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-04988

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with community groups that have raised concerns regarding the proliferation of energy infrastructure, including pylons, battery energy storage systems and wind farms.

Question reference: S6O-04992

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress on the development and expansion of heat networks across Scotland, including any plans it has to accelerate deployment to meet heat network decarbonisation targets.

Question reference: S6O-04977

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the next UK Budget, which will be delivered on 26 November.

Question reference: S6O-04965

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-40544

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions have been taken to address the recommendations in the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry Interim Report: The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Edinburgh.

As you are aware, the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry (The Inquiry) has examined the planning, design and construction of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and the Department of Clinical Neuroscience (RHCYP DCN) in Edinburgh. In March this year, Lord Brodie, Chair of the Inquiry, published his findings in the Inquiry’s interim report. The report details 11 recommendations based upon the research and evidence supplied in document and oral testimony at the inquiry.

Once again, I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Brodie and his Inquiry team for their dedication and diligence in gathering evidence and producing a report that has provided important lessons for those undertaking health infrastructure projects in the years ahead. I would also like to thank all the witnesses who contributed their time and effort to providing evidence to the inquiry.

The Scottish Government has, and continues to, make improvements to policies and practices, alongside our NHS partners.

One such improvement is the establishment of NHS Scotland Assure. NHS Scotland Assure provides a coordinated approach to the improvement of risk management in new buildings and health infrastructure projects across the NHS in Scotland. NHS Scotland Assure also provides assurance that the healthcare built environment is safe and fit for purpose and has improved support to Health Boards on technical matters. Their work also includes a programme of learning that is intended to enable Health Boards to assist NHS Scotland Assure in how it can better support other health boards about to go through the same process.

NHS Scotland Assure has implemented a “Key Stage Assurance Review” process, which recognises the importance of having detailed specifications, which comply with relevant Infection Prevention and Control guidance. The specifications of projects are checked and validated before any approval can be given. Now a new healthcare facility or major refurbishment cannot open unless it has received NHS Scotland Assure’s sign off.

To achieve greater clarity, NHS Scotland Assure is also standardising the approach to health infrastructure projects and associated processes, and is now preparing a consultation with health boards on the proposed changes.

I acknowledge that that process will take time and is demanding to complete, but this work is firmly rooted in the prioritisation of improvements to the outcomes and quality of health capital projects.

As part of its 2023–2026 strategy, NHS Scotland Assure is developing a framework of training and lessons learned that will be accessible to all Health Boards via a shared intranet site. This supports the Inquiry’s recommendation for more accessible, specific training and guidance to aid NHS Boards in their daily activities. The framework aims to provide expertise and evidence-based advice that helps reduce risk, supports the delivery of a sustainable healthcare service, and improves the healthcare experience across Scotland.

In addition, Infection Prevention (IPC) Workforce Strategic Plan now supports the development of a skilled and sustainable workforce; particularly in relation to Infection, Prevention and Control specialists. Alongside this, the Scottish Government have also published role descriptors for IPC staff and are engaging closely with NHS Education for Scotland and NHS Boards to support the continued development of their IPC staff.

I am also able to advise that an additional phase for the requirement for validation for revenue-funded projects means that for any future revenue-funded project, the Scottish Government will include a provision that strengthens the healthcare provider’s power to ensure that the completed facility is fit for purpose and constructed in accordance with the healthcare provider’s requirements. For capital funded projects, contracts for the construction of new hospitals now allows for validation, which will be undertaken on behalf of the health board in accordance with technical guidance.

The Scottish Government also recognises the need for a risk assessment to be implemented should there be a change in the arrangements for funding a project. The procuring NHS body, working in conjunction with the Scottish Government, will assess whether work done on the project up to that point is suitable for the revised project. The rationale for decisions taken will be formally submitted to the NHS Capital Investment Group for approval. The Scottish Government will also adjust its procurement process to accommodate a gateway meeting prior to Financial Close at which a common understanding of the health board's brief is agreed and recorded.

I agree with Lord Brodie’s recommendation that communication between Health Boards and its patient groups should be improved. I can confirm that discussions between the Scottish Government and NHS Boards are actively taking place to identify any gaps in communication planning and consider if national guidance is required. I understand much of the communication will be delivered on a one to one basis by healthcare staff direct to patients or their families. These communications plans should work effectively alongside the internal communications processes that each local health board has in place to brief staff and ensure accurate and timely information sharing.

I acknowledge the huge amount of work which is already underway by the Scottish Government and its NHS partners. I am confident that we can continue to grow and improve the areas which still require refinement so that patients and families can always feel safe in our hospitals.

Question reference: S6W-40376

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many ScotRail services have been (a) cancelled, (b) part-cancelled and (c) delayed by at least (i) one minute, (ii) 15 minutes, (iii) 30 minutes and (iv) 60 minutes in (A) each of the last three financial years and (B) 2025-26 to date, and how many of these were attributed to (1) air conditioning/cooling failures, (2) other rolling-stock defects, (3) train crew availability, (4) infrastructure or signalling faults, (5) the weather and (6) other causes, also broken down by ScotRail service group.

Question reference: S6W-40368

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of reviewing and implementing the recommendations of the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and by what date the board's final recommendations, including those on data improvement, will be published.

The Scottish Government has received the final report from the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and is grateful for their work. We are working with the organisations responsible for screening to implement the recommendations from the report. Funding has been provided to Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland to oversee and progress this work.

The final report will be published in the coming weeks. In line with the prioritisation of recommendations suggested within the report, immediate work is focused on exploring possible changes to the way in which breast screening is managed.

Question reference: S6W-40444

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 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.

Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted. The independent reporters held hearing sessions to gather evidence from the local community and expert witnesses (including those for the applicant, NatureScot and environmental charities) on the proposal’s potential impacts on protected sites, wildlife, and plants, as well as its anticipated socio-economic effects.

Question reference: S6W-40459

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils attending independent schools have been charged for in-hospital educational support in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-40443

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 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.

The Scottish Ministers are following the statutory planning process in considering the application. Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted.