportedly face severe financial pressure from various costs increases, as well as a reported 8% reduction in Scottish Government fees over the last four years.

The Scottish Government is grateful to all Dispensing Appliance Contractors and community pharmacies for the service offered to stoma patients across Scotland and is committed to putting in place arrangements to best support them. Data shows that the volume of items provided by stoma suppliers has steadily increased by over two thirds (72.5%) since 2011 and suppliers are reimbursed for all items dispensed, resulting in a £2.539m increase (48%). Suppliers also benefit from a Global Sum of £3.8 million. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government recognises the requirement to keep arrangements under review and will explore whether changes are required to the fee structure and are within the affordability of the wider public sector finances.

1.New commercial arrangements were introduced in 2011 for the supply of stoma appliances to patients in the community and have been in place since. These arrangements are set up through contractual arrangements put in place by NHS Scotland National Procurement acting on behalf of Health Boards. They provide a framework which controls the cost of dispensing these items which is carried out by both Dispensing Appliance Contractors (DACs) and community pharmacy contractors who sign up to offer the service.

2.The arrangements are made up of a Global Sum for stoma appliance supply remuneration and fees for customisation and delivery. Suppliers are able to make profit on the sales and customisation aspects of the service. The Scottish Government’s Pharmacy Policy team holds meetings with the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) who represent DACs in the UK. They have called for improvements to the current arrangements and discussions are currently being arranged to hear details of these proposals.

Question reference: S6T-02590

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many transgender prisoners have had their criminal records erased, following a self-identification process and changing of their birth name.

Question reference: S6T-02591

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to reduce ambulance turnaround times at hospitals, in light of figures showing that so far in 2025 more than half of conveyances recorded a turnaround time of longer than 45 minutes.

Question reference: S6F-04187

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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