Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-36041

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a feasibility study on emulating the Common User Facility (CUF) model at the Australian Marine Complex in Perth, Western Australia, and Osborne Naval Shipyard near Adelaide, South Australia, at the (a) Newark Shipyard facility, which is owned by the Scottish Ministers via Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Limited, and (b) Inchgreen Marine Park, which is owned by Peel Group and operated in a joint venture with Inverclyde Council.

The Scottish Government provides a range of support to shipbuilding, marine engineering, harbours and ports across Scotland, but has no plans to undertake a feasibility study to emulate a Common User Facility for shipyards in Australia and Scotland, as the skill sets of the staff at the respective yards will differ.

This Government took a proactive approach to preserve commercial shipbuilding on the Clyde at Ferguson Marine and remains committed to invest in the skills and capabilities needed to secure a sustainable future for the shipyard.

Question reference: S6W-35971

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many women have been waiting longer than two years for gynaecological procedures, broken down by NHS board.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes quarterly data on the length of time patients wait to be seen as a new outpatient or admitted for treatment as an inpatient or day case. The latest statistics represent all patients covered by the national standards for these stages of treatment to 31 December 2024. Individual patients are counted more than once if they are waiting to attend more than one scheduled hospital appointment or admission, so the official statistics shown here do not reflect the actual number of individuals involved but the number of waits.

Table 1. sets out the number of ongoing waits over 2 years for a Gynaecology inpatient or day-case admission as of 31 December 2024:

Table 1.

NHS Board of Treatment	Over 104 week waits
NHS Borders	12
NHS Dumfries & Galloway	0
NHS Fife	1
NHS Forth Valley	0
NHS Grampian	314
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	673
NHS Highland	42
NHS Lanarkshire	124
NHS Lothian	10
NHS Orkney	0
NHS Shetland	0
NHS Tayside	186
NHS Western Isles	0
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	11
TOTAL	1,373

Table 2. sets out the number of ongoing waits over 2 years for a Gynaecology new outpatient appointment as of 31 December 2024:

Table 2.

NHS Board of Treatment	Over 104 week waits
NHS Golden Jubilee	0
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	0
NHS Borders	0
NHS Dumfries & Galloway	0
NHS Fife	0
NHS Forth Valley	0
NHS Grampian	195
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	0
NHS Highland	5
NHS Lanarkshire	0
NHS Lothian	31
NHS Orkney	0
NHS Shetland	0
NHS Tayside	32
NHS Western Isles	0
TOTAL	263

We know many people are still waiting too long and this is not good enough. We are determined do more. In 2024-25, we allocated over £450,000 to gynaecology from our £30 million targeted investment in planned care, delivering around 3,500 additional new outpatient appointments.

The 2025-26 Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for Health & Social Care, including a commitment to provide £200 million to help reduce waiting times and improve capacity, and gynaecology is being targeted as a key priority area for additional funding.

Question reference: S6W-35894

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of whether the target for all (a) properties of private landlords reaching a minimum standard equivalent to an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least band C by the end of 2028, (b) properties of homeowners reaching a minimum standard equivalent to an EPC rating of at least band C by the end of 2033, (c) building owners ending their use of polluting heating by 2045 and (d) buildings owned by a public authority using clean heating systems by the end of 2038, remains achievable.

As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as possible.

We know that improving energy efficiency is vital in reducing heat demand in buildings, and that it makes buildings warmer and easier to heat, and can reduce bills. For this reason, we also intend to include powers in the Heat in Buildings Bill to introduce regulations in the future for non-domestic and domestic owner-occupied buildings to reach a minimum energy efficiency standard, should this be appropriate.

To accompany this, we intend to progress now with a minimum energy efficiency standard in the private rented sector using existing primary powers in the Energy Act 2011. This means that all privately rented homes in Scotland would be required to meet energy performance certificate band C, on reformed energy performance certificates, as far as possible, by a specific date. This date is yet to be finalised but will not be as soon as 2028. This is to reflect the need to give the sector sufficient notice ahead of making required changes. Any proposed regulations will be consulted on, and engagement with stakeholders will be prioritised, to ensure regulations are achievable.

In terms of the public sector, where available, the public sector will be required to take action to connect to heat networks in line with build-out of the heat network. For the rest of the public sector estate, the target date of 2045 will apply. This is to account for any potential additional challenges of decarbonising buildings outside of heat network zones, for example in more remote areas.

Question reference: S6W-35897

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on legislating to give (a) it and (b) local authorities the power to require buildings in a heat network zone to end their use of polluting heating systems by a certain date, with a minimum notice period.

As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

The final decision on the provisions of the Bill will be made collectively by Cabinet ahead of its introduction. This decision will take account of the analysis of responses received in reply to our public consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, but it is our strong intention that this Bill will help build the investment case for new district heating projects in Heat Network Zones.

