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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-38060

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister's speech on improving public services and NHS renewal, which was published on 27 January 2025, what proportion of the additional 10,000 procedures planned across the National Treatment Centres will be in ophthalmology, and how this compares with previous years.

In total over 16,000 cataract procedures at National Treatment Centres (NTCs) have been allocated to health boards across Scotland in 2025-2026 (44.9% of the total NTC allocation). This is compared to over 13,500 cataract cases allotted to NTCs in 2024-2025 which made up 36.5% of total NTC capacity allocated last year. This activity is split between NTC Highland and the Eye Centre at the Golden Jubilee University National Hospital. Please note that some activity performed by NTC Highland is a re-provision of core activity for NHS Highland.

Health Boards are also delivering additional ophthalmology activity in 2025-26 as part of the £106M funding to reduce waiting times and improve capacity and the wider £21.7bn investment we are making in health and social care services this year.

Question reference: S6W-38062

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, which was published on 31 March 2025, what assessment it has made of whether the increased planned activity through the National Treatment Centre network in 2026-26 should include the offering of combined cataract and trabecular bypass procedures.

In the year 2025/26 all procedures at National Treatment Centres (NTCs) will be cataract surgery. NTCs will not provide glaucoma such as trabecular bypasses. The treatment centres are focusing on delivering higher volume surgery in cataract only lists due to the volume of surgery required. If patients require cataract surgery and an additional procedure they will usually have that surgery undertaken in their Health Board of residence with an Ophthalmologist who specialises in the particular sub-specialty outwith cataracts i.e. Glaucoma.

Question reference: S6W-38061

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, which was published on 31 March 2025, what proportion of the increased planned activity delivered through the National Treatment Centre network in 2025-26 will be in ophthalmic procedures, and how many additional cataract operations are expected to be delivered as a result.

Question reference: S6O-04783

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding multi-year funding settlements.

Question reference: S6W-37620

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding reducing the VAT rate that public electric vehicle chargers are subject to, in light of reports that this is one of the reasons why charging on rapid chargers can cost over 75p per kWh.

The current VAT rate for public electric vehicle (EV) charging stands at 20% versus 5% for a domestic energy supply. A higher VAT rate is one of the reasons why charging via a rapid charger can cost over 75p per kWh. This can be a barrier to switching to an EV, particularly where drivers do not have access to home charging.

The Scottish Government believes that motoring tax policy needs reformed as the sector decarbonises and can complement wider transport policies and net zero objectives. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in October last year ahead of the UK Budget requesting a constructive discussion on motoring tax reform on a four-nation basis, and I have also raised my concerns in this area at various Inter-Ministerial meetings since.

However, there has been no response to our requests for collaborative discussions on motoring tax reform and the Chancellor has so far resisted calls to reduce the rate of VAT for public EV charging.

I, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, will continue to call for a review of motoring taxation policy on a four-nation basis with Westminster so that it is fit for purpose in the evolving transport sector and aligns with our climate change targets.

Question reference: S6W-37617

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is (a) promoting the (i) purchase and (ii) use of electric vehicles and (b) working with (i) car dealerships and (ii) manufacturers to make electric vehicles more affordable, in light of reports that the cost and lack of access to charging points is prohibitive for many.

Scotland is currently the only part of the UK offering financial support to consumers, small businesses and the third sector to purchase electric vehicles. Since 2011 we have provided over £230 million in interest free loans to support the purchase over 8,700 zero and ultra-low emission vehicles saving an estimated 230,000 tCO2e.

In 2025-26 we aim to provide a further £20 million in interest free loans to support the purchase of electric cars and vans. There was an announcement about the reopening of this fund on 27 May.

In addition, since 2011 Scottish Ministers have also provided over £19 million for the installation of over 23,000 lower powered charge points at homes and at workplaces, complementing the £65 million invested in Scotland’s public charging network.

The Energy Savings Trust, an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, provides free and impartial advice on electric vehicles to both businesses and consumers and my officials regularly meet with stakeholders from Scotland’s automotive trade.

Question reference: S6W-37619

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting people to become electric vehicle charger (a) installers and (b) maintenance staff.

Transport Scotland is supporting colleges across Scotland to build capability and capacity to train people in the skills required for EV charge point installation, repair and maintenance. This has involved training college lecturers to deliver qualifications and providing the necessary equipment to support delivery to industry.

As a result, the number of colleges offering an EV charge point qualification increased from two to 12 in 2024-25. In 2025-26 a further eight colleges, particularly in rural areas, will be supported to develop the same capability, and we will increase the amount of shared equipment available to colleges. We will be funding a number of places for qualified electricians to undertake EV charge point training through the college network, helping to encourage uptake. In 2025-26, we will also focus on developing courses and building college capability in high-voltage installations, such as those required for rapid or heavy-duty vehicle charge points.

Investing in Scotland's colleges to deliver the required training will help more people become qualified in EV charge point installation, repair and maintenance.

Question reference: S6W-37616

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting electric vehicle users, who live in properties without a private driveway, to charge their vehicles.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles by ensuring that charging infrastructure is comprehensive, convenient, and accessible to all. We understand the importance of enabling those without access to off street parking to charge their vehicles conveniently and safely.

Three local authorities, Dundee, East Lothian and Stirling are currently trialling cross-pavement charging solutions and the Scottish Government is supporting the Scottish Collaboration of Transport Specialists (SCOTS), a network representing transport officers from Scotland’s local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships, to develop guidance on cross-pavement charging which addresses legal and safety issues and supports all local authorities to enable cross-pavement charging.

This year’s Programme for Government also announced a new pilot grant scheme to help households without off-street parking to install cross-pavement EV charging solutions. Further details of this scheme will be announced soon.

Question reference: S6W-37618

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to increase the availability of electric vehicle chargers in (a) Scotland and (b) the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

Since 2011, the Scottish Government has provided over £65 million to support the development of public EV charging across Scotland. As a direct result of this funding, and increasing private sector investment, Scotland now has over 6,800 public charge points, a target for 6,000 public Charge points was met in October 2024, two years ahead of schedule. Scotland has one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK, with, on a per head of population basis, more rapid public EV charge points than any other part of the UK except the South East of England.

Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund we are continuing to supporting local authorities to work in partnership with the private sector to expand public EV charging across Scotland, with public funding prioritising those areas of Scotland less likely to benefit from stand-alone private sector investment in public EV charging infrastructure, including rural and island communities.

Through the EV Infrastructure Fund, Glasgow City Region, which includes the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency, has been awarded £3.5 million to support the installation over 3,000 additional charge points across the region. Glasgow City Region are now taking forward public procurement to deliver this project.

Question reference: S6O-04735

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its Population Taskforce had with the UK Government regarding the proposals in the white paper on immigration, in advance of its publication.