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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-26769

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £500 million, which was originally allocated to the Bus Partnership Fund, has been spent.

We have awarded £26.9 million in funding for bus priority through the Bus Partnership Fund, with £20.5 million expected to be spent by 31 March 2024. However that figure will need to be confirmed following the processing of final claims from Partnerships - consisting of local authorities, bus operators and other key stakeholders – in the coming months.

The awards made through the Bus Partnership Fund to date were the first step towards delivering long term investment in bus priority infrastructure, beyond the course of the parliament.

Following the United Kingdom autumn statement delivering the worst-case scenario for Scotland and a nearly 9 per cent real-terms cut in our capital budget from the UK Government, the Scottish Government had to take difficult decisions to deliver a balanced and sustainable spending plan for 2024-25. As such, regrettably, the Bus Partnership Fund has been paused for 2024-25. However, future funding availability will be considered as part of our annual budget-setting process and prioritisation exercises.

Question reference: S6W-26768

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce wheat intolerance as a criteria for access to gluten-free foods on prescription.

People who have had a clinical diagnosis of coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis are eligible to access staple gluten-free food products on NHS prescription. There are no current plans to change the criteria.

Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease whereas wheat intolerance alone does not meet the criteria for gluten-free food products on prescription. Patients with a wheat intolerance should be encouraged to be tested for coeliac disease. If coeliac disease has already been ruled out, they could request referral to the local Dietetic Service for dietary advice and support to help manage a wheat free diet.

Question reference: S6O-03324

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its humanitarian aid funding, what engagement it has had with mines and explosives clearance charities in Scotland that operate internationally.

The Scottish Government recognises the devastating impact land mines have, killing and maiming thousands each year. Indiscriminate and unpredictable, their presence drives whole communities from their homes and land. That is why, in September 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Scottish Government provided £300,000 to the Halo Trust. Through this grant, teams on the ground were able to cover 206,663m2 enabling Ukrainian famers to safely farm their land again. This not only benefitted 14,000 people in Ukraine, but the clearance of agricultural land is playing a crucial role towards restoring global food security.

Question reference: S6W-26393

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned minimum land size threshold required for farmers to receive agricultural payments under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill, including what assessment it undertook to arrive at the planned threshold of 3ha, and what evidence supports this decision.

The adaptive framework under the new Bill will enable tailored provisions and support to be implemented to support our food producers and we continue to co-develop effective policies to deliver the Vision for Agriculture. As a framework Bill it will not set thresholds which could restrict future flexibility.

How these powers will be used are set out in the Bills associated Policy Memorandum and Explanatory notes .

Future eligibility criteria will be co-developed with partners through the Ag Reform Programme.

Question reference: S6W-26432

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to preventative and early interventions in each year since 2016, also broken down by NHS board area.

The Scottish Government does not hold the detail of this funding. Local decisions on how to allocate funding is the responsibility of NHS Boards.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) collects data and provides analysis on NHS spending and the cost of running services across the 14 territorial health boards, the Golden Jubilee, and the State Hospital. This information is published annually in the Scottish Health Service Costs release (‘Costs Book’).

The data has a breakdown of Hospital, Community, Family Health Services, and subsequent breakdown into sub-categories, however it does not specifically provide funding in preventative and early interventions (also note the difference between expenditure per Cost Book and funding per the question).

Question reference: S6W-26431

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Borders to ensure that the 18-week child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) waiting time standard is met.

For all NHS Boards including NHS Borders, tailored support is provided giving access to professional specialist advice, making sure that they have robust plans place and are continually monitoring their implementation. Regular and structured engagement with NHS Borders at official level also takes place regularly.

In addition all Boards have been asked to submit trajectories setting out a timeline for clearing any long waits. These will be updated annually and used to inform further targeted improvement work to ensure all Boards meet CAMHS waiting times standards.

Question reference: S6W-26430

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information and signposting to alternative support is communicated to families and young people in cases where a referral to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has been rejected.

We expect NHS Boards to follow the National CAMHS Service Specification , which sets out that CAMHS services " provide support and personalised, meaningful signposting to the child/young person and their family/carers, with informed consent, to access other services within the children and young people's service network, in cases where families' needs are best met elsewhere."

Appropriate redirection and alternative support will vary across NHS Boards depending on the services available locally, and the needs of the child or young person involved. For many children and young people, such support is likely to be community based, and should be easily and quickly accessible. Since 2020, we have provided local authorities with over £50 million to develop and deliver mental health and wellbeing supports and services, with a further £15 million committed for 2024-25.

As specified in the Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services Framework , there should be strong links between CAMHS and the community supports in all areas, with services taking a whole-system approach to ensure that children and young people experience streamlined pathways and get the right support at the right time.

Question reference: S6W-26429

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to young people whose referral to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has been rejected.

Question reference: S6T-01924

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review the New Build Heat Standard.

Question reference: S6O-03251

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the waiting time for external stakeholder parliamentary events sponsored by MSPs.