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-01649

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has instructed NHS boards to prepare surge plans for winter 2026/27 and, if so, whether these plans will be published.

The Scottish Government works with NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to support local surge and winter preparedness arrangements through nationally agreed planning priorities and principles. Local systems are expected to develop preparedness arrangements that reflect the needs of their populations and local circumstances.

The Scottish Government is currently refreshing the National Planning Priorities and Principles for Surge and Winter Preparedness and associated expectations for NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships for 2026-27. This work is aligned with development of the National Flow Plan, which forms part of wider activity to improve patient flow, reduce delayed discharge and make best use of capacity across health and social care services.

Operational preparedness plans are developed and maintained locally. Decisions regarding publication of local planning documents are a matter for individual NHS Boards and partner organisations. The Scottish Government intends to publish national guidance and planning priorities following completion of the current review process.

Question reference: S7W-01651

Asked by: Martyn Day, MSP for Falkirk East and Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, with respect to NHS services, what contingency measures it has put in place to be implemented in the event that surge planning does not deliver the anticipated improvements in patient flow and hospital capacity.

The Scottish Government's surge and resilience preparedness approach includes established monitoring, escalation and assurance arrangements to support NHS Boards and their partners in responding to periods of sustained operational pressure. These arrangements do not rely on any single intervention to deliver improvements in patient flow or hospital capacity.

Where pressures exceed local capacity, NHS Boards can implement local escalation procedures and access support through existing regional and national coordination arrangements. Alongside these arrangements, the Scottish Government is developing a National Flow Plan to support longer-term improvements in patient flow, occupancy management, delayed discharge and system resilience. The Scottish Government continues to work closely with NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to monitor pressures, support appropriate action and maintain safe and effective services.

Question reference: S7W-02382

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider re-evaluating the assessment set out in its document, Scottish Government Bonds Programme: Summary Outline Business Case, to include (a) within the Critical Success Factors for assessing the case for bond issuance the potential economic benefits to Scottish businesses, investors and pension funds, and (b) consideration of the benefits to smaller, domestic investors of issuing retail bonds rather than wholesale bonds.

Question reference: S7W-02385

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government if, as part of its assessment of the case for issuing Scottish Government bonds, as set out in the document, Scottish Government Bonds Programme: Summary Outline Business Case, it considered whether, by mitigating against potential interest payment leakage from the domestic economy, issuing retail bonds would be more beneficial to the Scottish economy and its Community Wealth Building goals than issuing wholesale bonds.

Question reference: S7W-02397

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Edinburgh Central, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government in light of the UK Government’s response to Wendy Chamberlain UIN 469 tabled on 13 May 2026, whether (a) it intends to bring forward amendments to the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016, and (b), if so, what amendments it is considering

Question reference: S7W-02408

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether patients aged under 18 are able to access rapid cancer diagnostic centres, and what dedicated diagnostic pathways are available to children and young people presenting with possible cancer symptoms.

Question reference: S7W-02372

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Outline Business Case for the Gourock-Dunoon-Kilcreggan routes relates to the construction of (a) one or (b) two new vessels for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry route.

Question reference: S7W-02406

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to establishing a Cancer Patient Experience Survey for patients aged under 16, as is in place in England.

Question reference: S7W-02371

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when the Outline Business Case for the Gourock-Dunoon-Kilcreggan routes will be completed, and when stakeholders will be informed of the outcome.

Question reference: S7W-02387

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 7 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many IVF treatment cycles have been provided in each NHS board area in each year since 1999.