- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 17 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what financial assessments have been undertaken regarding the proposed merger of NHS Education in Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland, as set out in the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework.
Answer
Consultation on bringing NHS Education in Scotland and NHS National Services Scotland together will take place over 2025 and work is underway to establish the full range of functions of the new organisation. Financial assessment will be part of this. The aim throughout will be to optimise the delivery of national services, creating opportunities for further improvement, innovation and efficiency across NHS Scotland.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, following the removal of peak rail fares in September, whether super off-peak tickets will still be available for purchase at a reduced rate to commuters, and, if so, to which routes this will apply.
Answer
Super off-peak journeys account for 0.2 per cent of all journeys made on ScotRail services. Only a very small number of journeys actually qualify for the ticket, and there are restricted travel times aimed at the quietest trains on particular routes, between 11am and 3pm, and after 8pm. Details of all ScotRail fares and products, following the removal of peak fares on 1 September 2025, will be available in early August.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 July 2025
The ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that women wait longer than men for NHS operations.
Answer
In the majority of specialties there is minimal variation between female and male median waits but we recognise that in specialties that focus on treating conditions relating to urinary and reproductive systems there can be variation.
The Scottish Government is acutely aware that many women are particularly impacted by long waits for gynaecological appointments and procedures and this is not good enough.
As the first country in the UK to publish a Women’s Health Plan we are committed to reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes for women and girls. Timely access to gynaecology services must be addressed and I am committed to including gynaecology as a priority in the next phase of the Plan.
As a starting point, the Government has allocated over £8.8 million to Health Boards to target long waits for gynaecology and I expect this to deliver significant improvements to the backlog in the coming year through waiting list initiatives and recruitment.
The investment is part of the £200 million announced as part of the Programme for Government to build capacity, tackle delayed discharge and improve patient flow through hospitals.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the trade deal between the UK and India, whether it is considering expanding its current list of nine trade and investment envoys to include an envoy for the Indian market.
Answer
Scottish Government officials reviewed the Trade & Investment Envoy network footprint in 2024 to help ensure we have the right people, in the right places, with appropriate knowledge of our priority sectors. The review noted there are significant opportunities in India and the Scottish Government recognises the recent conclusion of UK-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations. We plan to increase our engagement with India given its rapid economic growth and Scotland’s synergies with India, including: Renewable Energy; Information Technology & Innovation; Life Sciences & Healthcare; and Food & Beverage. We remain open to appointing an Envoy in India should an appropriate candidate be identified.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what progress Social Security Scotland has made in making sure that frontline staff are trained in the particular needs of the veteran community, to ensure that veterans are not subjected to any unnecessary misunderstanding or distress when accessing financial support.
Answer
Social Security Scotland recognises and values a wide range of diverse groups beyond the nine protected characteristics set out in the Equality Act 2010, including a strong commitment to the armed forces community – veterans and their families.
The organisation remains committed to reviewing and enhancing how it supports people accessing benefits. In particular, how to strengthen colleagues’ understanding of veterans, particularly in light of the report and recommendations published by the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s June 2025 report on veterans’ experiences with the benefits system.
To promote internal awareness and understanding, Social Security Scotland has delivered sessions highlighting the lived experiences of the armed forces community featuring contributions from veterans now employed within the organisation.
In 2024, the organisation worked closely with Scottish Government colleagues to recruit veterans as Client Advisers on 12-month fixed-term contracts, with the option to extend. Hiring managers received training to help support these new colleagues, recognising the challenges they may have faced.
While there is no specific training tailored exclusively for individual groups like veterans, all colleagues involved in assessing applications receive comprehensive training. This training is developed in consultation with people with lived experience of health conditions and disabilities and is informed by the Scottish Government’s benefit take-up strategy and focuses on understanding each person’s unique circumstances.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the full terms of all grants and funding arrangements made to Alexander Dennis since 2010.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not issued any direct grants to Alexander Dennis since 2010. Grants issued to Alexander Dennis Ltd by Scottish Enterprise are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, who will be able to provide further information upon request.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with stakeholders regarding a workable solution to enable patients in Scotland to take part in proton beam therapy clinical trials, and what the estimated timeline is for the conclusion of any such work.
Answer
Scottish Government Officials have held 2 stakeholder meetings including representatives from the NHS Boards to discuss access for patients in Scotland to Proton Beam Therapy clinical trials delivered at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust Proton Beam Therapy Centre in Manchester.
These meetings took place on 23 January 2025 and 23 April 2025. In addition officials have held numerous calls with individual stakeholders.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any implications for community safety in Scotland, whether the Minister for Business raised the issue of alleged "secret Chinese police stations" on his recent trip to China.
Answer
During my visit, I raised concerns about China’s human rights record.
Any foreign country that operates within Scotland, must abide by Scottish law. The Scottish Government fully supports individuals’ rights to freedom of expression, which is an extremely important principle.
Investigations into infringements of law and civil rights are a matter for law enforcement agencies. As a matter of long-standing policy we will not comment on the detail of security.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether Social Security Scotland (SSS) will follow the example of Scotland's local authorities and NHS boards by creating a network of armed forces and veterans champions within SSS to (a) help raise awareness of issues faced by the armed forces community, veterans and their families and (b) protect veterans' rights when accessing services.
Answer
Social Security Scotland is committed to supporting the Armed Forces Community, including veterans and their families.
Following publication of the Scottish Veterans Commissioner’s report and recommendations on veterans’ experiences in accessing benefits in June 2025, the organisation is actively exploring ways to strengthen its support for veterans and service members.
Senior Social Security Scotland officials have met with the Minister for Veterans and held constructive discussions with key organisations, including BLESMA and the Scottish Veterans Commissioner, which aim to deepen understanding and gather insights and information on supporting veterans.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 16 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much waste generated by the Scottish Parliament will be transported to England once the Scottish Government's landfill ban comes into effect at the end of 2025, and what excess carbon dioxide will be generated as a result.
Answer
Currently no waste generated by the Scottish Parliament is sent to landfill. General waste is sent to the Viridor Energy Recovery Centre in Dunbar and food waste is sent to the Anaerobic digestion centre at Millerhill. Other materials such as paper and glass are recycled. We expect this to remain the same when the Scottish Government's landfill ban comes into effect at the end of 2025. Carbon emissions from all waste processing including recycling are included in our
Sustainable Development Annual Report.
