- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether any changes have been made to the rules relating to the ministerial use of the Government Car Service; if so, what specific changes were made, and on what date each change was made.
Answer
There has been no change to the principle use of the Government Car Service (GCS). The ministerial code was updated most recently in 2024 providing clarity on the expectation of ministers.
The latest version of the ministerial code can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate that the
First Minister has appointed 16 special advisers, and how this compares to the
number of special advisers appointed by former First Ministers.
Answer
Special Advisers are appointed by the First Minister to provide important assistance to Scottish Ministers on the development of policy and its presentation. Their appointment is designed to reinforce the political impartiality of the permanent Civil Service by providing Ministers with a separate channel for political advice and assistance.
In 2024-25, the number and total cost of Special Advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.
The Scottish Government has published a list of current Special Advisers online. These details, as well as lists of former Special Advisers, can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/special-advisers/.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what rules were in place in relation to ministerial use of the Government Car Service in 2007, and when any changes to those rules occurred.
Answer
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether the practice that a minister could not be both dropped off at and collected from a private or party engagement on the same day, by the Government Car Service, changed, and, if so, when.
Answer
The service provided by the Government Car Service (GCS) is one which is governed by the ministerial code. The latest version can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-ministerial-code-2024-edition/.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the new Police Scotland Interim Guidance - Searching of transgender persons and searching by transgender police officers and police staff, including that transgender detainees can ask for a separate area search, meaning that one half of their body will be searched by one biological sex officer and the other half of their body will be searched by a different biological sex officer.
Answer
The Scottish Government accepts the recent Supreme Court judgment on the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 and expects all public bodies, including Police Scotland, to comply fully with their legal duties. The Scottish Government is aware of Police Scotland’s interim guidance, which broadly follows the interim guidance issued by the National Police Chief’s Council. While operational decisions rest with the Chief Constable, all search practices must be lawful, respectful, and uphold the dignity of individuals.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to draw on already-qualified counsellors and psychotherapists, who are not currently practising, to reduce any long waiting times for psychological therapies.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of timely access to psychological therapies and continues to work with NHS Boards to reduce waiting times. We are taking forward targeted actions to expand the mental health workforce by making better use of qualified counsellors and psychotherapists who are currently not in practice. In collaboration with key partners, we are developing practical measures to support these professionals to return to the workforce. This includes exploring flexible employment opportunities, providing access to professional supervision, and ensuring alignment with the needs of mental health services. These efforts are part of our wider investment in workforce development and contribute directly to the implementation of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Action Plan. Workforce planning and service delivery are led locally, aligned with national frameworks and informed by local need.
The Scottish Government has provided substantial investment since the pandemic to help clear backlogs and to implement the Specification, leading to a 31.7% growth in the psychological therapies' workforce since March 2021.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UN defining any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult, or another child, as child marriage, whether it is considering increasing the minimum age for marriages and civil partnerships in Scotland to 18, and, if so, what work it has already carried out on this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to consulting on whether we should legislate to raise the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 from 16. We will also consult on whether to legislate to extend the existing forced marriage or forced civil partnership offence so that any conduct with the intention of causing a person under 18 to marry or enter a civil partnership would be a criminal offence, including where there is no evidence of coercion.
The consultation will also seek views on other aspects of family and succession law, as set out in the answer to question S6W-23651 on 7 December 2023.
We anticipate the consultation will be published later this year.
The consultation will be accompanied by a range of relevant draft impact assessments, including draft Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessments and draft Equality Impact Assessments.
As part of our considerations on the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership, we have engaged with a wide range of organisations and interested individuals in order to gather views and evidence. I refer the member to the answers to S6W-16048 on 5 April 2023 and S6W-19070 on 29 June 2023 for further information on who we have met with.
We will consider the consultation responses as we reach decisions on our next steps on the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership.
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.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28109 by Jenni Minto on 25 June 2024, when it plans to next report on progress towards the Mental health and wellbeing strategy: delivery plan 2023-2025, and whether any such progress report will include an analysis of the impact of the strategy on addressing the mental health impact of non-communicable diseases, including chronic kidney disease, in light of Kidney Care UK’s report, Left to get on with it: The real impact of inadequate psychosocial support in kidney care, published in June 2025.
Answer
The Scottish Government published the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan and Workforce Action Plan: Progress Update and Next Steps on 11 June 2025. This update outlines progress made since publication of the Delivery Plan and includes information on the implementation of Psychological Therapies and Interventions Core Standards. A further high-level progress report is due to be presented to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Board on 21 August 2025.
The update does not include a specific analysis of the mental health impact of non-communicable diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring people living with long-term conditions, including CKD, have access to safe, effective and person-centred care, including appropriate psychosocial support. NHS Boards are expected to follow current best practice in delivering this care.
More broadly, the Scottish Government is currently consulting on a Long Term Conditions Framework, which will help inform future approaches to prevention, diagnosis and care, including support for mental health and wellbeing. We are also considering the findings of Kidney Care UK’s June 2025 report Left to get on with it and will reflect these in future planning where appropriate.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what updated guidance it plans to publish in relation to a presumption against children and young people living in temporary accommodation being required to move schools.
Answer
Further to the answer to question S6W-36591 on 22 April 2025, provided by the former Minister for Housing Paul McLennan MSP, on plans to implement a presumption against children moving schools when they are placed in temporary accommodation, I can advise that the Scottish Government plans to cover this issue when it next updates the Code of Guidance on Homelessness. This guidance, used to guide local authorities in their duties to assist people who are threatened with or who are experiencing homelessness, was last updated in November 2019.
The Scottish Government is committed to a substantial review of the Code of Guidance once the Housing (Scotland) Bill is passed by the Scottish Parliament. The updated Code of Guidance will cover all legislation, policies and practices to prevent and resolve homelessness.
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.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38220 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, what analysis it has carried out of whether missing data may reflect a failure to fulfil the legal obligations set out in section 298 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and, in the event that these legal obligations are not being fulfilled, what action the Scottish Government plans to take to address this.
Answer
Section 298 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 sets out a legal obligation on Police Scotland to notify the Mental Welfare Commission of instances when a relevant person is removed to a place of safety under section 297 of this Act. The Commission is working with Police Scotland to improve compliance in this area.
