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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-40848

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to develop best scientific practice in marine and coastal restoration activity.

Many restoration projects around Scotland are already working with universities and researchers to pioneer new methods and develop best practice in data collection and monitoring. We are currently consulting on a draft marine and coastal restoration plan which sets out key objectives to help us understand restoration opportunities and priorities. The draft plan also proposes actions to stimulate innovation, standardise monitoring, and encourage knowledge exchange. The draft plan was developed with advice from NatureScot and Marine Directorate scientists, as well as input from a range of stakeholders including research institutions. Best practice guidance for restoration activities is already available on the websites of NatureScot and the Scottish Marine Environmental Enhancement Fund, among others.

Question reference: S6W-40825

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-40443 by Ivan McKee on 17 September 2025, and in light of reports that NatureScot has advised that the development would damage an internationally important Ramsar site and a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), whether it has engaged with the Ramsar secretariat as part of the consultation process on the proposed development of an 18-hole golf course at Coul Links, and if so, what the outcome of any such engagement was.

The Scottish Government has not engaged with the Ramsar Secretariat on the planning application at Coul Links. NatureScot serves as a statutory advisor to the Scottish Government on developments that may affect Ramsar sites, offering expert ecological guidance to assess environmental impacts. The Ramsar Secretariat, based in Switzerland, is responsible for the day-to day co-ordination of convention activities. Whilst the Secretariat provides guidance, technical advice, and support to member countries to help ensure Ramsar sites are protected within their national planning processes, the Secretariat does not have a direct role in specific planning applications.

Question reference: S6W-40728

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of poor broadband connectivity across Scotland, including in Lanarkshire, and when it anticipates that (a) householders and (b) small businesses will see meaningful improvements.

All homes and businesses in Scotland should now be able to access a minimum of a superfast broadband connection, thanks to the three strands of activity that make up the Reaching 100% (R100) programme - the R100 contracts, our Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme and ongoing commercial coverage. According to Ofcom figures, gigabit coverage in Scotland stands at 78% - up from just 59% in 2022. Ofcom figures also show North and South Lanarkshire as amongst the best served areas in Scotland for access to gigabit capable broadband – with 92% and 87% gigabit coverage respectively.

Digital infrastructure is essential for building a fairer, greener, and stronger economy, which is why over the last decade the Scottish Government has delivered over one million faster, more reliable broadband connections across the country - backed by over £1 billion of publicly driven investment. This is despite telecoms being wholly reserved to Westminster.

There is, however, more to be done. This is why we are playing a crucial role in the delivery of Project Gigabit in Scotland, having awarded new local and regional contracts earlier this year with further regional contracts in procurement, as well as managing delivery of the nationwide contract which was awarded by the UK Government to Openreach last year.

There will, however, remain premises which are beyond the reach of Project Gigabit procurements and are considered very hard to reach by the UK Government. Despite promises that an approach to connecting such premises would be forthcoming in 2022 and then again in 2023, we continue to await a clear proposal. We stand ready to work with the UK Government to develop a solution to connect those premises, ensuring that no one is left behind.

Question reference: S6W-40598

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support Migraine Awareness Week, which runs from 22 to 28 September 2025, and raise awareness of migraine as a neurological condition.

We recognise the distress and pain that migraines cause and we take the issue of migraine seriously.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery launched the national headache pathway in October 2023, to improve care for migraines and headache across Scotland. The pathway is being implemented to aid with the diagnosis and management of headache disorders including migraine, offer guidance on management, and support health boards to aid their future planning.

The Scottish Government funded £221,176 to the Migraine Trust across 2022-2024 to work upskilling community, primary and secondary care pharmacists across NHS Grampian to help people with migraine manage their condition more effectively. This included funding to partner other health boards to extend the reach of this model and increase care and support for people living with migraine.

An eLearning programme for NHS Education for Scotland’s (NES) platform TURAS was developed through the project, comprising a suite of training materials available for all pharmacists and pharmacy teams in Scotland to access.

Additionally, NES Pharmacy hosted a webinar in September 2024 to provide guidance to pharmacy staff on the assessment, support and management of people living with migraine in line with the Scottish National Headache Pathway.

Following publication of the Pathway, Scottish Government has liaised with NHS24 and clinicians to produce public-facing accessible information on migraine, available at Migraine | NHS inform.

Question reference: S6W-40607

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the recent changes to Lanarkshire sexual health services on accessibility for people across the region, including centralising the repeat prescription service for contraception to Coathill Hospital.

Following a review of services and in order to prioritise access to specialist sexual health services for those in greatest need, NHS Lanarkshire have made a decision to centralise non-Long Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) prescription appointments to Coathill Hospital. Patients are still able to access non-LARC contraception (such as the pill) at Coathill Hospital or through their GP, which may be more convenient for them. Appointments for LARC continue to be available throughout the wider sexual health service in Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S6W-40849

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government on what date section 7 of the Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Act 2024, which deals with the removal of a trustee by the court, will come into force.

Section 7 of the Act was brought into force on 26 June 2024 but only insofar as for the purpose of section 8 (removal of certain trustees by court: unfitness). The Scottish Government’s preferred approach is to allow the remaining provisions of the Act to be brought into force at the same time as a Scotland Act Order extends relevant provisions to pensions trusts and officials are working closely with UK Government colleagues to progress this work.

Question reference: S6W-40702

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the article in the 19 September - 2 October 2025 edition of Private Eye, "Fishy Figures", by what date it will close any loopholes in salmon farm mortality reporting so that official figures include all deaths, including those arising from culls, during transport and within the first six weeks following transfer to sea pens, and whether it will mandate comprehensive site-level reporting.

The Scottish Government has no plans currently to mandate further data collection from salmon farms given the information already provided is sufficient for transparency and regulatory purposes. The approach was set in our response (March 2025) to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee's recent inquiry and report into salmon farming in Scotland. In this correspondence, I also committed to improve the accessibility of existing data collections and to explore how to gain greater insights into cleaner fish mortality.

Question reference: S6W-40843

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently living with incurable secondary breast cancer, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-40842

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support women living with secondary breast cancer.

Question reference: S6W-40844

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 September 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure consistent access to early diagnostics and treatment for people living with pancreatic cancer to avoid a so-called postcode lottery.