Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-41558

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details on how the delivery plan for the MV Glen Rosa is being updated, as specified in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-22 to 2025-26: major capital projects progress update - August 2025.

The information you requested is already in the public domain, and can be found using the following two links:

A letter I sent to the Public Audit Committee dated 6 October 2025 contains a section on MV Glen Rosa funding and governance: The 202324 audit of Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow Scottish Government response October 2025 | Scottish Parliament Website

The Ferguson Marine quarterly update, which was sent to the Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee on 15 September 2025 which refers to the Glen Rosa programme schedule: https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/net-zero-energy-and-transport-committee/correspondence/2025/september-2025/mv-glen-rosa-quarterly-progress-update-150925.pdf

Question reference: S6W-41539

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been of rectifying pension administration errors by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Public Pensions Agency may incur costs for rectifying errors through interest payable on delayed pensions or lump sums, or through the payment of compensation for upheld complaints or appeals.

The following table records the information held for the full financial years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 and is a total costs for the four public service pension schemes administered by the Agency.

Year	Interest (£)	Compensation (£)	Total (£)
2024-25	78,478	3,365	81,843
2023-24	29,124	16,838	45,962
2022-23	Not available	16,406	16,406
2021-22	Not available	15,032	15,032
2020-21	Not available	9,131	9,131

Question reference: S6W-41582

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what specific criteria SEPA will use when reviewing information provided by operators in the BMW Ban – Notification Form, to determine that producers, waste managers and landfill operators will not be breaching any conditions in permits or duty of care requirements when accepting landfill of biodegradable municipal waste after 31 December 2025.

Question reference: S6W-41622

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of the recommendation that everyone aged five and over in Scotland should consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D, particularly during the winter months.

The Scottish Government supports and works closely with Food Standards Scotland, who have previously and will again repeat a winter campaign encouraging people to take a daily vitamin D supplement to maintain bone and muscle health.

The campaign primarily focuses on online advertising and social media posts. A campaign toolkit has also been developed and shared with a wide range of stakeholders to help support efforts to raise awareness of vitamin D, with graphics, web text, and social media posts available in nine languages (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/publications-and-research/publications/vitamin-d-campaign-toolkit).

Information on vitamin D is also available and promoted through a range of resources. Dedicated public advice on vitamin D is available on NHS Inform, including a general information leaflet highlighting the importance of vitamin D, which is available in a range of formats and languages (https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/food-and-nutrition/eating-well/vitamin-d).

Additional information can be accessed through our Parent Club (https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/eating-well-at-home) and Ready, Steady Baby! (https://www.nhsinform.scot/ready-steady-baby) resources, Food Standards Scotland (https://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/consumers/healthy-eating/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-d) website and Eat Well, Your Way (https://www.eatwellyourway.scot/what-is-a-healthy-balanced-diet/vitamin-d/).

Question reference: S6W-41625

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to monitor any post-separation abuse of victims who have left a coercive and abusive relationship.

Where individuals have left a coercive and abusive relationship, it is important that protections for their safety are available where needed. As such, there are a range of protective orders available to help ensure the safety of individuals.

Where a partner or ex-partner has been convicted of a domestic abuse criminal offence against their partner or ex-partner, when dealing with the offender the court is required to consider whether to impose a non-harassment order (NHO). If a NHO is not imposed, the court must explain the reasons why. The NHO can have a range of conditions included within it such as refraining from contacting the person against whom the offence has been committed. NHOs are also available for a wider range of offences upon application by the prosecutor. Changes made in the recently passed Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 will, when brought into force, require the court to consider NHOs upon conviction in sexual offence, stalking and intimate images cases.

In addition, a person can take action through the courts to protect themselves against abuse and harassment, and there are a number of civil court orders available. These include an interdict, which is a court order prohibiting someone from doing something. It can cover things such as contacting a particular person or coming within a certain distance of their home. In some cases, breach of an interdict is an offence. A civil NHO can prohibit conduct which causes alarm or distress and again breach is a criminal offence. An exclusion order can provide protection to a spouse or a civil partner (and, in certain circumstances, a cohabitant) where they or a child of the family is at risk of physical or mental injury because of the conduct of the other spouse, civil partner (or cohabitant). The order suspends an individual's rights to occupy the family home, and will come to an end if the court divorce or their civil partnership is dissolved.

