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: S6O-05413

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to respond to the housing emergency in Fife.

Question reference: S6W-42899

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision on the use of potential alternative funding options for capital projects.

Question reference: S6W-42897

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Futures Trust will report to the Scottish Ministers regarding available alternative forms of finance that could support health infrastructure investment.

Question reference: S6W-42898

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Futures Trust will report to the Scottish Ministers on alternative funding options, including revenue funded models for capital projects.

Question reference: S6O-05326

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the constitution secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential implications for Scotland’s relations with EU member states of the UK rejoining the Erasmus programme.

Question reference: S6W-41832

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason individuals who were aged 68, 69 or 70 on 1 September 2025 are not currently eligible for the shingles vaccine.

Decision-making on Scotland’s vaccination programme is guided by the independent, expert advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The shingles vaccination programme was introduced in Scotland in 2013 for those aged 70 years old. Individuals aged 71 to 79 years of age have also been offered the vaccine in a phased roll out of the programme since 2013.

The JCVI recently recommended expanding the age cohorts for the shingles vaccination programme to offer protection earlier. These changes took effect on 1 September 2023 in a phased implementation over a 10-year period starting with those turning 65 and 70 years of age. Individuals aged 68 and 69 in the third year of the expanded roll-out will be invited for vaccination after turning 70, as per the previous schedule.

Question reference: S6W-41831

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the consistency with which eligibility criteria for the shingles vaccine are applied across NHS boards.

The Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP) is a partnership between Public Health Scotland (PHS), Health Boards, and the Scottish Government. Its aim is to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of vaccination and immunisation services across Scotland.

Overall responsibility for SVIP is held by PHS who are responsible for operational oversight and programme support, including governance, service improvement, and communications for all vaccination programmes. The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government and falls within the remit of PHS to provide a response.

Question reference: S6W-41830

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the shingles vaccine in reducing the risk of dementia.

The Scottish Government is guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) who base its recommendations on rigorous appraisal of the best available scientific evidence and continually monitor vaccination programmes to ensure they remain clinically effective and cost-efficient.

In June 2025, the JCVI considered emerging evidence on whether shingles vaccination may reduce dementia risk and if this should influence JCVI advice for vaccinating individuals over 80.

Members agreed that this potential benefit was not currently quantifiable. The ongoing rollout of Shingrix vaccination in the UK could provide an opportunity to collect additional data and improve understanding of the potential link, and the UK Health Security Agency is actively exploring this.

Question reference: S6O-05193

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any economic benefits of the growth of aquaculture in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-05143

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the potential economic benefits of the reinstatement of an international ferry route from Rosyth.