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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: S6W-41122

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel periodic report 2021-2024, and what action it will take regarding the recommendation to deliver on its commitment from February 2024 to revise the Fuel Poverty Strategy by the end of 2026.

Question reference: S6W-40576

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to patients who have to travel to access treatment at one of the three specialist endometriosis centres.

If a person is diagnosed with endometriosis, the Scottish Government wants them to be treated as close to home as clinically appropriate. Most individuals can be managed by a gynaecologist with expertise and training in endometriosis within secondary care.

Specialist endometriosis centres in Scotland provide coordinated, multidisciplinary treatment to women who have complex symptoms of endometriosis and to those who need complex surgery. Patients who meet the criteria of the specialist centres should be fully supported to access these services.

Patient travel expenses reimbursement schemes provide financial assistance for patients and authorised escorts travelling to hospital appointments, according to eligibility criteria and medical requirements. The Scottish Government provides guidance to NHS Boards, which are responsible for developing and applying their own policies and reimbursement rates, ensuring patient care and safety.

Question reference: S6W-40578

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether an endometriosis diagnosis obtained outwith Scotland is recognised by NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-40869

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on every household having an emergency or resilience box in preparedness for any major crisis, similar to the approach used in Denmark and Finland, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding developing such an initiative.

Question reference: S6W-40579

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the paper, An approach to using stranding data to monitor cetacean population trends and guide conservation strategies, published in Scientific Reports on 20 August 2025, which identified an increase in marine mammal strandings in Scotland, and what assessment it has made of these results in relation to industrial activity in the seas around Scotland.

The Scottish Government is aware of the recently published paper which investigates patterns and trends in cetacean strandings across Scotland since 1992.

While the paper reports increasing strandings rates across species groups, it also acknowledges that strandings do not always represent an increase in mortality in a population; they can also reflect either an increase in abundance, or periodic movements of individuals into an area. Furthermore, the detection of stranding events has also improved over time with increased awareness, volunteer coverage, social media and cultural engagement with cetacean conservation.

Any applications for development in Scotland’s seas involves careful consideration of the project’s potential environmental impact, including on European Protected Species.

The Scottish Government will more fully consider the findings of the report.

Question reference: S6W-40590

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many thefts of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery have been recorded in each of the last five years, broken down by the estimated total value of these units, and how many subsequent (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been.

The Scottish Government does not hold information specifically on the number of recorded thefts of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery or any subsequent prosecutions or convictions for this type of theft.

Accredited Official Statistics are published by Scottish Government on recorded crime and criminal proceedings (see links below). However, it is not possible to break these statistics down by type of motor vehicle, which items were stolen or the value of these items. It should also be noted that the type of crime recorded for thefts of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery will vary depending on the circumstances in which the crime occurred.

Latest statistics on the recorded number of thefts are published in Table 1 in the Recorded Crime in Scotland, year ending June 2025 publication.

Latest statistics on the number of people proceeded against and convicted for the crimes of theft are published in Tables 4a and 4b the Criminal Proceedings in Scotland 2022-23 publication.

It should also be noted that these two sets of statistics are based on separate and distinct data sets. They count different things (crimes versus people) at different times (date a crime was recorded versus date a case concludes in court) in fundamentally different ways and cannot be linked.

Question reference: S6W-40591

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings (a) ministers and (b) officials have held with stakeholders regarding the theft of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery in each of the last five years, and what the outcomes were.

The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership on Rural Crime (SPARC) and regularly attends partnership meetings which cover a wide range of rural crime incidents. We are aware that the theft of GPS units is an issue affecting some businesses and the Scottish Government continues to support SPARC’s five priorities, one of which is the prevention of machinery, tools, fuel and metal and metal from rural premises. The revised SPARC strategy highlights activity Police Scotland and its partners are undertaking to prevent this sort of crime, prepare and protect rural businesses and pursue those responsible.

Question reference: S6W-40592

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports suggesting that there is a link between the reported theft of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery in Scotland and the war in Ukraine.

Question reference: S6W-40589

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of insurance claims that have been (a) made and (b) approved in each of the last five years concerning the theft of global positioning system (GPS) units from farm machinery.

Question reference: S6W-40577

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that patients in Scotland have travelled abroad for surgery to confirm an endometriosis diagnosis due to long waiting times.

Excessively long waiting lists are not acceptable and the Scottish Government apologises to all patients waiting too long.

We know that endometriosis can have a significant impact on people’s lives, that the symptoms can be debilitating and impact relationships, work, education, and mental health.

Women’s Health is a key priority for this government, which is why we published an ambitious Women’s Health Plan in August 2021 aiming to reduce health inequalities and improve health outcomes for girls and women. Enhancing care and support for those with endometriosis is one of the early priorities set out in the plan. It includes actions to improve access to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and best treatment for endometriosis.

We are considering how best to ensure that all women receive a timely diagnosis and access the care and support they need as we develop the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

We are determined to do more and our Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for health and social care, with more than £110 million allocated to health boards to help tackle long waits. Funding has been assigned to specialty areas where it can have the greatest impact– this includes over £8 million for gynaecology.