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-40479

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the findings of Scotland’s Childcare Guarantee, A Report on Childcare Modelling Scotland, by Pregnant Then Screwed Scotland, and the proposed policy of capping childcare costs at 5% of household income.

Question reference: S6W-40445

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the permanent removal of ScotRail peak fares on season ticket holders, and whether regular commuters will receive proportionate financial benefits compared to occasional travellers.

Question reference: S6W-40446

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, following the removal of ScotRail peak fares, whether it will review the proposed reduction in season ticket discounts to ensure that regular rail users are not financially disadvantaged.

Question reference: S6W-40444

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the development of Coul Links, and in light of the reported over 700 formal objections submitted, including from conservation bodies, scientists and residents, how it is ensuring that community and expert voices are being heard as well as those of private commercial interests.

Question reference: S6W-40443

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is proceeding with the proposed development of Coul Links, in light of the reported assessment by NatureScot that it might cause irreversible damage to a nationally important dune ecosystem and concerns that the project could undermine its commitments to halt biodiversity loss.

Question reference: S6W-40018

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to reduce adult diagnostic waiting times for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across Scotland.

The Scottish Government funds the National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT), which is currently supporting NHS Boards to develop, enhance and redesign existing local adult neurodevelopmental services. We continue scope the work required to improve Adult Neurodevelopmental Pathways nationally, understanding that a stepped care model is needed to reduce waiting times for adult neurodevelopmental assessments and ensure a consistent approach to them across Scotland.

We continue to fund NHS Education for Scotland and NAIT to deliver professional learning on neurodevelopmental conditions. Training is offered at informed, enhanced, specialist, and expert levels, with strong uptake across all tiers.

Question reference: S6W-40015

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to (a) expand non-pharmacological interventions alongside medication and (b) support transitions from child and adolescent to adult services for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The Scottish Government is providing further funding of £500,000 this year to improve neurodevelopmental assessment and support for children and young people, and their families.

Further, our Autistic Adult Support Fund provides £1 million of funding per year to organisations that support autistic adults both pre- and post-diagnosis. As autism and ADHD often co-occur, adults with ADHD have benefitted and will continue to benefit from this support. A recent independent evaluation of the Fund showed that 72% of individuals and 71% of families supported via the Fund reported improved wellbeing as a result.

The Scottish Government published the Transition Care Plan (TCP) Guidance in 2018, describing the standards required in the planning of good transitions for children and young people moving to adult services. This guidance is underpinned by a rights based approach and ensures the young person is involved in discussions about their care.

The National Neurodevelopmental Specification notes that the guidance should be used to ensure that transitions between children and young people’s services and other services are robust and that, wherever possible, services work together with the young person and families/carers to plan in advance for transition.

Question reference: S6W-40014

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve coordination between private and NHS services for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis and care, and whether it will consider establishing a national framework for shared care to help reduce waiting times and ease pressure on NHS resources.

The Scottish Government does not currently have plans to establish a national framework for shared care. However, we are engaging with the Royal College of GPs (Scotland) to understand the current issues around shared care agreements for patients with ADHD.

Officials have also written to all health boards seeking clarification on what neurodevelopmental assessment and support they currently have in place for adults, this included a question on local protocol for patients with a private diagnosis. We are currently collating and considering this information.

Question reference: S6W-40020

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce mandatory national data collection and reporting on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) referrals, waits, assessments, outcomes and demographics.

The Scottish Government acknowledges that work is needed to improve the quality of data on neurodevelopmental support and services, including a better understanding of current levels of need and the level of support people currently receive.

We are working with Health Boards and local authorities to improve our understanding of available data, and how this could be used to support improvements for adults, children and families.

Question reference: S6W-40016

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that patients with a private attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis can access any medication that they need through NHS services.

Some NHS Boards may have shared care policies, but it remains at the clinical discretion of each individual GP to decide the best course of action for their patients. A recommendation from a private specialist for a particular medicine does not entitle the patient to NHS prescriptions for that medicine.

The National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) published guidance on Prescribing ADHD medication to adults following private sector diagnosis in Scotland in April 2022. This guidance is available to practitioners and patients.