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-00466

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Flynn on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make an announcement on the Sheriffhall Roundabout upgrade.

Question reference: S7W-00521

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when endometriosis will formally be recognised as a chronic long-term condition.

We are committed to ensuring that endometriosis is recognised as a chronic condition and that women with endometriosis experience a continuum of care.

Phase Two of the Women’s Health Plan, published in January, committed to aligning the Endometriosis Care Pathway with the most recent NICE guidance so that NHS Boards in Scotland can ensure that women and girls with endometriosis and endometriosis like symptoms have access to holistic and timely care.

The Pathway has been updated and is available online on the Right Decisions platform.

Question reference: S7W-00298

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Highland Council regarding reports of unsafe toilet facilities and class cancellations at Rosebank Primary School, and what support is available to local authorities to ensure that school buildings are fit for purpose.

While statutory responsibility for managing and maintaining school estates rests with local authorities, the Scottish Government has engaged with the Highland Council on the issues at Rosebank Primary School. The Council has confirmed that no further class cancellations are expected and that remedial works to the affected toilet facilities will be completed before the start of the new school session in August. It has also committed to keeping the Parent Council updated on progress.

Through the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme, the Scottish Government is providing the Council with significant funding support for its Broadford Primary School, Nairn Academy and Tain Campus projects. This funding is intended to augment, rather than replace, the Council’s own investment in its school estate.

More broadly, the latest School Estate Statistics, published in September, show that the proportion of school buildings reported as being in “good” or “satisfactory” condition has increased to a record 92%, compared with 62.7% in 2007.

Question reference: S7W-00355

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many whole-time equivalent NHS podiatrists have been employed in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board, and what plans there are to increase staffing levels.

The information requested on how many whole-time equivalent NHS podiatrists have been employed in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

Workforce planning for podiatry is taken forward as part of the wider Allied Health Professions workforce. The Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review (2023) set out actions to ensure a sustainable workforce, and an advisory board is overseeing implementation. This includes expanding and diversifying routes into careers, such as “earn as you learn” models, and supporting initiatives like the PREPARE programme, which enables podiatrists to train while employed. These actions are designed to strengthen the training pipeline and support recruitment and retention.

Question reference: S7W-00362

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the number of incidents involving possession, misuse or adverse health consequences associated with prescription stimulants among (a) pupils and (b) students.

The Scottish Government does not hold data regarding the number of incidents involving possession, misuse or adverse health consequences associated with prescription stimulants among pupils or students.

The ‘Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan’, published on the 10 March 2026, includes a commitment to continuing to support the healthy development of children and young people. This includes supporting the implementation of national guidance to aid education authorities in updating local policies for responding to substance use in school settings, and supporting the development of age and stage appropriate alcohol and drug education and prevention resources as part of the wider curriculum review.

We also published ‘Young people accessing support or treatment for alcohol and drugs: standards’ in December 2025 and remain committed to working with partners to implement these standards to ensure young people have access to appropriate and effective support.

Question reference: S7W-00840

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work carried out by Creative Scotland to support the reopening of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) at 350 Sauchiehall Street, in Glasgow.

Question reference: S7W-00735

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Alison Thewliss on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is currently taking, or plans to take, to improve financial oversight and consumer protection in relation to care home providers, in light of concerns reported by the recent BBC Disclosure programme, Cashing in on Care, regarding families seeking to recover upfront fees and care home deposits.

The Scottish Government is concerned by the reports raised in the BBC Documentary “Cashing in on Care” and sympathises with the families involved however deposit fees form part of the private contract between the provider and the individual - the Scottish Government is not a party in these contracts.

Families in Scotland can contact their local trading standards team who will investigate any breach of contract which was the issue in the cases raised in the BBC documentary. The Competition and Markets Authority - which is a statutory body and accountable to the UK Parliament - has guidance for care homes on deposits and fees. This requires care home providers to provide details of any upfront payments required, such as the amount of any deposit, how it will be protected, and refunding arrangements.

We expect all providers operating in Scotland to abide by the guidance clearly set out by the CMA fully.

Question reference: S7W-00664

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Stephen Gethins on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding any impact that the reduction of firm power capacity following the closure of the Hunterston B power station in 2022 has had on constraint payments made to balance the grid.

The management of the grid and the administration of constraint payments are reserved matters and are the responsibility of the UK Government and the National Energy System Operator. The Scottish Government has no role in setting or administering such payments.

The Scottish Government regularly engages with the UK Government and system operators on investment in transmission infrastructure which is required to reduce constraint costs.

Question reference: S7W-00235

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of missing its March 2026 target, when it expects to eradicate all NHS waits of over (a) one and (b) two years.

Whilst the March 2026 target was not met, sustained progress continues to be made and waiting lists continue to fall in Scotland, with new outpatient waits over a year decreasing for 11 consecutive months and inpatient and daycase waits reducing for 15 months in a row.

We are determined to continue to build on this substantial progress and the focus remains on maintaining this trajectory and building on progress to eliminate the longest waits as quickly as possible to ensure people receive the treatment they need.

The Scottish Government has commissioned the sub national structures to develop a clear and deliverable plan to eradicate all long weeks over 52 weeks as soon as possible, including the prioritisation of those who have been waiting over 78 and 104 weeks.

Question reference: S7W-00229

Asked by: Laura Mitchell, MSP for Moray, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 5 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, given that original plans for establishing a permanent MRI scanner at Dr Gray's Hospital were halted several years ago, whether it will provide an update on the timetable for progressing this work.

A business case was submitted to the Scottish Government requesting funding for the provision of MRI services at Dr Gray’s Hospital under the National Treatment Centre (NTC) programme. The Business case process was subsequently paused in line with the decision in early 2024, due to capital funding constraints to pause all new capital infrastructure projects that were not already under construction including NTC projects.

The Scottish Government is working with all Health Boards to develop a Whole System Infrastructure Plan (WSIP), which will identify investment priorities across NHS Scotland. Projects previously paused, such as the MRI scanner at Dr Gray’s, will be considered within this process, with priorities determined through a national strategic assessment of the NHS estate and linked to capital funding availability. Ministers are expected to decide priorities next year, once this process concludes.