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-01681

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to reforming permitted development rights in order to accelerate the deployment of mobile telecommunications infrastructure.

There are already extensive permitted development rights for mobile telecommunications infrastructure. These facilitate the deployment of such infrastructure across Scotland without the need for a planning application. The permitted development rights were significantly extended in 2020 following public consultation.

There are no specific plans to further amend the existing permitted development rights at the current time. However, the Scottish Government is engaging with stakeholders to explore how the planning system can act as an enabler of economic growth and investment. This engagement will inform the scope of this Government’s planning reform programme

Question reference: S7W-01699

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many appointments to assess sleep apnoea have taken place in each year since 2021, broken down by NHS board.

We do not centrally collect data on the number of appointments undertaken to assess sleep apnoea across NHS Boards. This level of information would be held by individual NHS Boards.

The commitments set out in this year’s budget, published on 4 March 2026, will deliver a record £22.5 billion funding for health and social care in 2026-27, supporting delivery of planned care for patients across Scotland to increase capacity and address backlogs of treatment as we work towards achieving the 12-week treatment time guarantee.

Question reference: S7W-01667

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms available to Trading Standards Scotland when dealing with any premises involved in the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products, compared with the closure order mechanisms available to Trading Standards in England and Wales.

The Scottish Government is engaging with the Society for Chief Officers of Trading Standards Scotland (SCOTSS),Trading Standards and Police Scotland to assess the effectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms available to Trading Standards in Scotland to tackle the sale of illicit tobacco and vaping products and is considering the closure order mechanisms available to Trading Standards in England and Wales.

Question reference: S7W-01692

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01148 by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 2 July 2026, when it will publish guidance on what factors are prevalent in a green data centre.

Question reference: S7W-01704

Asked by: Dawn Black, MSP for Angus North and Mearns, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out a rapid review of the available evidence on the risks associated with the long-term use of the contraceptive injection, Depo-Provera.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has responsibility for the quality, safety, and efficacy of medicines through its licensing and pharmacovigilance functions, which are reserved matters.

The MHRA continues to closely monitor the safety of Depo-Provera®, as it does with all licensed medicines, and is examining recent data and seeking advice from experts on the need for any further action. Given this ongoing work, I have no plans to commission a separate evidence review.

Question reference: S7W-01691

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-01147 by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 1 July 2026, whether the First Minister has reached a decision on whether the Scottish Government will provide local authorities with planning guidance on proposed green data centres.

Question reference: S7W-01737

Asked by: Julie MacDougall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 10 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to any gaps in available data related to potential correlations between domestic abuse against men, substance abuse and likelihood of recovery from addiction.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of robust evidence in understanding any relationship between domestic abuse against men, substance use and recovery. However, limitations in the available data mean it is difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding potential correlations or causative relationships between these factors.

Existing data sources that provide some insight into these issues include:

National Drug Related Death Database – records, by sex, whether individuals who have died a drug death were victims of domestic violence prior to death. It also records details of social circumstances including who they were living with and whether individuals were a parent/parent figure. The database also records whether the individual had a psychiatric condition (including depression).
Drug and alcohol information system (DAISy) – collects data on those presenting for specialist treatment for drugs/alcohol in Scotland. The data set includes some (limited) information on living situation, dependents, and existing medical conditions.

While these data sources can provide information on the circumstances of people affected by substance use, they do not currently provide a comprehensive picture of the relationship between men’s experience of domestic abuse, substance use and recovery outcomes. The Scottish Government will continue to work with partners across the health, justice and research sectors to strengthen the evidence base where appropriate and make the best use of available data to inform policy development and service delivery.

Question reference: S7W-02358

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for diagnosis and treatment of children and young people with ADHD.

Question reference: S7W-02363

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to enable local authorities to improve employment opportunities and pathways for people with autism.

Question reference: S7W-02347

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to question S6W-43333, answered by Shona Robison on 29 January 2026, when it will begin the review of council tax arrears for victims of domestic abuse, as required by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.