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-04745

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to modernise family law and ensure the efficient functioning of the civil court system.

Question reference: S6O-04740

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact of the MalDent Project on oral health policy in Malawi.

Question reference: S6O-04752

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with UHI Perth in relation to its funding position.

Question reference: S6O-04742

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any further plans to widen its review into Creative Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04739

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the constitution secretary last met, and will next meet, with UK Government ministers.

Question reference: S6W-37715

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the longest recorded waiting time has been for a cataract operation in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) uses the national waiting times datamart to collect electronic patient records covering the waits that patients experience waiting for treatment as an inpatient or day-case under the Treatment Time Guarantee.

This data source can be used routinely to identify the specialty of treatment. However, although the records are designed to collect coded information on the procedure that is planned for the patient, this information is often either incomplete, lacking in essential detail and/or its accuracy cannot be assured. In addition, the procedure(s) that was planned may not always reflect the procedure actually performed after the patient was admitted for treatment. The latter is not captured through the national datamart. Consequently, PHS is not currently able to report accurately on waiting times to this level of detail.

Question reference: S6W-37714

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any national strategies or funding initiatives aimed at increasing the number of cataract surgeries performed.

In January 2022, the Scottish Government commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Delivery to establish the Scottish National Cataract Short Life Working Group to address current challenges in cataract surgery in Scotland.

This work has led to the publication of 'Improving the Delivery of Cataract Surgery in Scotland: a Blueprint for Success' which will support Boards to deliver high quality, high volume, specialist care.

This Blueprint builds on existing work that has already been done by the National Eyecare Workstream to:

Embed recommendations from Health Board Ophthalmology Peer Reviews.
Align with the Royal College of Ophthalmologists guidelines for training lists and high volume service lists.
Acknowledge different models of service delivery from various sites across NHS Scotland.

Cataract Surgery Standards were published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland in December 2023. Cataract surgery standards – Healthcare Improvement Scotland

In 2025/26 we have announced over £200 million to reduce waiting lists and help support reduction of delayed discharge. This will contribute to additional ophthalmology procedures, alongside our National Treatment Centre programme which is delivering cataract surgery in NTC Highland and NHS Golden Jubilee University National Hospital.

Question reference: S6W-37608

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Programme for Government 2025-26 announcement of 20,000 additional orthopaedic, ophthalmology and general surgery procedures is in addition to the announcement of 30,000 procedures contained within the NHS Operational Improvement Plan, which was published in March 2025.

Our previous 2024-25 Programme for Government, published in September 2024, committed to delivering around 20,000 extra orthopaedic, ophthalmology and general surgery procedures annually in our new National Treatment Centres.

The most recent Programme for Government 2025-26, published in May 2025, has a further commitment of delivering more surgical procedures in our network of National Treatment Centres – to over 30,000 planned procedures, up from 20,000 in 2024-25. This commitment is also outlined in our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan published in March 2025.

These commitments are specifically focused on optimising the use of our network of National Treatment Centres (NTCs) located across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37658

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of end dates for any leases it has issued to operate (a) windfarms, (b) other forms of renewable energy production and (c) energy storage on Forestry and Land Scotland land.

Scotland's national forest estate, managed by Forestry and Land Scotland has 93 lease agreements in place covering renewable energy schemes. There are 29 windfarms, 25 of which are operational and 4 are under construction. There are 62 hydro schemes, 61 of which are operational and 1 is under construction. There are 2 battery storage schemes, 1 of which is operational and 1 is under construction.

The lease end dates vary depending on lease length, whether any variations are applied during the lease period and whether any lease extension rights are exercised.

