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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-39384

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Highland informed it that it could not share data on vaccinations with it prior to the board taking over responsibility for vaccinations from GPs, and whether it will publish any documentation on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-39387

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event of any deaths as a result of vaccinations not being administered in NHS Highland prior to the service being shared with GPs as planned, what its position is on whether (a) it and (b) NHS Highland would be responsible for any deaths.

Question reference: S6W-39385

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Highland was aware that its system could not share data on vaccinations with GPs prior to the board taking over responsibility for vaccinations from GPs.

Question reference: S6W-39389

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an estimate of any potential savings that could result from NHS Highland restoring the vaccination services to GPs that were previously administered by them prior to 2023, and, if so, what any such estimate is.

Highland HSCP are putting in place a mixed-model for vaccinations. GP delivery is expected to be key in some aspects of this model, but the plan is for a collaborative approach rather than one that relies solely on GP delivery.

Oversight of how the mixed model is developed and deployed to deliver local and accessible vaccination and immunisation services in a cost effective way will ultimately remain the responsibility of Highland HSCP.

Health boards are funded to offer vaccination in a way that best suits the needs of their communities, supported by national frameworks, such as Public Health Scotland’s (PHS) 5-year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan. This plan specifically sets out that boards should “ensure availability of a range of flexible, responsive, and good-quality immunisation services that meet the needs of all communities, including our rural and island communities”.

Question reference: S6W-39388

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will propose a ministerial statement for after the summer recess 2025 on vaccination policy and any need for action to prevent deaths in relation to this matter.

There are currently no plans for a Ministerial statement on vaccination.

The 5-year Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan was published in November 2024. This lays out our vision, mission, goals and priorities for the Programme, with a key goal being to reduce morbidity and mortality from vaccine preventable diseases in the most vulnerable members of our communities.

Vaccination policy on our free NHS Programmes is also communicated regularly, and as required through the dissemination of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) letters.

Question reference: S6W-39383

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the provision of a centralised vaccination service, such as that in NHS Highland, is safe, in light of reports that NHS Highland is not able to share data with GPs on the vaccinations being provided.

Since April 2022, Health Boards have been responsible for delivering vaccines. The vast majority of adult vaccinations, including flu, Covid, RSV, shingles and pneumococcal are visible to GPs via their GP-IT system.

Currently, childhood and non-routine vaccinations do not automatically flow into GP-IT from the separate systems that record them, but this pre-dates the move from GP to Health Board delivery.

Any associated patient risk is mitigated by Health Boards providing GPs with a list of childhood and non-routine vaccinations they have administered. The Scottish Government funds GPs to manually input these into their GP systems.

Question reference: S6W-39382

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any fatal accident inquiries being undertaken in relation to any infant deaths due to whooping cough, and, if so, whether it will (a) publish details of these and (b) propose a ministerial statement on the matter.

Question reference: S6W-38970

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on the 2024-25 provisional outturn on 24 June 2025, and the response by the Minister for Public Finance regarding whether he will report to the Parliament before making any awards under phase 2 of the Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund, which closed for applications on 27 May 2025, whether it will publish details of all the applications received, including the address of the building, a brief description of the works to be undertaken, the value of the building, the amount of the grant sought and the amount of any grant being considered, and whether it will propose the scheduling of a ministerial statement on this matter prior to any decisions being taken on the awarding of grants.

This funding supports public bodies to lead by example and take early and sustained action to achieve the priorities of the forthcoming Heat in Buildings Bill and decarbonise the public sector estate to reach net zero by 2045. It is anticipated that funding awards will be issued in August 2025 and details of successful projects – including recipient organisation, building location(s), grant awarded, and project overview – will be published later in 2025.

The value of building(s) in scope will not be published. The rateable value of a building is not the only measure of value for money and there are other relevant factors to consider when assessing options for how best to achieve a decarbonised public sector estate. It is also imperative that public bodies have quality, efficient premises which reduce energy costs and that they reside in areas which meet the needs of the essential services they provide.

The Scottish Government does not publish details of unsuccessful projects; however, all applications undergo robust technical assessment, and funding is offered only to projects that clearly meet the objectives of the scheme and have the potential to progress to deployment, driving value for money from our investment.

Parliament will be informed of the outcome of Phase 2 of Scotland’s Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund once the application assessment process has concluded.

Question reference: S6O-04785

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when GP vaccination services will be fully restored to GPs in NHS Highland, in light of reported concerns that the proposed hybrid model is less safe and more expensive.

Question reference: S6O-04604

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on Scotland of the Rosebank and Jackdaw oil and gas developments not proceeding, including on jobs, GDP, tax revenue and funding for public services from the UK Government.