Some data on the use of these various orders is available. Under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 and the requirement for the court to always consider imposition of an NHO following conviction for a domestic abuse offence came into force in April 2019, there has been a near quadrupling of the proportion of cases in which NHOs are made (from 10.8% of cases in 2018-19 to 41.8% of cases in 2024-25).

Separately from the availability of protective orders, the Caledonian System is an integrated approach to address the safety of women and children and to improve the lives of women, children and men. The system comprises of a programme for men who have been convicted of domestic abuse related offences with integrated support services for women and children. The men's programme is two years in duration, with a focus on helping men be accountable for their abusive behaviour and reduce the risk of continuing to be abusive. For 2025-26, the total ring-fenced budget allocation to 23 local authorities who operate the Caledonian System was £4,467,666.

These measures are intended to help protect victims of domestic abuse from further offending behaviour.

Question reference: S6W-41623

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work being taken to promote fair work principles in Scotland.

In the absence of powers over employment law, the Scottish Government is committed to using the levers we do have to embed Fair Work across the Scottish labour market.

The UK Government’s Employment Rights Bill is a vindication of our Fair Work approach. We welcome the Bill and the statutory footing it will provide to some of the progress we have made in Scotland–including on zero hours contracts, fire and rehire practices, and flexible working.

To help ensure public money supports fairer work places, since July 2023, public sector grant recipients have been required to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide appropriate channels for effective worker voice. It is estimated that over £6 billion worth of public sector grants has been awarded with Fair Work First criteria attached between 1 July 2023 and 31 March 2025.

We also provide funding for Living Wage Scotland to encourage employers to become accredited Real Living Wage and Living Hours employers. Scotland remains the best performing of all four UK countries, with the highest proportion of employees (18+) paid the Real Living Wage or more.

In April we launched a Fair Work digital resource hub which provides guidance for employers, and in June we worked with partners to hold a week-long Fair Work Festival.

Further actions we are taking are set out in the Fair Work Action Plan Impact Report published on 25 September 2025.

Question reference: S6W-41621

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 31 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people aged (a) 65 to 74, (b) 75 to 84, (c) 85 to 94 and (d) over 95 have waited at A&E for 12 hours or more in each month since January 2025.

Question reference: S6W-41544

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the full correspondence between ministers and NHS Forth Valley regarding the delayed completion of the new orthopaedic ward at Forth Valley Royal Hospital.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41542 on 11 November 2025.

Status of major projects at outline business case stage or later – including NTC Forth Valley – is published on a 6-monthly basis in the Scottish Government’s major capital projects progress update. This is published on the Scottish Government’s website: Infrastructure Investment Plan: progress reports - gov.scot.

As set out in the latest update (August 2025), the new ward continues to be delayed and an opening date is not yet confirmed for that ward. Work to agree a route to completion is ongoing. However, existing theatres (previously unused) have already been commissioned and in a phased opening, the National Treatment Centre began treating patients in October 2024.

There is an ongoing dispute with the contractor over final works required to bring the facility into appropriate condition for operational service. The final costs remain a point of negotiation and have not been finalised.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-41559

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any local authority reliance on supply teachers, in light of reports that Inverclyde Council spent £1.6 million on supply teachers in one year.

We support the permanent employment of teachers by providing £186.5m to local authorities in 2025-26 to restore overall teacher numbers across the country to 2023 levels and maximise the number of teaching posts available. In addition, we are also providing Local Authorities with £28 million to support better outcomes for children with ASN including the recruitment and retention of the ASN workforce.

The recruitment of teachers including recruitment practices are matters for individual local authorities. The use of supply contracts is a long-standing feature of local authority recruitment practice.

Supply teachers play an important role in guaranteeing that any teacher's absence from the classroom can be covered, while also providing flexibility for teachers who choose to work part-time. It also serves as an opportunity for teachers seeking to re-enter the teaching profession after a break, as well as for retired teachers wishing to engage in part-time employment.

Question reference: S6W-41567

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Current Status: Holding Answer by Richard Lochhead on 11 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of older and vulnerable people who will have their insurance policies for funeral costs withdrawn as a result of the termination of the Family Protection Plan by C Mutual and Maiden Life Försäkrings from 30 November 2025.

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