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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-40510

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will lead the preparation of a plan and investment case for the development of Scotland's steel manufacturing, including the commissioning of a Direct Reduced Iron facility and Electric Arc Furnace to leverage part of the £2.5 billion allocated to the green steel fund from the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund and private sector investment.

Question reference: S6W-40121

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with drone (a) manufacturing and (b) operating firms in Scotland to develop perimeter defence systems for (i) prisons and (ii) other sensitive secure sites.

In relation to prisons, the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and the Scottish Government are aware of the negative impact of drones being used to introduce illicit items into the prison estate and the threat that has for the operational stability of prisons across Scotland.

Covert technology to detect when a drone is approaching or entering SPS airspace has been piloted. In addition, SPS is implementing low tech solutions such as window grilles, which have been fitted to 3 establishments so far, are also part of SPS’s response to this ongoing threat. SPS continue to analyse the marketplace as well as consult with other jurisdictions to keep pace with this ever-evolving environment.

Many sensitive secure sites in Scotland relate to defence and national security and are as such the responsibility of the United Kingdom Government. The legislative, physical and electronic defence of these sites are varied and the responsibility of the owner/operator.

Perimeter defence systems can form one of a number of physical and/or electronic defensive measures. It is for the site owner/operator, in co-operation with the National Cyber Security Centre and National Protective Security Authority to determine whether drone defences are appropriate, proportionate and effective for their site.

In relation to Critical National Infrastructure sectors, some of which are reserved, some devolved and some a mix of both, security risks will be assessed and appropriate mitigations developed.

Question reference: S6W-40611

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ask NHS boards to release a detailed breakdown of their spending on mental health services, and whether it considers that there is a need for greater standardisation of how finances are accounted for across boards.

NHS Scotland expenditure on mental health is published annually in arrears in the Scottish Health Service Costs book by Public Health Scotland. The Cost Book is publicly accessible and offers a consistent framework for financial data across NHS Boards. The most recent data published in February 2025 covers 2023-2024. Costs Book publication - Costs Book - Finance within the NHS - System monitoring, accountability and quality of care - Healthcare system - Public Health Scotland.

The Scottish Government continuously monitors NHS Boards’ financial positions through routine finance reporting. This resource provides a standardised approach to collecting detailed financial information, including outturn, spend by specialty, and achievement of efficiency targets.

Question reference: S6W-40507

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the NHS Scotland budget has been spent on pharmaceuticals in each of the last 10 years.

The following data is extracted from the Public Health Scotland (PHS) Costs Books reports. The most recent published data is from the financial year 2023-24.

Year	Drug Expenditure (£000)	Total Expenditure (£000)	Percentage (%)
2023-24	2,200,978	15,076,777	14.6
2022-23	2,019,454	13,939,750	14.5
2021-22	1,923,616	15,400,938	12.5
2020-21	1,822,793	14,623,897	12.5
2019-20	1,798,517,000	11,703,692	15.4
2018-19	1,769,398,000	10,632,900	16.6
2017-18	1,738,286	10,425,515	16.7
2016-17	1,675,111	10,174,065	16.5
2015-16	1,562,132	9,807,204	15.9
2014-15	1,421,788	9,438,174	15.1

Question reference: S6W-40671

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support the establishment of a Scottish market position in the high-value superyacht industry with Ferguson Marine, in light of this reportedly being dominated by shipyards in other European countries, such as Benetti of Italy, Feadship of the Netherlands and Lürssen of Germany.

Question reference: S6O-05020

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding the work that Social Security Scotland is engaging in to support veterans in accessing its services.

Question reference: S6W-40447

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a stroke thrombectomy service is not currently available in Glasgow on a 24/7 basis.

The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service. We have invested over £51 million to date on expanding access to thrombectomy. While we continue to face significant financial challenges, we are committed to further expanding the service, ensuring access is as equitable as possible.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde operate their service: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm for patients arriving directly at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm for patients arriving at West of Scotland spoke hospitals.

Whilst the Scottish Government cannot currently provide a timeline for expanding the service, Scottish Government officials and NHS planners have been asked to work at pace on developing a plan for the next steps for service expansion.

We have provided funding for thrombectomy nurse posts in spoke sites with high rates of ischaemic stroke, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and this will support maximising access to thrombectomy across Scotland

Procurement of a national artificial intelligence imaging tool is underway and, once implemented, this will help delivery of the service by improving detection of patients with strokes suitable for thrombectomy.

Question reference: S6W-40505

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned sale of the Clydebridge Steelworks in Cambuslang by GFG Alliance.

Question reference: S6W-40180

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that an estimated 27% of state pension age people in Glasgow are not aware of Pension Credit and an estimated £30,263,573 goes unclaimed annually by 13,377 pensioners, what measures it can take to communicate directly with state pension age people to encourage maximum uptake of all relevant social security benefits they are entitled to.

The DWP is ultimately responsible for increasing take-up of Pension Credit. Despite this, through our Benefit Take-Up Strategy, of which there is no UK Government equivalent, we continue to tackle barriers to take-up and explore opportunities to raise awareness of this payment to people in Scotland. For example, Social Security Scotland have shared content on Pension Credit, via social media, and information is included in posts where entitlement is relevant to a devolved payment.

When promoting devolved entitlements, like Pension Age Disability Payment, we have engaged with older disabled people in communities to raise awareness of this benefit. In addition, most people will not need to apply for Pension Age Winter Heating Payment this winter, as most payments will be made automatically, ensuring take-up remains high.

Question reference: S6W-39959

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the recent Strategic Defence Review, particularly those contained in chapter 6 (Home Defence and Resilience: A Whole-of-Society Approach) and chapter 7.2 (Maritime Domain), whether it will consider the potential designation of future vessels procured by Scottish Government-owned public corporations and executive agencies, including roll-on/roll-off ferries and marine protection and research vessels, as necessary for national security purposes and apply the exemption from the provisions under section 45 of the Subsidy Control Act 2022.