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-04317

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-04339

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to help local authorities move families with children out of temporary accommodation into suitable permanent homes.

Question reference: S6O-04326

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the director of the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, and what was discussed.

Question reference: S6W-34367

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its draft Budget 2025-26, how much funding it plans to allocate to NHS capital projects, once the replacements for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion, Monklands Hospital and Belford Hospital in Fort William are accounted for.

The 2025-26 draft budget provides increased investment of £139 million across the NHS estate. This allows plans for Monklands and Belford hospital replacements and a new eye pavilion to be progressed, supports a new radiopharmacy facility and provides increased core capital allocations to NHS Boards, as well as additional support for Boards’ priority maintenance and improvements.

The budget also provides continued support for NHS projects already in construction and for the national replacement programmes for ambulances and radiotherapy equipment.

Beyond this, further NHS projects cannot be supported at this time, as there remains challenge and uncertainty in the capital budget position. All due consideration will be given as to which projects are affordable and deliverable, following the outcome of the UK Government’s spending review.

This will be supported by our work with Health Boards to develop a whole-system NHS infrastructure plan which will consider health infrastructure needs for the whole of Scotland, supporting the continued safe operation of existing facilities, as well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-34297

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32799 by Neil Gray on 14 January 2025, whether it will consider commissioning a formal evaluation of the Softer Landing, Safe Care initiative by the end of 2025, in order to improve data on international medical graduates across NHS Scotland.

The Softer Landing, Safe Care initiative was introduced in 2021. The programme is part of a coordinated offer that sits alongside the training pathway and is devolved for implementation at local board level. International Medical Graduates (IMGs), like other trainees, feedback their experience through established quality assurance processes such as the Scottish Training Survey. As such, the Scottish Government does not formally assess the initiative, and there are no plans in place at the moment for an evaluation.

Question reference: S6W-33261

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions and (b) meetings it has held with (i) expert organisations and (ii) the UK Government regarding the potential consequences for the UK’s future gas supply if the Jackdaw gas field were not to be developed for any reason, and whether it will publish the minutes of any such meetings.

Question reference: S6W-34328

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the adequacy of wellbeing services for healthcare professionals, including in relation to their accessibility, frequency of usage and success in reducing burnout rates, in light of reported research by the Medical and Dental Defence Union Scotland (MDDUS) stating that 67% of doctors in Scotland say that their empathy for their patients is reduced because they have compassion fatigue.

Scottish Government regularly receives data from wellbeing services that support healthcare professionals. Each of the services actively gather user feedback which is shared with Scottish Government who use it to enhance and develop their wellbeing resources.

Scottish Government funding of over £2.5m has been committed to support the mental health and wellbeing of healthcare professionals in 2024-25. These resources include a 24/7 compassionate listening service, confidential treatment for mental illness through the Workforce Specialist Service and access to psychological therapies and interventions.

Prioritising these treatment and therapeutic programmes reflects our commitment to offer care and support to those staff suffering from burnout and mental illnesses.

In addition, the National Wellbeing Hub offers a range of self-care wellbeing enhancing resources and signposting to relevant mental health and support services. The content of The Hub is fully shaped by Health and Social Care (HSC) stakeholders, with a key focus on providing support and education on recognising and addressing burnout. It aims to help individuals identify burnout in themselves and others, offering practical interventions to prevent or mitigate its effects. These resources are designed both for individuals and those in supportive roles within teams, as well as guidance on accessing further support and recovery services.

It is recognised that more must be done to improve the working conditions of HSC staff to reduce the risk of burnout at its source.

Question reference: S6W-34166

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to support doctors who have been victims of assault in the workplace.

No-one should be the victim of abuse or violence while at work and assaults on NHS staff are completely unacceptable. We encourage Health Boards to support criminal proceedings, where appropriate, against anyone who assaults staff. NHSScotland staff can access a range of services to care for their physical and mental health. This includes employee assistance programmes, trauma counselling services and pastoral support, to ensure a safe working environment.

The wellbeing of our health and social care workforce remains a key priority and we are working to ensure that the right level of support is offered across the system. Scottish Government funding provides our workforce with access to psychological interventions and therapies, self-service resources through the National Wellbeing Hub and the National Wellbeing Helpline delivered by NHS 24 to support their wellbeing. We also provide access to confidential mental health services through the Workforce Specialist Service.

Question reference: S6W-34286

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland to become operational.

Question reference: S6W-34161

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many assaults on doctors have been reported in each year since 2018, broken down by NHS board.