Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37804

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report, whether it has plans to publish clear and transparent annual progress reports on the work to reform NHS services.

Question reference: S6W-37802

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S6W-37468 by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025, whether any work has taken place internally on potentially extending restrictions to smoke-free places, and, if so, what restrictions are currently being considered.

Question reference: S6W-37805

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has communicated lessons learned from the process of negotiating the end of private finance initiative contracts to NHS boards, as per the recommendations in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report by Audit Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37803

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the publication of its medium-term financial framework for the Health and Social Care portfolio, in light of the recommendations made by Audit Scotland in the NHS in Scotland 2024 report.

Question reference: S6O-04731

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work Social Security Scotland is undertaking to improve its communication with applicants for Child Disability Payment.

Question reference: S6W-37781

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to expand the deployment of solar panels across the NHS Scotland estate.

Question reference: S6W-37760

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scotland's Railway should utilise surplus steel, in light of reports that there is several million pounds worth of surplus steel from the Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme in long-term storage at Bridgeton Yard.

Question reference: S6W-37468

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to broaden the types of places that can be designated smoke-free.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

The Scottish Government has not yet taken any decisions on how these powers should be used in Scotland, but any regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament will be informed by evidence and outputs from public consultation. It is not possible at this stage to confirm timescales; however, we will keep Parliament informed as this work develops.

These powers fit with the commitment the Scottish Government has made within the Tobacco and Vaping Framework to review the value and potential implementation of further place-based restrictions alongside our review of the implementation of the hospital grounds restrictions.

Many public places in Scotland already have voluntary restrictions on vaping indoors. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides powers for the Scottish Government to expand on smoke free, vape free and heated tobacco free spaces in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37470

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many sellers of tobacco-based products have had their registration with the Scottish Tobacco Register removed in 2024-25 due to committing three breaches of the Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 and Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 within a two-year period.

Question reference: S6W-37469

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale will be for its consultation on a full ban on indoor vape usage.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill has now entered into committee stage in the House of Lords. Following the conclusion of the Bill’s passage through Westminster, we expect to consult on the extension of restrictions on smoke-free places.

The Scottish Government has not yet taken any decisions on how these powers should be used in Scotland, but any regulations laid before the Scottish Parliament will be informed by evidence and outputs from public consultation. It is not possible at this stage to confirm timescales; however, we will keep Parliament informed as this work develops.

These powers fit with the commitment the Scottish Government has made within the Tobacco and Vaping Framework to review the value and potential implementation of further place-based restrictions alongside our review of the implementation of the hospital grounds restrictions.

Many public places in Scotland already have voluntary restrictions on vaping indoors. The Tobacco and Vapes Bill provides powers for the Scottish Government to expand on smoke free, vape free and heated tobacco free spaces in Scotland

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