Scheme	Type	Status	Lease End Date
Milton Glen Burn	Hydro	Operational	23-Feb-56
Inverlael	Hydro	Operational	04-May-51
Shenval - Allt Seannbhaile	Hydro	Operational	18-Sep-56
Maolachy	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-29
Allt Phocachain	Hydro	Operational	09-Jan-55
Douglas Water	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-48
Allt a' Chonais (Strathcarron)	Hydro	Operational	13-Oct-63
Glen Skiach	Hydro	Operational	16-Sep-39
Garbhaig 2	Hydro	Operational	26-Feb-90
Kames - Eas Mor	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-55
Carie	Hydro	Operational	05-Mar-55
Allt Cheanna Mhuir	Hydro	Operational	14-Aug-54
Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-56
Allt Choire a' Bhalachain	Hydro	Operational	17-Jul-54
Duror 1	Hydro	Operational	31-Oct-60
Eas a' Ghaill	Hydro	Operational	02-Nov-54
Coire Ealt Burn	Hydro	Operational	22-Jun-54
Abhainn Shalachain	Hydro	Operational	18-Dec-53
Allt Garbh	Hydro	Operational	15-May-56
Allt Ladaidh	Hydro	Operational	19-Mar-55
Allt Lararidh or Lairairidh	Hydro	Operational	05-Oct-54
Allt Luaidhe	Hydro	Operational	20-Jan-55
Inverliever (River Liever) including Cam Loch	Hydro	Operational	11-Jun-49
Allt a Mhuilinn	Hydro	Operational	23-Apr-58
Allt Garaidh Ghualaich (Garry Gualach)	Hydro	Operational	11-Sep-26
Braevallich (Allt Bheallach)	Hydro	Operational	12-Nov-33
Cia Aig	Hydro	Operational	03-Mar-53
Schoolhouse Burn, Loch Long	Hydro	Operational	30-Jun-60
Allt Coire Chaorach	Hydro	Operational	03-Aug-64
Donich Water	Hydro	Operational	02-Feb-56
Bruach Chaorainn Burn	Hydro	Operational	26-Apr-57
Leacann	Hydro	Operational	12-Sep-79
Allt Easach	Hydro	Operational	13-May-59
Balnacarn Burn	Hydro	Operational	08-May-51
Allt Stronyre	Hydro	Operational	21-Jun-51
Benmore Burn Benmore Home Farm	Hydro	Operational	27-Aug-55
River Lochy	Hydro	Operational	10-Feb-55
Allt Beochlich	Hydro	Operational	21-Jan-49
Invernoaden	Hydro	Operational	31-Dec-58
Lephincorrach Burn Torrisdale	Hydro	Operational	31-May-55
Duror Extension	Hydro	Operational	30-Jun-60
Allt na Fearna	Hydro	Operational	31-Aug-57
Glen Righ - Abhainn Righ - Allt Meurach	Hydro	Operational	29-Jan-58
Allt Dearg	Hydro	Operational	03-Sep-57
Cuil Burn, Loch long	Hydro	Operational	24-Oct-59
Feorline Burn	Hydro	Operational	07-Jul-60
Allt a' Chaitchinn or Achlain	Hydro	Operational	26-Mar-59
Allt Coire a'Bhainidh	Hydro	Operational	01-Nov-57
Allt an Laghain	Hydro	Operational	22-Apr-58
Allt nan Cnocan - Glen Finart	Hydro	Operational	17-May-56
Allt Garaidh Ghualaich - Upper	Hydro	Operational	08-Dec-59
Abhainn Achachoish, Corranbuie	Hydro	Operational	15-May-56
Greenfield Burn	Hydro	Operational	08-Dec-59
Burnmakiman Burn Dunoon	Hydro	Operational	02-Jul-57
Littleton Burn	Hydro	Operational	16-Oct-59
Glen Burn - Barbeth	Hydro	Operational	29-Apr-56
Allt Eilidh	Hydro	Operational	28-Oct-59
Allt an t-Sidhein	Hydro	Operational	01-Mar-60
Allt Mhuic	Hydro	Operational	19-Jan-60
Merkland Burn	Hydro	Under Construction	04-May-65
Little Clyde	Wind	Operational	28-Mar-38
An Suidhe	Wind	Operational	07-Dec-33
Whitelee 2	Wind	Operational	19-Sep-38
Mid Hill	Wind	Operational	25-Oct-37
Stroupster	Wind	Operational	30-Nov-37
Myres Hill	Wind	Operational	13-Dec-36
Whitelee 1	Wind	Operational	09-Aug-34
Rothes 2 (Cairn Uish Hill)	Wind	Operational	20-Jun-37
Burn of Whilk	Wind	Operational	25-Apr-38
Cruach Mhor	Wind	Operational	06-Mar-29
Kilgallioch	Wind	Operational	28-Jun-43
Blackcraig	Wind	Operational	29-Nov-43
Black Law	Wind	Operational	31-Mar-32
South Kyle	Wind	Operational	02-Aug-55
Halsary	Wind	Operational	29-Sep-49
Beinn An Tuirc 1	Wind	Operational	02-Jun-30
Beinn An Tuirc 2	Wind	Operational	28-Oct-37
Beinn An Tuirc 3	Wind	Operational	24-Oct-47
Harestanes	Wind	Operational	30-Apr-40
West Benhar	Wind	Operational	29-Feb-48
Camster	Wind	Operational	14-Nov-35
Arecleoch	Wind	Operational	01-Dec-36
A' Chruach	Wind	Operational	06-Nov-42
Clashindarroch	Wind	Operational	10-Jul-41
Deucheran Hill	Wind	Operational	18-Feb-26
North Kyle	Wind	Under Construction	30-May-63
Pencloe	Wind	Under Construction	28-Apr-52
Camster 2	Wind	Under Construction	12-Sep-53
Arecleoch Ext	Wind	Under Construction	14-Apr-55
Whitelee	Battery	Operational	09-Aug-34
Harestanes	Battery	Under Construction	03-Jul-40

Question reference: S6W-37690

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to (a) address the reported 60% increase in prison deaths in 2024 and (b) improve the safeguards in place to prevent (i) drug deaths and (ii) suicides in prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Any loss of life in the care of SPS is tragic no matter the circumstances.

The recently reviewed Death in Prison Learning Audit and Review (DIPLAR) process, supports our ability to improve and identify lessons learned following any death in custody.

We are also reviewing and overhauling our suicide prevention strategy, ‘Talk to Me’, supported by an independent expert review. We have implemented immediate measures identified following recommendations from Fatal Accident Inquires, including but not limited to mandatory observations of young people during their first 72 hours in custody.

Additionally, the implementation of SPS’ Alcohol and Drug Strategy, which was developed with partners, will compliment operational actions by using trauma informed practices to support those in our care who are affected by substance use.