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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-38551

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of any regional inequalities in cancer care capacity across NHS boards.

The Scottish Government Cancer Quality Performance Indicators (QPI) programme are vital in ensuring people have access to safe, effective, and person-centred care across Scotland and provides regular assessments of various aspects of cancer care. We work with regional cancer networks to ensure that NHS Boards meet these national standards of quality in cancer services and address any areas of concern to ensure equitable care.

Further to this, Scottish Government established the National Oncology Coordination Group to provide a coordinated and collaborative response to immediate and foreseeable service and capacity pressures. It provides rapid real-time assessment of highest risk services and proactively develops risk mitigation proposals across regions, in line with the overall strategic aim for cancer.

Question reference: S6W-38542

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it is taking to address the Royal College of Radiologists’ view that there is a “ticking timebomb” in cancer care due to a shortage of specialists.

Scottish Government recognises the challenges facing oncology services and our workforce as demand increases across NHS Scotland. We are working with NHS Scotland to address staffing as a matter of urgency, working closely with NHS Board and clinical leaders from across the country to address pressures in a sustainable way.

We have established the National Oncology Coordination Group to provide a coordinated and collaborative response to immediate and foreseeable service pressures. It provides rapid real-time assessment of highest risk services and proactively develops risk mitigation proposals, in line with the overall strategic aim for cancer.

We continue to take action to address workforce pressures. Actions include expanding the Clinical Oncology and Medical Oncology specialty training programmes and providing £6.6 million of additional funding to Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) and Acute Oncology to increase regional working, workforce recruitment and to maximise capacity across the existing workforce.

More than £106 million has been allocated to NHS Boards in 2025-26 to address waiting times, with £21 million for imaging. We will reduce the radiology backlog so that 95% of referrals are seen within six weeks by March 2026, through expanding to seven-day services, recruitment, and utilising mobile scanning units.

Question reference: S6W-38530

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many families per year are expected to be transferred to the Aberdeen Neonatal Unit under the proposed changes to move neonatal services.

Under the new model, neonatal intensive care will be delivered in three Neonatal Units in Scotland, the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital.

Of the 44,835 births in the year to 31 March 2024, numbers fluctuate, but Public Health Scotland data reports that around 4554 babies, in the same period, were admitted to neonatal care. The vast majority of babies (around 2300) needed Special Care or Transitional Care (delivered on postnatal wards). A further 1,200 needed High Dependency care, and around 800 were admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care. Around 50 – 60 of these babies a year will be affected by the change in model of care and will have their care delivered in one of the three neonatal intensive care units.

Babies will normally be cared for in the unit closest to home. In the north of Scotland, the Aberdeen neonatal unit already cares for babies from Grampian, Highland and the Island Boards, and at times of extreme pressure on neonatal intensive care, may also care for babies from other parts of Scotland.

Under the new model the smallest and sickest Tayside babies would be transferred to Aberdeen or Edinburgh. In 2024, 11 babies were born at less than 27 weeks gestation in Tayside Health Board, plus a small number of babies who require complex intensive care.

Scottish Government commissioned Consulting firm RSM UK Consulting LLP to undertake detailed modelling work to fully map the capacity requirements across the system to inform capacity building and implementation of the new model. The report was published on the 29 May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-38553

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reported current radiology vacancy rate in NHS Scotland exceeds safe service thresholds.

Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS board.

Decisions will depend on the service needs of each board taking account of national, regional and local priorities, and we expect NHS boards to plan and provide safe, effective and high-quality care, in line with their statutory service provision and workforce planning responsibilities.

In line with the requirements of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019, the Scottish Government expects Health Boards to ensure that at all times there are sufficient suitably qualified staff to support the provision of high-quality care.

This includes reviewing staffing levels daily, with decisions regarding real time staffing being made on an ongoing basis.

Question reference: S6W-38538

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to the public purse has been of supporting Ferguson Marine since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-37875

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has instructed the Care Inspectorate to suspend any guidance referencing LGBT Youth Scotland pending a formal review.

Question reference: S6W-37877

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Care Inspectorate’s impartiality, in light of reports of it promoting a charity linked to individuals convicted of child sexual abuse.

Question reference: S6O-04836

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason medical supplies were sent to Ukraine with a condition that they be used for civilian purposes only.

Question reference: S6W-38426

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring transparency in rail procurement projects, in light of reports that it will not disclose the cost of the procurement process for the new Intercity rail fleet.

The Scottish Government and its subsidiaries apply the policies and principles set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual (SPFM) to any procurement, as well as adhering to Scottish Procurement legislation.

I refer the Member to the answer to the question S6W-38424 on 18 June 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-38391

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total projected cost is of the M8 Woodside viaducts project, and how this compares with the original estimate.

The cost estimate for the propping works is £126 million to £152 million, as previously announced in May 2024. A cost range was used due to the complexities associated with a project of this scale in a constrained urban environment, with varying ground conditions and site constraints, including the presence of a plethora of public utilities as well as the Glasgow subway underground tunnels.

The original estimate of £33.4 million in April 2021 for the propping works, was calculated without the benefit of any design or investigations having yet been undertaken due to the emergency nature of the works, and was based on the limited information available at the time.