Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-43198

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42936 by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026, what form this work is taking, and what the timeline is for completion.

The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group, which is co-c-haired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, to come together to consider the recommendations as a whole and to develop a partnership approach to addressing them. The Scottish Government has begun this work and is engaging with key partners to discuss the delivery of Powers of Attorney and Guardianship processes.

This work is still at an early stage. As such, the form that the Group’s work will ultimately take, and the timescales for its completion, have not yet been determined. The Scottish Government will provide further updates as this work progresses.

Question reference: S6W-42933

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what governance arrangements are in place with the population health framework, the health and social care service renewal framework and the NHS operational improvement plan to promote shared accountability and joint decision-making between it, local authorities, NHS boards, health and social care partnerships and integrated joint boards.

We have now finalised plans for Health and Social Care Reform Portfolio and programme governance to take forward the commitments within the Operational Improvement Plan (OIP), the Population Health Framework (PHF) and the Service Renewal Framework (SRF), and it is through these frameworks that we will deliver the vision of a Scotland where people live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

The Reform Oversight Board brings together national and local accountability for delivery of the aims and priorities of the PHF and SRF. The Board complements, not replaces, local and national reform governance. It is jointly accountable to Scottish Ministers and COSLA Leaders. The first meeting of this quarterly board took place on 12 November, and it is chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the COSLA spokesperson for Health and Social Care.

Additionally, Programme Boards have been established for the PHF (first meeting 26 November) and the SRF (first meeting 2 December) to set strategic direction and provide oversight. Board membership includes representatives from COSLA, SOLACE, NHS Boards and Integration Joint Boards.

The Collaborative Response and Assurance Group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA have been asked to come together to consider the Audit Scotland report's recommendations as a whole and develop a partnership approach to addressing them. Local systems are working to reduce delays and deliver on the commitments set out in the OIP.

Question reference: S6W-42934

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Healthcare Improvement Scotland, integration authorities and their partner NHS boards and councils, should...in the next six months, publish guidance to clarify and strengthen the role of integration joint boards and health and social care partnerships in the governance and delivery of the health and social care service renewal framework".

We agree with Audit Scotland that Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) are critical in delivering our reform ambitions as set out in the Service Renewal Framework (SRF), published in June 2025. Governance arrangements for the SRF have now been established, with IJBs, local authorities and Health Boards all represented and operating as key partners in design and delivery. The SRF signals a determination to build on the successes that we have already seen and to provide clarity on how we empower our system leaders to work with people to deliver change.

Question reference: S6W-43008

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of how it is exercising its rights and meeting its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 with respect to decisions made through the Energy Consents Unit, and how compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is being documented.

In reaching their decision, Scottish Ministers determine applications made under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy. Potential impacts on communities are important considerations in the decision-making process and the decision whether to grant consent is taken only after careful consideration of environmental information, consultee responses and public representations.

Scottish Ministers and their officials take great care to comply with all relevant obligations in the administration and determination of applications for energy consents.

As answered in the response to S6W-42239 on 9 December 2025, applications made under sections 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 do not legally require a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment, which is the principal method to ensure compliance with United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requirements.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-43243

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42938 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what its response is to concerns that the variation in both the approaches and systems in use across NHS boards to record this information might be detrimental to the effective delivery of health and social care across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-43244

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 January 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42938 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what action it will take to address its inability to obtain this information, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026 and recommended that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Healthcare Improvement Scotland, integration authorities and their partner NHS boards and councils, should...over the next 12 months, work together to develop and action an implementation plan to share learning and practice from digital solutions used for tackling delayed discharges, early intervention and prevention”.

Question reference: S6W-42937

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), Healthcare Improvement Scotland, integration authorities and their partner NHS boards and councils, should...over the next 12 months, work together to develop and action an implementation plan to share learning and practice from digital solutions used for tackling delayed discharges, early intervention and prevention".

The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and CoSLA to come together to consider these recommendations as a whole and develop a partnership approach to addressing them.

The Scottish Government remains committed to sharing learning and practice from digital solutions and will work with our partners to further develop this approach.

Question reference: S6O-05421

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how to ensure that Scotland maximises the cultural legacy benefits of the 2026 Summer of Sport.

Question reference: S6W-42938

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the NHS budget is spent on IT, including digital (a) infrastructure and (b) innovation.

It is not possible for the Scottish Government to answer this question, as the total NHS Scotland expenditure on IT infrastructure and innovation is a matter for NHS Boardsand is not held centrally. Given the variation in approaches and systems in use across individual NHS Boards this information would need to be requested directly from each Health Board.

The Scottish Government’s funding for national digital and innovation programmes for 2025-2026 was £122.2 million. The majority of this was used to fund essential NHS Digital Services and contracts such as Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Programme and GP IT and to support delivery of the Programme for Government’s digital commitments. Investments include,

Digital and Data Infrastructure –For example, expansion of the National Digital Platform and continued development and rollout of systems such as the Digital Front Door, enabling better access to health and care information for citizens and professionals.
Cyber Security and Core Infrastructure – strengthening resilience and ensuring secure, reliable digital services across NHS Scotland.
Service Transformation – investment in digital tools that support remote monitoring, telehealth, and virtual consultations, improving access and reducing pressure on frontline services.
Workforce and Skills Development – funding to build digital capability within the health and care workforce, ensuring effective adoption and use of new technologies.
Accelerated National Innovation Adoption pathway–to deliver a “Once for Scotland” approach to the identification, assessment and accelerated national adoption of transformative medical technologies.
NHS Regional Innovation Hubs- Scotland’s three NHS Regional Innovation Hubs partner with academia and industry to accelerate the development, testing and evaluation of new technologies.

Question reference: S6W-42932

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what action it is taking to expedite plans for, and the delivery of, the MyCare Scotland App, and associated digital innovations.

While 97% of discharges occur without delay, further action is needed. Local systems are working to improve patient flow, supported by over £220 million of national investment, including winter funding to increase social care capacity.

The national rollout of MyCare.scot will be accelerated from April 2026. Over time, MyCare will give people in the health and social care settings secure access to key health and care information and should help to improve communication and support discharge planning.

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