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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: S6O-05003

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recourse is open to patients who have experienced complications following an NHS operation.

Question reference: S6W-40647

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 September 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Programme for Government commitment to consult on modernising Scotland’s compulsory purchase system.

I am pleased to announce that we have today published a consultation on a comprehensive package of proposals to modernise compulsory purchase in Scotland, to make it simpler, more streamlined and fairer for all parties. The publication of this consultation, which was a Programme for Government commitment, marks an important step towards the wholesale reform that many stakeholders have been calling for.

Compulsory purchase orders are a powerful tool which can help to deliver a wide range of projects, from major infrastructure developments to bringing empty homes and vacant land back into use. However, the legislation is complex and out of date, which can discourage public bodies from using it. The reform programme aims to overhaul the system so that it can fulfil its potential to drive change, as well as being fairer and more transparent for those whose property is affected. Following commitments given to parliament earlier this year, the consultation also includes some questions on compulsory sale orders and compulsory lease orders.

The consultation is available on the Scottish Government website and is open until 19 December.

Question reference: S6W-40175

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for the diagnosis and treatment of people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges people with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) face in obtaining diagnosis and care. Diagnosis usually begins with a GP referral and may involve rheumatologists, geneticists, and other specialists. Hypermobile EDS (hEDS) is diagnosed clinically, while genetic testing is available for rarer forms of EDS.

EDS can affect people in different ways. While there is no cure for EDS, treatment and support focus on helping people manage symptoms and prevent complications. NHS Scotland provides multidisciplinary care through hospitals in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Aberdeen, and Scottish patients can access more specialist EDS services in England via cross-border referrals if clinically indicated.

Question reference: S6W-40378

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to support NHS (a) boards and (b) Lanarkshire to improve performance against the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard.

We know many people are still waiting too long and this is not good enough. We are determined to do more and our Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for health and social care, with more than £110 million allocated to health boards, including over £6.6 million for NHS Lanarkshire, to help tackle the longest waits for appointments and procedures.

The funding has been assigned to specialty areas for the year ahead where it can have the greatest impact against the longest waits – this includes £25 million for trauma and orthopaedics, £21 million for imaging, £14 million for cancer treatment and more than £12 million for ophthalmology.

It will also support delivery of planned care for patients across Scotland, to increase capacity and address backlogs of treatment as we work towards achieving the 18 weeks Referral to Treatment (RTT) standard.

Question reference: S6O-04966

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it is providing to small businesses in Coatbridge and Chryston to help them deal with inflation and rising costs.

Question reference: S6W-40364

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is currently undertaking to (a) identify individuals who may be at increased risk of inherited cancer syndromes, such as those linked to BRCA gene mutations or Lynch syndrome and (b) offer these individuals screening and genetic testing.

Scotland’s national rare and inherited conditions genomic test directory includes a range of testing to identify people at increased risk of inherited cancer syndromes including those linked to BRCA gene mutations and Lynch Syndrome.

Testing is designed to identify those at highest risk and, in many cases, is offered as cascade testing to the first-degree relatives of people diagnosed with inherited cancer syndromes.

We are committed to working with stakeholders across the NHS to raise awareness of the testing available and improve the coordination of care across Scotland, including signposting to risk-reducing surgery and surveillance procedures.

Question reference: S6O-04947

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that people with increased genetic risk of developing cervical cancer are offered additional screening tests.

Question reference: S6W-38194

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support and promote participation in hockey.

The Scottish Government understand the importance of sport and physical activity and the positive impact that it has on the physical, mental, and social health of people in Scotland. We value the role that hockey plays in encouraging participation in sport, particularly for women and girls.

sportscotland, our national agency for sport, has provided Scottish Hockey with a direct investment of £815,175 in the current financial year to help support a wide range of activity that encourages and supports people to participate in hockey, including club, coaching, and performance sport.

In 2024-2025 sportscotland also provided additional investment of £296,506 into the sport of hockey through their athlete personal award programme, Direct Club Investment (DCI), Sports Facility Fund (SFF), support services, Awards for All investment, and expert resource.

In addition, sportscotland works in partnership with all 32 local authorities to invest in and support the Active Schools network. Active Schools aims to provide more and higher quality opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity before school, during lunchtime and after school, and to develop effective pathways between schools and sports clubs in the local community. In the 2022-23 academic year, hockey was the tenth most popular Active Schools activity (sixth for girls), with over 114,000 visits to around 5,500 Active Schools hockey sessions

Question reference: S6W-37882

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37338 by Neil Gray on 20 May 2025, since the amendment of the GP contractor regulations in 2022, what analysis it has undertaken to understand the extent to which GP surgeries are offering an online appointment booking system for patients.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken analysis of the extent to which GP surgeries are offering an online appointment booking system for patients since the regulations were changed in 2022.

The Scottish Government does not have a role in assessing the performance of GP contractors as those contracts are between GP practices and NHS boards. GP practices are expected to regularly consider whether it is desirable, in order to meet the reasonable needs of their registered patients, to increase the proportion of appointments which are made available online to their registered patients and if it is desirable, to increase the proportion of those appointments. The needs of every practice population differ and the Scottish Government is not in a position to determine, at a national level, what the arrangements in any individual practice should be.

Question reference: S6O-04793

Current Status: Withdrawn