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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-42441

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use any learnings from the independent review of Adult Disability Payment and apply them, as appropriate, to Child Disability Payment.

The Scottish Government commissioned the Independent Review of Adult Disability Payment (ADP) to ensure the benefit continues to meet the needs of disabled people in Scotland. We appreciate the comprehensive recommendations it provides on how Adult Disability Payment may be improved.

The review focused specifically on Adult Disability Payment and many of the review’s recommendations would be neither relevant nor appropriate beyond that. However, as part of our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, we will consider whether there are any insights and learning which may be relevant more broadly across our new disability benefits.

Question reference: S6W-42384

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports on road condition in Inverclyde, whether it will increase the level of funding it provides to local authorities specifically for road maintenance.

The vast majority of funding allocated to councils is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on road maintenance, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The 2025-26 budget delivered record funding of over £15.1 billion for Local Government, a real terms increase of 5.5 per cent.

In 2025-26, Inverclyde Council will receive £227 million to support day to day services, which equates to an extra £13.1 million or an additional 6.1% compared to 2024-25.

As is normal, decisions on future local government finance settlements will be the subject of negotiations with COSLA on behalf of all 32 local authorities and announced as part of the outcome of the Scottish Budget on 13 January.

Question reference: S6W-42355

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) UK and (b) Scottish Budget-related meetings have taken place between Scottish and UK ministers since September 2025.

Question reference: S6W-42444

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 08 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of healthcare visits, including GP visits, children and young people under the age of 25 are making before they receive a cancer diagnosis compared to older adults, and what action is being taken to reduce diagnostic delays for this age group.

The Scottish Government does not hold data for the number of healthcare visits, including GP visits, children and young people under the age of 25 are making before they receive a cancer diagnosis compared to older adults.

The Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care: The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021–2026, is a dedicated cancer strategy for children and young people, in Scotland.

The strategy sets out our ambitions and actions to provide the best possible treatment and care, as early as possible, to children and young people with cancer. There are several actions that specifically relate to an early, precise diagnosis of cancer.

The Managed Clinical Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MCN CYPC) are responsible for the implementation and evaluation of the Children and Young People’s cancer strategy.

We published the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer in August 2025, which includes a specific Cancer in Children & Young People Guideline, encompassing multiple distinct types of cancers more commonly diagnosed in those aged 0-24 years.

A suite of assets have been created for Gateway C, Scotland’s free primary care cancer education platform. These include bespoke assets focusing on children and young people to support early identification of possible symptoms of cancer and prompt referral.

Question reference: S6W-42353

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it routinely cancels meetings with UK ministers at short notice, and, if so, what analysis it has undertaken of the impact on inter-governmental relations.

Question reference: S6O-05345

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what impact recent recruitment initiatives have had on staffing levels across NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-05340

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of the findings of the Ending Homelessness Together 2025 annual report.

Question reference: S6O-05343

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the purchase of Ardrossan Harbour with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Question reference: S6O-05344

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Centre for Social Justice's Lost Boys campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the issues that boys and young men are facing, including in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-05339

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to prevent starvation and suffering among the sheep on St Kilda.