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: S7W-01220

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to ensure that all care-experienced children who require CAMHS receive timely and appropriate treatment and support.

The National CAMHS Specification establishes a consistent national standard, requiring Boards to ensure all children and young people receive timely support appropriate to their needs, including care-experienced children.

The Specification explicitly recognises the importance of supporting care-experienced young people during transitions between services.

The Transition Care Planning Guidance, published in 2018, places young people at the centre of decision-making and should inform all decisions about their care, including meeting the specific and often complex needs of care-experienced young people.

National performance against the 18-week CAMHS standard has been sustained for over a year, with 91% of children and young people starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral. 1 in 2 children and young people referred to CAMHS now start treatment within 5 weeks.

Question reference: S7W-01219

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the needs of care-experienced children in accessing neurodevelopmental pathways and support, and what action it is taking to address any barriers to such support.

We recognise that care-experienced children and young people can be more likely to experience a range of health, wellbeing and developmental challenges and that they may face additional barriers to accessing services and support including neurodevelopmental support.

In 2021 we published the Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopmental Specification, which sets out the principles and standards of care for all children and young people with neurodevelopmental support needs, including those who may be care experienced.

The Specification aims to ensure that children and families receive the support and access to services that meet their needs at the earliest opportunity, based on the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach. For many children and young people, such support is likely to be community based, and should be quickly and easily accessible.

The Specification also makes clear that support should be put in place to meet the child or young person’s requirements when they need it, rather than be dependent on a formal diagnosis.

In 2025, we undertook a review of the Specification implementation found here: Children and young people - National Neurodevelopmental Specification: implementation review report - gov.scot, and we are progressing the recommended next steps with partners including COSLA and the Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce.

Question reference: S7W-01239

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 9 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36424 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 April 2025, what further assessments it has carried out regarding traffic options to enable safer pedestrian access on the A84 at Bridge of Teith.

As previously stated, Transport Scotland and our operating company BEAR Scotland have held discussions with various local stakeholders regarding the A84 Teith Bridge and options for active travel improvement between Doune and Deanston. Transport Scotland is working closely with Stirling Council regarding this matter.

Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland shared the results of the modelling with Stirling Council and met with them to discuss it where Stirling Council requested that a live exercise be undertaken to directly investigate the impact on delays to vehicular traffic.

Taking account of the requirements of all modes of travel, including public transport services, it is recognised that the best form of improvement may not be amendment to the trunk road and the existing bridge. It may be more practical and effective to create an entirely new, offline facility.

Following discussions with Stirling Council, their preferred approach was to trial Option 3. This involved implementing an all-red phase at the traffic signals, allowing pedestrians to cross the bridge independently. However, this arrangement was not considered feasible under temporary conditions due to the associated safety risks.

Alternative options would lie outwith the trunk road and therefore outwith the responsibility of Transport Scotland. Progression of these would be the responsibility of Stirling Council or the Regional Transport Partnership to take forward, and Transport Scotland has suggested that the Council continue to appraise the best means of active travel connection between the two communities.

Question reference: S7O-00110

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what national assessment it has made of the climate impact associated with hyperscale AI green data centres.

Question reference: S7W-00695

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 11 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its Planning Advice Note 50, which provides advice on controlling the environmental effects of surface mineral workings, and associated annexes.

Question reference: S7W-00291

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review Section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

Question reference: S7W-00293

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when operators of the proposed Rosyth-Dunkirk ferry service will be able to apply for the Waterborne Freight Grant.

Question reference: S7O-00034

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether planning authorities have adequate guidance on how to assess proposed hyperscale AI data centres.

Question reference: S7W-00226

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 3 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support the trial introduction of side road zebra crossings.

Question reference: S7W-00225

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 1 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to increase the number of adult anaphylaxis clinics, in light of the reported growing need for services and increasing pressure on the West of Scotland Anaphylaxis Service.

In considering the provision of specialist services, NHS Boards are expected to plan capacity in line with population need and service demand, supported by regional and national collaboration where appropriate.

We are aware of pressures within some specialist services, including in the West of Scotland, and expect Boards to take these into account as part of their ongoing service planning and prioritisation.