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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 43016 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-35111

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: An updated analysis of Health Board survey data as of July 2024, which was published in November 2024 and (a) suggested that there was a lack of services for children and young people with ME/CFS and (b) noted that only one NHS board reported any provision for children and young people with ME/CFS.

We recognise the importance of good quality care for children and young people living with ME/CFS.

The Scottish Budget 2025-26 includes £4.5 million to deliver specialist support across the country for long COVID, ME/CFS and other similar conditions. We are carefully considering how this new investment can best benefit people with these conditions across Scotland.

ME/CFS can present a broad range of symptoms, and we know there is no ‘one-size fits all’ response. Children and young people with ME/CFS who require investigation or input from secondary care specialities may access this via an appropriate GP referral, according to their needs.

We have funded the dissemination of an online learning module on ME/CFS for GPs and health professionals in Scotland, which is improving participants’ ability to diagnose and manage ME/CFS. NHS Education for Scotland have also published a Practice Based Small Group Learning module about ME/CFS for GPs and Primary Care professionals.

There are a number of national policy and strategic drivers which aim to ensure children and young people receive the best quality care & support. The Maternal and Child Health page on the Scottish Government website outlines the latest pieces of work towards our priorities in supporting children and young people.

The Health and Social Care Standards set out what we should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland. We have also set out guidance regarding health and social care and supporting disabled children, young people and their families.

We want every child and young person in Scotland to reach their full potential. All support and planning for children and young people with ME/CFS should be underpinned by Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) - the national approach in Scotland to supporting the wellbeing, and to improving outcomes, of our children and young people.

Question reference: S6W-35110

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed timeline showing the work that NHS Scotland Assure has done in (a) surveying sites to check whether reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) is present, (b) identifying any RAAC and the level of remedial action that is required and (c) ensuring that appropriate action is taken by NHS boards to address the presence of RAAC where it has been found.

Following the collapse of a school roof in 2018, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS), alerted NHS Scotland Assure to the issue and the following steps were then taken:

May 2019 - The Standing Committee on Structural Safety (SCOSS), alerted Health Facilities Scotland (HFS) to the issue in May 2019, this was circulated to NHS Scotland
February 2020 – paper presented by NHS Scotland Assure to the NHS Strategic Facilities Group outlining a proposal for identifying and managing RAAC across the NHS estate
May 2021 – NHS Assure gather a local assessment of RAAC from each local NHS Board, and conclude that a national survey programme would be best;
November 2022 – a lead adviser is appointed and the desktop survey programme starts.
December 2022 – NHS Scotland Assure commissioned a survey team to establish the extent of RAAC across the NHS Scotland Estate and the condition it is in.
January 2023 – Desktop review begins
July 2023 – Phase 1 Discovery survey work begins
April 2024 – Discovery survey programme complete (except for several revisits and several later additions)
May 2024 – three pilot detailed surveys commissioned to inform a programme to undertake a detailed survey of all buildings with RAAC in the NHS Estate.
June 2024 – two pilot detailed surveys completed to inform a Phase 2 Survey Programme
October 2024 – Scottish Government commissioned an Annual Inspection Programme to complete annual re visits required during the 2024/25 financial year
November 2024 – Annual Inspection Programme commenced
November 2024 – procurement of a Phase 2 Survey Programme

It is the NHS Boards responsibility for any actions identified in the Survey reports to be undertaken timeously.

Question reference: S6W-34900

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried of the reasons for the reported increase in the percentage of people diagnosed with HIV who no longer engaged with HIV clinical services.

The latest data on people living with HIV in Scotland and not attending for HIV treatment and care can be found in Public Health Scotland’s HIV in Scotland surveillance report, which is available at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/hiv-in-scotland/hiv-in-scotland-update-to-31-december-2023/.

It is important to note that changes to service delivery during and since the COVID-19 pandemic mean that the reported proportion of diagnosed individuals receiving treatment may be an under-estimate and work is underway to ensure the accuracy of this reporting.

Through our HIV Transmission Elimination Delivery Plan, we are working with partners including the third sector to ensure that people living with HIV are receiving the treatment, care and support they need. Through our Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults we are also funding a number of projects offering peer support and practical assistance which can help people living with HIV to stay well and engage or re-engage in care.

Question reference: S6W-34449

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many speech and language therapists have been employed in schools in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-35042

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment is has made of local authorities’ use of the £2.4 million funding that it allocated in 2022 to prepare for implementing the pavement parking prohibitions introduced by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

Transport Scotland provided £2.4 million to local authorities for the completion of their road assessments to identify if there are areas of footway they may wish to exempt from the national pavement parking ban. It is not for Transport Scotland to assess how local authorities undertook their road assessments. Local authorities are best placed to make informed decisions on the management of their local road network and to assess which of the footways within their area are suitable for exemption, in line with ministerial directions.

Question reference: S6W-35061

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to ensure that Transport Scotland takes action to mitigate any safety concerns regarding the Shawhead flyover in Coatbridge.

Regular updates will be provided by Transport Scotland to Ministers to ensure appropriate action is taken to address concerns at the Shawhead Flyover. The current position is that Transport Scotland has asked its maintenance contractor (Scottish Roads Partnership) to assess several options for works at the junction to improve driver confidence. This work is underway. In addition, Transport Scotland has also asked Police Scotland for the junction to be assessed by their Police Camera Safety Team in the next site selection exercise, which is due to begin in April.

Question reference: S6W-34821

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of people who have sought transgender chest surgery privately in each of the last five tears, including those who fundraise through online platforms.

Question reference: S6W-34822

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs took early retirement in each of the last five years, also broken down by what proportion of the total GP workforce this represented.

Question reference: S6W-35041

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has received from local authorities regarding any barriers that they have identified in enforcing the pavement parking prohibitions introduced by the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, and what support it has provided to them to assist with dealing with these.

Transport Scotland facilitated a Parking Standards Group with representatives from all 32 local authorities, in advance of the 2019 Act becoming law. During these meetings, in depth discussions were held around the enforcement of the new parking prohibitions. Transport Scotland also issued detailed guidance to all local authorities providing them with a procedure to follow to enforce the prohibitions This guidance also addressed any subsequent queries raised by local authorities.

Officials are in ongoing discussions with SCOTS and COSLA in respect of the funding mechanism for the relevant costs associated with the new prohibitions. Once those discussions have been concluded we will be in a position to reimburse any further eligible costs incurred by local authorities.

Question reference: S6W-34394

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 3 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many clinical staff of all grades have been employed by NHS Lanarkshire in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in each year since 2016.