Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-04970

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the potential impact of the funding allocated in its Budget 2025-26 on Aberdeenshire Council’s ability to invest in local infrastructure and support economic development.

Question reference: S6W-40203

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight it has of the Strategic Network for the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19 and what assessment it has been made of the delivery of services.

The Scottish Government is represented on the Strategic Oversight and Programme Board of the National Strategic Network for the Long-Term Effects of COVID-19. The Strategic Oversight and Programme Board provides oversight of the workplan and programme outcomes of the Strategic Network.

On 23 December 2024 the Network published an evaluation the University of Leeds was commissioned to undertake of patient outcomes in those accessing NHS long COVID clinical services in Scotland. Analysis showed patients reported that they got somewhat better in symptoms and abilities over the first six months. Despite improvements, many reported that they still had major health issues compared to before having COVID.

The report notes that long COVID can be a fluctuating condition, meaning there is not necessarily a linear trend of improvement or deterioration in the symptom burden, functional disability, and overall health of patients. Therefore, care needs to be taken in drawing any conclusions from changes in patient reported outcome measure scores, particularly when over a short space of time. The full report is accessible at https://www.nn.nhs.scot/longcovid/2024/12/23/elaros-data-report/

Question reference: S6W-40205

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide information on the guidance given to GPs and patients regarding long COVID, and any plans for public updates or campaigns.

The clinical guideline NG188 on managing the long-term effects of COVID-19 in all healthcare settings has been developed jointly by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP). SIGN is editorially independent from Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Scottish Government. The decision to create, update or replace any SIGN guideline is not made by Scottish Government, it is made independently by the Evidence Directorate Work Programme Committee in Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS).

Scotland’s national health information service NHS inform contains information on common signs and symptoms associated with long COVID, when to seek further advice from a healthcare professional and testimony from people affected by long COVID about the impact it has had on their daily lives. The information was updated in November 2023 following user research with people living with long COVID. The information will be kept under review to ensure alignment with any future changes to clinical guidelines.

Question reference: S6W-40201

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that it meets the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and disability equality commitments in relation to long COVID services.

Question reference: S6W-40215

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many newly qualified paramedics have joined the Scottish Ambulance Service in the North Region since 2023.

Question reference: S6O-04939

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 183 police stations need repairs, 177 contain asbestos and four contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

Question reference: S6W-39376

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to (a) GPs and (b) other medical professionals to gather a greater understanding of pulmonary fibrosis, and to equip them with the training necessary to support people living with the condition.

The Scottish Government’s Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland (RCAP) sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of respiratory conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease. We continue to work with many types of clinical advisors on delivering improvements to respiratory care and much of this is related to workforce and training of medical professionals.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has a key role in coordinating recruitment to, and overseeing, the quality of postgraduate medical training for both GPs and hospital specialists. The training curricula are written by Medical Royal Colleges and approved by the General Medical Council (GMC), who consider advice from a wide range of stakeholders, including NES. These are subject to regular review and updating, and the training is delivered by territorial NHS Boards.

Scottish Government remains committed to delivering the National Workforce Strategy (Health and social care: national workforce strategy - gov.scot) and achieving the overall vision for “A sustainable, skilled workforce with attractive career choices and fair work where all are respected and valued for the work they do”. Whilst no formal update has yet been published, significant progress has been made in a number of areas and we remain committed to providing a fuller update to the strategy at an appropriate time. Whilst the Strategy does not set out operational workforce planning requirements, it states how we are directing policy to support the achievement of our workforce.

Question reference: S6W-39374

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what long-term plan it has to support people with pulmonary fibrosis.

The Scottish Government’s Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland (RCAP) sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people affected by respiratory conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease.

There is also a significant respiratory work programme managed by the Respiratory Speciality Delivery Group within NHS Golden Jubilee. They have pathways under development for severe asthma, COPD and sleep apnoea. Pulmonary fibrosis has been added to their workplan for this year, and we will continue to work closely with colleagues leading this work to ensure all key stakeholders are informed of its progress.

Our new Prescribing Guideline sets out our ambitions for better access to respiratory care, including for those living with pulmonary fibrosis. The guide keeps the person with respiratory conditions at the centre of their treatment and disease management, and we also have national workstreams focusing on access to pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation.

The Scotland's Population Health Framework (https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-population-health-framework/) sets out the Scottish Government's and COSLA’s long-term collective approach to improving Scotland’s health and reducing health inequalities for the next decade. The Framework sets out how national and local government will work with public sector partners, community organisations and business to tackle the root causes of ill health.

Question reference: S6W-39375

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts it is making to improve awareness of pulmonary fibrosis, and whether it has any events planned for Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness Month, which will take place in September 2025.

Question reference: S6W-39337

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36403 by Gillian Martin on 24 April 2025, in light of section 52(1)(b) of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, whether the reports required under section 52 for years 2010 to 2012 were included in the Scottish Ministers' reports under section 26 of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 for the calendar years concerned.

Flood risk management implementation reports for the years 2010 to 2012 are available on the Scottish Government’s archive website. These reports are joint publications detailing progress in implementing both the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Relevant links are provided below.

Report for year 2010:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Implementation of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009: Annual Report to the Scottish Parliament - 2010

Report for year 2011:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Annual Report to the Scottish Parliament, 2011 - Implementation of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009

Combined report for years 2012 and 2013:

[ARCHIVED CONTENT]

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