Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-43833

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of (a) the prevalence of respiratory disease and (b) the number of emergency hospital admissions for respiratory conditions in the West Scotland region compared with national averages in each of the last five years.

I refer the member to answer to questions S6W-43676 and S6W-43744 on 24 February 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Assessments of respiratory prevalence and emergency hospital admissions are produced and published by Public Health Scotland. These official statistics include data for every NHS Board area, as well as national level figures. The Scottish Government draws on these official statistics rather than undertaking separate board-level assessments.

Public Health Scotland data shows that respiratory conditions are a major contributor to unplanned hospital demand. Emergency inpatient activity accounts for almost half of all hospital admissions nationally, reflecting sustained pressure on acute services. Longer term projections indicate that unplanned acute inpatient admissions for respiratory conditions are expected to rise by around 23% between 2024 and 2034, confirming the growing burden of respiratory illness across Scotland. A link to PHS data can be found at: Projecting future demand for health and care services in Scotland (2024-2034) - Long term service demand projections in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises these pressures and is taking action. We recently published the Foreword - NHS Scotland operational improvement plan - gov.scot, the Scotland's Population Health Framework - gov.scot and the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework - gov.scot in which we outline our shared, long-term vision for reforming and renewing health and social care services to ensure they are more sustainable, preventative, and equitable.

Our Respiratory care - action plan: 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot has supported national work to strengthen prevention, diagnosis, care and support for people living with respiratory conditions. Through the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, national pathways are being developed for severe asthma, COPD, sleep apnoea and interstitial lung disease. Work is also underway to improve access to pulmonary rehabilitation, a key intervention for people with chronic respiratory conditions.

This work supports resilience across the health system throughout the year, including during periods of increased pressure. Prioritising prevention, early detection and supporting effective long term self-management helps reduce avoidable exacerbations which often drive urgent and unscheduled demand during winter.

Question reference: S6W-43834

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that respiratory health is prioritised nationally, including through the introduction of a Modern Service Framework for respiratory care.

I refer the member to answer to questions S6W-43695 and S6W-43745 on 24 February 2026. The Scottish Government is aware of calls from respiratory stakeholders in England for a Modern Service Framework focused on respiratory care. To clarify, the UK Government has not introduced such a framework. Modern Service Frameworks are being developed for major conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia, but respiratory conditions are not currently included.

The Scottish Government will continue to monitor emerging approaches from across the UK while taking forward our own long term, evidence informed approach.

The Scottish Government’s strategic direction for respiratory care is currently set through the Respiratory care - action plan: 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot. This work supports resilience across the health system throughout the year, including during periods of increased pressure. Prioritising prevention, early detection and effective long term management helps reduce avoidable exacerbations which often drive urgent and unscheduled demand during winter.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-43835

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to the role of a respiratory Modern Service Framework in reducing winter pressures on the NHS by simultaneously improving outcomes for long-term respiratory conditions and short-term respiratory illnesses such as flu.

I refer the member to answer to questions S6W-43695 and S6W-43745 on 24 February 2026. The Scottish Government is aware of calls from respiratory stakeholders in England for a Modern Service Framework focused on respiratory care. To clarify, the UK Government has not introduced such a framework. Modern Service Frameworks are being developed for major conditions such as cardiovascular disease and dementia, but respiratory conditions are not currently included.

The Scottish Government will continue to monitor emerging approaches from across the UK while taking forward our own long term, evidence informed approach.

The Scottish Government’s strategic direction for respiratory care is currently set through the Respiratory care - action plan: 2021 to 2026 - gov.scot. This work supports resilience across the health system throughout the year, including during periods of increased pressure. Prioritising prevention, early detection and effective long term management helps reduce avoidable exacerbations which often drive urgent and unscheduled demand during winter.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6O-05554

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland stating there is a "lack of a clear, long-term economic strategy for Scotland”.

Question reference: S6W-43709

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to bring into force part 1 of the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021.

The Scottish Government is committed to fully implementing Part 1 of the 2021 Act, but it is a complex piece of legislation with recognised operational challenges, as identified by justice partners and stakeholders. Following a workshop in March 2025, key stakeholders were of the view that fundamental changes were needed to the legislation to ensure that the policy aims of a domestic abuse protection order could be realised in a sustainable way. A short life working group was therefore established to consider possible legislative changes to ensure that the Act can be implemented as intended. That group has now met five times following the first meeting on 11 September 2025. This work will inform a consultation in early 2026 on possible changes to the legislation.

Question reference: S6W-43229

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a social media ban for those under the age of 16.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that children and young people in Scotland are safe and supported in their online lives. We recognise both the benefits and the risks posed by engaging with social media and the importance of robust regulation to protect children from harm.

We are aware that countries such as Australia have implemented a ban and will seek to gather evidence on the effectiveness and impacts of this approach. We will also consult closely with parents, experts, and most importantly children and young people in Scotland, to clarify how we can enable children with access to the benefits of social media while protecting them from the harms.

There is absolutely a need for greater controls to reduce harms to children from social media. Regulation of the internet is reserved, and so any ban on social media would be for the UK Government to consider. To that end, we have engaged with UK Ministers and Ofcom to strengthen online protections for children in the Online Safety Act 2023 and will continue to keep the effectiveness of these measures under review. All of this will help to inform the position we take on whether or not to advocate for a social media ban for children.

Question reference: S6W-43261

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received support through the Fund to Leave since its launch.

While the new National Fund to Leave is in operation, we do not yet have data on the number of women it has supported.

The evaluation of the 2023 £500,000 pilot fund to leave, managed by Scottish Women’s Aid, showed that 511 women, with 598 dependants, received support. We anticipate that the new £1.5 million fund to leave this financial year will help up to 1,800 women and that the £2 million fund to leave in 2026-27 will help even more women and children to start a new life free from abuse.

Question reference: S6W-43262

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Fund to Leave since its launch.

Question reference: S6O-05436

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its policy on single-sex spaces in the NHS in Scotland, what its response is to the recent ruling in the case brought by eight nurses at Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Question reference: S6F-04560

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Police Scotland figures showing a 10% increase in reported domestic abuse crimes over the past 12 months.

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