Question reference: S6W-35896

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to cap the installation costs of clean heating systems.

As set out in Parliament today, we intend to bring forward a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session.

We intend this Bill to introduce a statutory clean heating target for all buildings in Scotland to be decarbonised by 2045, as far as possible.

We understand that achieving this target will require a mix of technologies, and that different solutions will be needed in different types of buildings and for different people.

We also know that, while this Bill may not intend to legally require individuals to change their heating system now, any future ask of individuals must be fair and reasonable. That is why our consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill last year recognised that a cost cap could play a key role in supporting any future heat in building standard. This was to ensure that homeowners and businesses were not required to pay unreasonable costs, as well as providing an understanding of the maximum costs individuals may face in complying with regulations.

We will continue to consider the need and appropriateness of introducing a cost cap for any proposed legislation that introduces requirements on individuals.

Question reference: S6W-35970

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported financial difficulties facing the higher education sector, what assessment it has made of any increases in the salaries of university principals.

Universities are autonomous institutions with responsibility for their own pay and remuneration decisions.

However, the Scottish Government expects universities to exercise restraint in setting senior pay, and senior pay packages should be in step with the salary, terms and conditions offered to other university staff.

Universities are also required to comply with the terms of the Scottish Funding Council’s Financial Memorandum as a condition of grant funding. This includes compliance with the principles of The Scottish Code of Good HE Governance, such as the expectation that universities’ remuneration committees seek the views of student and staff representatives in relation to the remuneration packages of Principals and senior executive teams, represent the public interest and avoid any inappropriate use of funds.

Question reference: S6W-35986

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many ministerial interventions have been made in the management and operations of Ferguson Marine since its nationalisation.

The Framework Agreement that exists between the Scottish Government and Ferguson Marine sets out the relationship between the business and Scottish ministers, including matters requiring Scottish Government approval such as the appointment of the Chair, the Board of Directors and approval of the remuneration of the chief executive officer.

Since the nationalisation of Ferguson Marine ministers have not intervened directly in the management and operations of Ferguson Marine.

Question reference: S6W-36555

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on the public inquiry into Sam Eljamel and NHS Tayside.

The Scottish Government recognises that many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and have waited a long time for answers. As I set out in my statement in February 2024, patients will be at the heart of this inquiry.

I am pleased that today I can confirm that following consultation with many former patients and their representatives by Lord Weir and his team, that I have agreed the Terms of Reference for the Inquiry, and that the Inquiry is now ready to commence from today.

The final Terms of Reference will be made available on the Eljamel Inquiry website today. (https://www.eljamelinquiry.scot/).

Question reference: S6W-35980

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it had with businesses, including in the renewable heating sector, before making the decision to not proceed with the proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.

As I have set out in my statement to Parliament earlier today, we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session. In this statement I set out government’s rationale for the format of the Bill. We will continue to engage with stakeholders from all sectors as we do so, building on the discussions that began with our consultation and have been continuing since then.

Question reference: S6W-36629

Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 April 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 3 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on MSP pay for its ministers for 2025-26, and whether the ministerial element of pay will remain frozen.

Since 1 April 2009, Scottish Ministers have declined to accept their full salary entitlement, freezing it at 2008-09 levels.

Between the start of the pay freeze on 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2025, this has resulted Scottish Ministers making over £2.2 million available for public spending from their own pay packets.

The freeze of the Ministerial element of pay at 2008-09 levels will remain in place for 2025-26, recognising the wider economic and fiscal pressures as well as the restraints placed on public sector pay.

The Ministerial element of pay will therefore remain at 2008-09 levels as shown in the following table:

Junior Minister	£26,068
Cabinet Secretary	£41,618
First Minister	£80,224
Lord Advocate	£54,371
Solicitor General	£39,316

From 1 April 2025, the MSP element of Ministers’ salaries will be equalised with that of MSPs who are not currently serving Ministers, providing parity in line with their roles. This has been set for all MSPs at £74,507.

The Scottish Parliament is responsible for the payment of salaries for MSPs and members of the Scottish Government. These arrangements are made under the Scottish Parliament Salaries Scheme. The rules of the Scottish Parliament Salaries Scheme do not give the power to withhold an annual increase from the gross salary entitlement. To achieve the required reduction, the pay increase to which Ministers and Law Officers would have been entitled are deducted from their net salary and paid direct to the Scottish Government to be made available for public spending.

The Scottish Parliament’s Pay and Pensions Team will be formally notified of this change and the commencement date of 1 April. They will then complete the relevant calculations and issue new mandates to all Ministers confirming the updated deduction value.

Chamber and committees