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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-39923

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the Scottish Ambulance Service is able to reach patients within its response time targets, especially in rural locations.

The Scottish Government is clear that there should be no unnecessary delays in responding to patients, regardless of their location. The Scottish Ambulance Service’s 2025-26 budget is £437.2 million. This represents increased investment of £88 million from 2024-25, including additional funding to provide for prior year pay deals as well as a range of funding to support vital frontline services, including in rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-39922

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it tracks the Scottish Ambulance Service’s response time targets nationally to ensure that people are receiving the lifesaving care that they need.

Question reference: S6W-39785

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its decision to not proceed with plans to designate Galloway and Ayrshire as a national park, what resources it plans to make available to south-west Scotland to promote investment and economic growth in the area.

I confirmed in Parliament on 29 May that, in light of the consultation findings and the reporter’s conclusions, the Scottish Government will not proceed with the designation of a National Park in Galloway and Ayrshire.

In its role as the statutory reporter, NatureScot has made recommendations on ways in which existing structures in the region could be further strengthened. South of Scotland Enterprise has also suggested there could be benefits in exploring an alternative approach.

We are grateful for these suggestions and will now take time to reflect on them and give them deeper consideration.

We are already investing in the South of Scotland to reduce carbon emissions, enhance and restore nature, support our rural industries and deliver growth and jobs that enable the area and its people to flourish.

This includes the £85 million we have committed to the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal to drive sustainable economic growth across the south of Scotland.

Projects supported through the growth deal include the Dairy Nexus located in Dumfries which will use cutting edge technology to boost dairy sector innovation, productivity and sustainability. It also includes the River Tweed Walking and Cycling Route, which will grow the region’s tourism offer, and a range of other measures to improve places, deliver sustainable energy solutions, enable businesses to expand and create jobs and further develop the skills and talent base for current and future employers

Growing our economy is one of this government’s top priorities. Scotland’s regional economies are key to delivering the strong, dynamic and flourishing economy we all want to see.

Our dedicated enterprise agency, South of Scotland Enterprise, continues to deliver real, tangible benefits for businesses and communities in the South.

Last year, the agency invested £13.7m million in business and community enterprises and £5.7 million in 48 strategic projects, including the Chapelcross Energy Transition Zone. It helped to create or safeguard over 1,700 jobs.

In addition, we remain committed to delivering the recommendations laid out in the 2022 regional economic policy review and our 2025/26 Programme for Government further commits us to working with our regional partners to deliver both for the south of Scotland and the country as a whole.

Question reference: S6W-39786

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NatureScot’s recommendation in its report, A report on the proposal for a National Park in Southwest Scotland, what plans it has to better resource the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Reserve.

In its role as the statutory reporter on the National Park proposal, NatureScot made recommendations on ways in which existing structures in the South of Scotland could be further strengthened. These include:

a stronger role and a long-term funding arrangement for the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, with a stronger focus on nature recovery and community wealth-building;
a more integrated approach to the planning and management of the Galloway Forest Park, with additional funding allocated to nature restoration, recreation and tourism;
refreshed management strategies by Dumfries and Galloway Council for the coastal National Scenic Areas, and the completion of the coastal path as a key visitor attraction for the area;
sustained investment in access and visitor management across the area building on the existing community led approaches such as Whithorn and Loch Doon;
progress with the implementation of the regional land-use strategy for the area; and
on-going support for the work of the Solway Firth Partnership.

We are grateful for these suggestions and will now take time to reflect on them.

As a starting point, I undertook a visit to Newton Stewart and the Galloway Forest Park in July, where I discussed the recommendations in NatureScot’s report with the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere, Forestry and Land Scotland and South of Scotland Enterprise. We will now take some time to give deeper consideration to the reporter’s recommendations and consider how best existing arrangements in the area could be strengthened.

Earlier this year, Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere received a new funding package from South of Scotland Enterprise to support its important work tackling the climate and biodiversity crises and supporting sustainable development in the region.

Question reference: S6W-39843

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what feedback it has received from NHS boards regarding implementation of the priority now actions from the miscarriage delivery framework.

Question reference: S6W-39849

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a six-month update regarding how many priority now actions of the miscarriage delivery framework shorter-term actions have been achieved.

Question reference: S6W-39848

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what induction is available specifically to African workers coming to work within the NHS and social care sector.

The Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel in Scotland promotes high standards of practice in the ethical recruitment of all international staff and all health and social employers must adhere to the Code.

It provides employers of health and social care personnel with guiding principles that should be adhered to when undertaking international recruitment and states that internationally recruited staff have the same legal rights and responsibilities as domestic staff in terms of employment and conditions of work. This means high standards of induction and support is provided equal to all other employees. It must include cultural and pastoral support to help individuals settle into work and life in Scotland regardless of country of origin.

The code can be accessed on the Scottish Government website at Scottish Code of Practice for Ethical Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel

Question reference: S6W-40012

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the article in The Lancet, The potential role of Mifepristone in breast cancer prevention: beyond medical abortion.

Question reference: S6W-40013

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the article in The Lancet, The potential role of mifepristone in breast cancer prevention: beyond medical abortion, whether it would support research into the use of mifepristone as a drug to help prevent women at high risk of breast cancer from developing the disease.

Question reference: S6W-40011

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer, in light of it being the most common cancer affecting women in Scotland.