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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-04858

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported significant demand for apprenticeships from both employers and applicants, what it is doing to increase the number of apprenticeship places available.

Question reference: S6O-04863

Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of holiday hub provision for children with disabilities and ASN in the City of Edinburgh and elsewhere in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04860

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it plans to do to ensure that children in care are not excluded from school, as set out in The Promise.

Question reference: S6W-38801

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of Pension Age Winter Heating Payment in Scotland this winter, in light of the recent change in UK Government policy to extend Winter Fuel Payment eligibility.

On 9 June the UK Government announced their plans to extend the Winter Fuel Payment in England and Wales to Pensioners with an individual income of £35,000 or less a year. This U-turn is welcome; the UK Government’s decision to cut the Winter Fuel Payment last winter was a betrayal of millions of pensioners.

Following careful consideration of the options available, the Scottish Government has decided to mirror the approach taken by the UK Government. We will therefore withdraw the current amendment regulations before the Scottish Parliament and bring forward amendment regulations to ensure that, from this winter onwards, all pensioners will receive £203.40 or £305.10 per household, depending on age, and we are in discussion with the UK Government to extend the proposed arrangements in England and Wales to recover payments from those pensioners with an individual income of more than £35,000 through the tax system. The intention is that the payment will be recovered automatically, and pensioners will not need to register with HMRC for this or take any further action.

In taking this decision Ministers have considered carefully the importance of prioritising the additional funding available to those who need it most. This approach ensures a higher level of support which those most in need will receive. Over 720,000 Scottish pensioners are estimated to benefit from the higher payment. Revised Impact Assessments will be updated and published alongside the updated regulations.

Question reference: S6W-38503

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting radiologists in Scotland, in light of the figures from the Royal College of Radiologists recent workforce census showing that there is a 25% shortfall in the profession.

Over the last ten years we have increased the Consultant Radiologist workforce by 27.7% (from 304.5 WTE as of March 2015 to 388.9 WTE as of March 2025).

Scottish Government is committed to supporting NHS staff, including radiologists, through the provision of over £2.5 million in annual funding dedicated to staff wellbeing initiatives. This funding provides our workforce with access to psychological interventions and therapies, self-service resources through the National Wellbeing Hub and the National Wellbeing Helpline delivered by NHS 24. Registered staff also have access to confidential mental health services through the Workforce Specialist Service (WSS).

These resources play a vital role in helping the workforce manage mental health challenges, supporting their return to work and enhancing the quality of care they can provide.

Question reference: S6W-38507

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Royal College of Radiologists workforce census 2024, how it plans to reduce the number of clinical (a) radiologists and (b) oncologists leaving the workforce below the age of 50.

Scottish Government recognises that throughout their career, employees, including radiologists and oncologists, will face differing demands on their time and energies at home as well as at work which may lead to them leaving the workforce below the age of 50.

The national ‘Supporting Work Life Balance’ workforce policies to provide staff with a range of flexible working options to help them to balance their lifestyle whilst maintaining and promoting the best possible service to our patients and service users.

Further, Scottish Government are supporting staff throughout the NHS, including radiologists and oncologists, through funding of over £2.5m annually to support staff wellbeing. Evidence shows that positive wellbeing enhances staff retention and engagement, which in turn raises standards of patient safety and quality of care.

This funding provides our workforce with access to psychological interventions and therapies, self-service resources through the National Wellbeing Hub and the National Wellbeing Helpline delivered by NHS 24. Registered staff also have access to confidential mental health services through the Workforce Specialist Service (WSS).

Question reference: S6W-38508

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of investing in more NHS-based clinical radiology and oncology specialty training places compared with the outsourcing of NHS contracts to the independent sector.

Whilst Scottish Ministers are responsible for determining the strategic policy of the NHS in Scotland, NHS Boards are responsible for delivering their services, including making decisions to outsource NHS contracts to the independent sector where appropriate to meet the Board’s needs.

We have expanded the Clinical Oncology and Medical Oncology specialty training programmes since 2014. The Scottish Government is working directly with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to increase supply into Clinical and Medical Oncology and promote these options as an attractive career choice by future applicants.

Further, we have been expanding Internal Medicine Training (IMT) numbers, for example, which is a pre-requisite for various higher specialties including Clinical and Medical Oncology. This will increase front-end supply into several higher-level specialties including Oncology. The IMT programme has filled at 100% for the past five years.

Question reference: S6W-38506

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to not placing any NHS board or hospital, which does not meet diagnostic and cancer waiting times, under a recruitment freeze.

Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing and the recruitment is the responsibility of health boards as autonomous institutions.

Decisions will depend on the service needs of each board taking account of national, regional and local priorities, and we expect NHS boards to plan and provide safe, effective and high-quality care, in line with their statutory service provision and workforce planning responsibilities.

Question reference: S6W-38509

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to reduce the reported delays that patients are facing as a result of a shortage of doctors responsible for diagnostic and cancer care across Scotland.

We know that cancer services are treating more patients on time, within both standards, compared to the same quarter five years ago – 4.5% more within the 31 day standard & 1.6% more within the 62 day standard.

Over £106 million has been allocated to NHS Boards in 2025-26 to help tackle the longest waits for procedures and operations. The funding has been assigned to specialty areas where it can have the greatest impact– this includes £21 million for imaging and over £14 million for cancer waiting times. Scottish Government officials meet with NHS Boards’ Cancer Management Teams on a monthly basis to identify challenges, explore solutions and share best practice.

We have also committed to additional funding for chemotherapy services reaching up to £10m per annum by 2026-27, with £6.6m released in 2025-26. This funding will support increased regional working and workforce recruitment to maximise capacity across the existing workforce.

Question reference: S6W-38787

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its Grangemouth Just Transition Plan.

The Scottish Government has today (18 June) published the Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan, following a public consultation on the draft plan. The Plan sets out our vision for the Grangemouth Industrial Cluster and will act as the framework for all activity that supports Grangemouth’s transition. It identifies 21 actions which will help us achieve our vision, including short term actions in the next 12 months and longer term actions over the next three to five years.

The Plan has been developed with industry, the community, public sector partners, Unite the Union and the workforce at Grangemouth. The Grangemouth Future Industry Board (GFIB), with members from across these sectors and led by Scottish Enterprise, will take the lead on delivering the actions set out in the Plan.

The Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan is backed by our £25m Grangemouth Just Transition Fund.