- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure equitable access to
Xonvea for all pregnant women across Scotland, in light of it being routinely
available in parts of England, and the only medication licensed in the
UK to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, including severe cases of
hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that has reportedly been linked to the
tragic loss of pregnancies.
Answer
Following a full submission of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea®), for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), for women who do not respond to conservative management, the SMC | Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published not recommended advice found here: doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea) in May 2019. The marketing authorisation holder did not present a sufficiently robust clinical or economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC. The SMC would welcome a resubmission at any time.
Where licensed medicines, such as Xonvea®, are not routinely available on the NHS in Scotland, doctors can use the PACS Tier Two system to request access on a case-by-case basis. The cost of the medicine is not a decision-making criterion.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding
how the Glasgow City Region Deal can support improvements to transport and
connectivity across the region.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the development of Coul Links, and in light of the reported over 700 formal objections submitted, including from conservation bodies, scientists and residents, how it is ensuring that community and expert voices are being heard as well as those of private commercial interests.
Answer
Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted. The independent reporters held hearing sessions to gather evidence from the local community and expert witnesses (including those for the applicant, NatureScot and environmental charities) on the proposal’s potential impacts on protected sites, wildlife, and plants, as well as its anticipated socio-economic effects.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is proceeding with the proposed development of Coul Links, in light of the reported assessment by NatureScot that it might cause irreversible damage to a nationally important dune ecosystem and concerns that the project could undermine its commitments to halt biodiversity loss.
Answer
The Scottish Ministers are following the statutory planning process in considering the application. Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in implementing recommendation 6 of the Independent Review of Audiology
Services in Scotland (IRASS) report regarding the development of a robust workforce plan for audiology services.
Answer
The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to undertake work which maps the skills and competencies required at each level of practice for all disciplines within the healthcare science profession, including audiology as a clinical priority area.
A Redefining our Workforce document is under development which sets out work on redefining of the scientific workforce in Scotland (including audiologists) and will support development of educational courses in the future. This is in its final stage of publication and will be published this Autumn.
This sits hand in hand with activity which will enable us to be able to map our scientific workforce in NHS Scotland more accurately, strengthening capacity, training and recruitment pipelines for audiologists, and supporting better workforce planning for the future.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure consistent and accurate recording and reporting of audiology waiting times across all NHS boards, as recommended in the Independent Review of Audiology in Scotland report.
Answer
From 2014 data on Audiology waits formed part of the 18 weeks referral to treatment waiting time data Public Health Scotland (PHS) publication. In March this year, PHS communicated that as part of their ongoing work to ensure their suite of statistical publications meets user needs, they decided to pause the 18 weeks RTT national data collection, analysis and publication. The 18th March 2025 publication was the last planned publication. It is important to note that PHS will continue to publish comprehensive statistics on waiting times which will help demonstrate the impact of the additional funding to reduce waiting times. By pausing the 18 week RTT statistics, PHS will be able to shift resources towards developing statistics on the number of 8 key diagnostic tests carried out per quarter. This change in focus is needed for the public to understand how we are progressing with our commitment for 150,000 extra appointments, diagnostics and treatment in 2025-26.
Given the importance of audiology, as part of the Scottish Government’s implementation of the Service Renewal Framework consideration is being given as to how to strengthen visibility and accountability on audiology waiting times to ensure planning of services reflects actual need and supports equitable access. This has been prioritised as part of the first year work programme of SRF implementation.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the separate publication of audiology waiting times was discontinued in 2014, and whether it will consider reinstating this reporting to improve transparency and accountability.
Answer
From 2014 data on Audiology service waits was included as part of the 18 weeks referral to treatment waiting time data Public Health Scotland (PHS) publication. In March this year, PHS communicated that as part of their ongoing work to ensure their suite of statistical publications meets user needs, they decided to pause the 18 weeks RTT national data collection, analysis and publication. The 18th March 2025 publication was the last planned publication.
It is important to note that PHS will continue to publish comprehensive statistics on waiting times which will help demonstrate the impact of the additional funding to reduce waiting times. By pausing the 18 week RTT statistics, PHS will be able to shift resources towards developing statistics on the number of 8 key diagnostic tests carried out per quarter. This change in focus is needed for the public to understand how we are progressing with our commitment for 150,000 extra appointments, diagnostics and treatment in 2025-26.
Given the importance of audiology, as part of the Scottish Government’s implementation of the Service Renewal Framework consideration is being given as to how to strengthen visibility and accountability on audiology waiting times to ensure planning of services reflects actual need and supports equitable access. This has been prioritised as part of the first year work programme of SRF implementation.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve access to training and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for audiology professionals across Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to undertake work which maps the skills and competencies required at each level of practice for all disciplines within the healthcare science profession, including audiology as a clinical priority area, which will better enable planning of clear education pathways for audiology, and other disciplines, and support progression of staff between levels of practice. NES are continuing to work towards completing this, with a focus on audiology, over the course of 2025.
Alongside this, a Redefining our Workforce document is under development which sets out work on redefining of the scientific workforce in Scotland (including audiologists) and will support development of educational courses in the future. This is in its final stage of publication and will be published this Autumn.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the ongoing implementation of the 55 recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services
in Scotland report, and whether progress reports will be published regularly.
Answer
A programme of work to address recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland has now concluded and each of the 55 recommendations updated.
A final report was produced outlining the rationale behind the actions taken and confirming the timelines for taking forward the remaining actions through other programmes of work. The final report is available and the all-ears.nhs.scot website.
National oversight of audiology services is via the Scottish Government’s Strategic Planning Board. Responsibility for ongoing monitoring of the implementation of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland report lies primarily with NHS Boards themselves via their Audiology Local Action Plans.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent older people from becoming victims of phishing scams, including in relation to social security payments.
Answer
Social Security Scotland has delivered a range of communications activity warning older people about phishing scams, including fraudulent text messages that claim to be from government departments. The activity includes regular content across multiple social media platforms, the organisation’s website and coverage in newspapers to help keep people informed.
The agency’s Chief Executive David Wallace took part in an interview with the BBC interview that was broadcast across its channels, to raise awareness of these scams and make it clear that Social Security Scotland will never ask for personal or financial information by text. Social Security Scotland will continue to work closely with Police Scotland and the media to ensure public awareness remains high and that people know how to protect themselves.
Since April 2025, Consumer Scotland has taken on a strategic leadership role in scam prevention, supported by £175,000 in funding. The Scottish Government also funds Advice Direct Scotland to operate the national consumer helpline, which is available at consumeradvice.scot or by calling 0808 164 6000. Members of the public should report suspicious activity to Advice Direct Scotland or to Police Scotland by calling 101.
