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-43889

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project, including the preparation of the Outline Business Case, and what can be done to share this information more proactively with community organisations in those islands.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to the delivery of the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project.

Scottish Government officials have written to the Chief Executives of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and NHS Western Isles requesting an updated cost estimate and timeline to support completion of a single joint business case, expected to be developed over the coming months. This will set out clear governance and delivery arrangements.

We recognise the importance of strong community engagement, and we encourage local partners to ensure the community is kept fully informed as the project progresses through the business-case development phase.

Question reference: S6W-43879

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many Buvidal injections NHS boards have returned to community pharmacies for destruction due to non-attendance at appointments at clinics in each month of the last three years, and what the total value of any such waste has been, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-43947

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) NHS boards and (b) Health and Social Care Partnerships have yet to retender a contract for the provision of independent advocacy services for patients.

Question reference: S6W-43942

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide access to NHS dentists across the Highlands and Islands.

Our Operational Improvement Plan commits to reviewing and refreshing the existing financial incentives available to the dental sector, to better support patient access in rural and island areas.

This work is currently underway and we anticipate revised incentives will be introduced in the 2026-27 financial year.

Officials continue to have regular discussions with NHS Highland to understand local issues.

We also continue to make available a range of additional financial support to areas where access is particularly challenging, including rural and island areas. This includes grants of up to £100,000 for establishing new dental surgeries and allowances of up to £37,500 for new dentists practising in qualifying areas.

Question reference: S6W-43910

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent tooth decay in children, and what recent discussions it has had with the British Dental Association regarding this.

Scottish Government made significant improvements to children’s dental care as part of our payment reforms introduced in 2023, with NHS dentists now able to undertake a much wider range of preventive treatments for all children. Following this intervention, official statistics published by Public Health Scotland show that over 1 million child patient contacts were made in 2025.

In addition to this, we continue to invest in our flagship Childsmile programme which provides universal oral health interventions for all children and additional targeted measures for children from vulnerable backgrounds. The programme has supported a long-term improvement in child oral health, with the latest National Dental Inspection Programme results showing that 81.5% of P7 children have no obvious tooth decay, compared to 52.9% in 2005.

Scottish Government officials continue to meet with British Dental Association Scotland on a quarterly to discuss all aspects of NHS dental care delivery.

Question reference: S6W-44113

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish an equivalent to the UK Government's Places of Worship Renewal Fund in Scotland, in light of the reported closure of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, and what assessment it has made of the provision of any Barnett consequential funding that may support doing so.

Question reference: S6W-44114

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) religious organisations in Scotland, including the Church of Scotland, regarding (i) the closure of and (ii) a replacement for the UK Government's Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-44111

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is consulting with users of the M74 regarding the implications of option 3 in the Transport Scotland consultation on a permanent solution for the M8 Woodside viaducts.

Question reference: S6W-44115

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that electric vehicles are guaranteed passage in the next Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S6W-44112

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 20 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the status is of the negotiations on the part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service with the Fire Brigades Union on the pay uplift required following the in-principle agreement on role expansion for firefighters.