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-43161

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what the specific quality standards are for continence products supplied for home use under the national procurement framework, and what the cost-differential is per unit between products supplied in acute hospital settings compared with those provided to patients in the community.

Products listed in the current National Procurement framework meet the ISO11948-1 Rothwell Absorption Capacity for Incontinence Pads.

Products to acute settings are fulfilled via the NSS National Distribution Service as a delivered price. This is 5% higher than products supplied directly by the supplier to community and care home settings. However, the supplier charges and invoices Health Boards for delivery.

Products fulfilled via the National Distribution Service do not differentiate between patient groups as the delivery is to wards, departments and other end points. National Procurement conducts a quarterly meeting with the framework provider, Ontex Healthcare and any local KPIs are managed by individual health boards.

Question reference: S6W-43160

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what non-digital routes are available for patients and carers to escalate concerns about NHS-supplied home care products, and whether it will require NHS boards to provide physical information packs at the point of discharge as part of its Palliative Care Matters for All Strategy 2025–2030.

If a patient or carer has concerns about NHS supplied home care products, these can be addressed at a local level through the NHS complaints handling procedure. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 provides a specific right for people to make complaints, raise concerns, make comments and give feedback about NHS care and services and places a duty on NHS Boards to thoroughly investigate and respond to any complaints made.

Anyone can make a complaint and do so in writing, in person, by telephone, by email or online, or by having someone complain on their behalf. The NHS complaints handling procedure has a sharp focus on early resolution and speaking to a member of NHS staff can often be the best way to resolve a complaint quickly.

NHS Boards are expected to provide helpful advice and information tailored to everyone’s circumstances at the point of discharge. As such, our Palliative Care Strategy does not contain an action specifically related to providing physical information packs, or their contents.

Question reference: S6W-43159

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the discharge process for older and terminally ill patients to ensure that the provision of essential equipment and support is mandated within 48 hours of a discharge plan being finalised.

The Scottish Government is aware how crucial equipment is in supporting a patient to be cared for and to live safely within their home environment and is committed to delivering a more equitable and accessible approach to the provision of equipment. All individuals, regardless of diagnosis or where they are being treated, should experience a seamless journey through the pathway of care, which ensures they receive the right intervention at the right time. Our national guidance, Supporting documents - Equipment and adaptations: guidance on provision - gov.scot published in 2023, emphasises the importance of this however, once an individual is assessed as requiring support, including any equipment, then it is the responsibility of the Health and Social Care Partnerships to deliver it at the earliest opportunity. Similarly discharge planning is a joint exercise between the Health Board and should begin as soon as a patient is admitted.

Question reference: S6W-43156

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific key performance indicators or service level agreements are in place for NHS contractors regarding delivery response times for terminally ill patients requiring continence products, and how it monitors NHS boards' compliance with these standards to prevent geographic disparities in care.

NHS National Services Scotland provides national logistics services to all Health Boards. Currently the KPIs record the availability of product, as well as the on-time delivery of product. It does not differentiate between patient groups as the delivery is to wards, departments and other endpoints.

National Procurement’s delivery statistics show that they are achieving over 99% of deliveries made on time and in full. Products in the community and care homes are purchased directly from suppliers, and managed, by Health Boards.

Question reference: S6W-43164

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many delayed discharge bed days in the last 12 months were attributed specifically to delays in the availability of home care equipment or domestic adaptations.

There were 10,524 bed days attributed to delay reason 25E (Awaiting completion of care arrangements in order to live in their own home – awaiting procurement/delivery of equipment/adaptations fitted) during the past 12 months (Dec 2024 – Nov 2025). There were 705,865 delayed discharge bed days during this time. This represents 1.5% of the total occupied bed days associated with a delayed discharge.

Please note, a discharge may be delayed for multiple reasons, and the reason for delay reflects only:

the principal reason for delay recorded at the discharge date for delay episodes with a discharge date, or
the principal reason for delay recorded as at the date the monthly data extract is taken, for delay episodes without a discharge date.

Question reference: S6W-43155

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the current national procurement framework for continence products allows for clinical exception where a patient's specific medical condition requires a higher grade of product than is available on the standard board-approved list.

Products are supplied via the NHS National Services National Procurement Framework NP57123. The framework provides a range of products for the bladder and bowel and is not a limiting factor to local health board formularies/availability.

Clinical leads can review when assessing patients’ needs and are able to prescribe the appropriate product based on clinical need, and subject to local health board governance.

Health Boards have published their own guidance material on bladder and bowel health, which provides detail on how these arrangements can be managed.

Question reference: S6W-42987

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Neil Gray on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close any (a) survival and (b) research gap for the less survivable common cancers of the lungs, liver, brain, oesophagus, pancreas and stomach, in light of reports that they collectively result in over 9,000 deaths, or around 44% of all cancer deaths, in Scotland each year.

Question reference: S6W-42988

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Tom Arthur on 27 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people who require mental health support through the NHS do not feel the need to self-fund private treatment as a result of long NHS waiting times, and what provision is in place for people to be reimbursed for any consultations, treatment or support that has been clinically recommended to them in a private healthcare setting.

Question reference: S6W-43312

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact of HMRC changes to the Wear and Tear allowance for childminders on (a) the number of registered childminders in Scotland and (b) the affordability of childcare provision for families, and what discussions it has had with HMRC or the UK Government regarding the changes.

Question reference: S6W-43313

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how any concerns raised by childminders are incorporated into wider workforce strategy planning.