The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S6F-04366

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04368

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 06 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-40066

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to the Massage In Schools Association Scotland in each of the last three years, and for what purposes.

Question reference: S6W-40687

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is undertaking into the potential (a) effectiveness and (b) cost-effectiveness of Calmare therapy in offering relief for conditions such as nerve pain, cancer pain, opioid-induced pain and chronic regional pain syndrome, and whether this therapy is being considered for routine commissioning to offer relief for such conditions.

The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) is responsible for supporting health and care research. The CSO runs a number of projects and fellowship funding schemes for Scottish-led research.

Applications on the potential (a) effectiveness and (b) cost-effectiveness of Calmare therapy are welcomed. In common with all applications, these would go through CSO's standard independent expert review process to enable funding decisions to be made.

In addition, through UK-wide funding arrangements, the majority of funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) are open to applications led by researchers based in Scotland.

We have asked NHS Research Scotland Networks for Musculoskeletal and Pain that might be expected to have Calmare therapy within their portfolios whether they are supporting any studies. Neither is currently doing so.

Question reference: S6W-40682

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the recent visit to Japan by the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, to lead a delegation from Scotland's offshore wind sector, on what (a) date she left the UK to travel to Japan, (b) dates she was in Japan leading the delegation, (c) date the visit was (i) provisionally entered and (ii) confirmed in the cabinet secretary’s diary, (d) date each diary event in Japan was provisionally entered or confirmed in the ministerial diary, (e) date the cabinet secretary (1) informally and (2) formally agreed to go to Japan, and who this was confirmed to; whether it will provide a list of all the delegates who attended the visit with the cabinet secretary, and on what date the other members of the delegation had the date of the visit confirmed to them.

I undertook Scotland’s Offshore Wind and Clean Energy Technologies programme at Expo Osaka, Kansai 2025. She also undertook a programme of business engagements to support a Scottish trade mission. I travelled to Tokyo on 14 September and departed on 19 September having undertaken a full programme of engagements.

I followed the steps for seeking approval for international travel and the slip request was confirmed by the Minister for Parliamentary Business on 3 September, confirming the visit could go ahead.

I was supported in Japan by three Scottish Government officials and three SDI officials based in Northeast Asia.

The following companies made up the trade delegation:

Energy Transition Zone (ETZ)
Enerfloat
Eodex
OEG Renewables
James Fisher Renewables
Orkney Islands Council
Eyemouth Harbour
Fraserburgh Harbour
Highland Deephaven Ltd

Question reference: S6W-40688

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Calmare therapy being offered in Ireland, Italy, Germany, USA and Australia, what its position is on the reported view of the UK specialist clinic, the London Spine Unit, that the therapy is an “efficient and safe alternative for several different types of refractory chronic neuropathic pain, with a very rare possibility of adverse events”.

The Scottish Government is determined to improve care and support for people with chronic pain. Progress continues with our Implementation Plan which sets out the actions we will take to address the things people with chronic pain have told us matter most to them.

It is our intention that people can access safe, effective, evidence-based care and support. Decisions about the appropriateness of referral to pain specialist services, or medications for pain management, will be made by the clinician in discussion with the patient, with reference to their medical history and line with clinical best practice. Calmare therapy is not currently recommended for use in the UK.

Question reference: S6W-40785

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that (a) disabled and (b) older people are protected in their communities, in light of reports that they experience lower levels of safety.

The Scottish Government believes everyone should be safe, and feel safe, in their home and community. Our communities are safer than they were a generation ago.

Community safety is not the responsibility of one organisation – it is a shared endeavour. Local authorities and Police Scotland have statutory duties to share intelligence and plans for antisocial behaviour strategies and local policing plans. The Scottish Government has increased the funding that local authorities receive in real terms by 5.5% for 2025–26, and Police Scotland receive a record £1.64 billion for 2025–26.

To address local needs, the Scottish Government is providing £150,000 for Neighbourhood Watch Scotland in 2025 – 26 to promote safety, resilience and community cohesion through their growing network of connected local community groups. NWS plays an important role in offering reassurance to local communities by sharing messages on potential criminal activities in the area, offering advice on keeping safe, and encouraging communities to look out for one another – especially the elderly and vulnerable. NWS has recently run events specifically targeted at older people such as a session with the West Lothian 50+ Network in Bathgate.

The Scottish Government also supports Crimestoppers Scotland through £182, 500 of funding for 2025 – 26. Crimestoppers aims to reach and support communities experiencing higher levels of crime, those who are at risk of harm, and the most vulnerable in our communities.

Question reference: S6W-40823

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve community safety in the most deprived areas, in light of reports that public confidence in community safety is lowest in these areas.

The Scottish Government believes everyone should be safe, and feel safe, in their home and community. Our communities are safer than they were a generation ago.

Community safety is not the responsibility of one organisation – it is a shared endeavour. Local authorities and Police Scotland have statutory duties to share intelligence and plans for antisocial behaviour strategies and local policing plans. The Scottish Government has increased the funding that local authorities receive in real terms by 5.5% for 2025–26, and Police Scotland receive a record £1.64 billion for 2025–26.

To address local needs and challenges, the Scottish Government also supports Crimestoppers Scotland through £182, 500 of funding for 2025–26. Crimestoppers aims to reach and support communities experiencing higher levels of crime, those who are at risk of harm, and the most vulnerable in our communities.

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland seeks to target its events and activities in areas of deprivation. NWS recently attended the Crime Prevention and Scam Awareness Day in Dundee.

At a national level, the Scottish Government has invested over £6 million since 2023 in our Violence Prevention Framework, supporting early intervention and diversion from violence. A number of programmes including No Knives, Better Lives, Medics Against Violence, and Mentors in Violence Prevention are reaching thousands of young people to support and empower them to make safer choices.

Question reference: S6W-40786

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in response to reports of a 94% increase in nicotine pouch use in Scotland.

Through Curriculum for Excellence, children and young people learn about a variety of substances, including nicotine pouches.

The Scottish Government continues to work with Young Scot and other third sector organisations to ensure that young people, their teachers, parents and carers have access to accurate, evidence based, information on nicotine products.

In addition, the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill (the Bill), if passed, will introduce new restrictions on age of sale for all nicotine products and the advertising, sponsorship, free distribution and nominal pricing of vapes and nicotine products across the 4 nations.

New powers in the Bill will also empower the Secretary of State to regulate (amongst other things) product features, packaging, ingredients and flavourings in relation to vapes and nicotine products across the UK, with the consent of Scottish Ministers. The Bill will extend the Tobacco and Vapes retailer register in Scotland to cover all nicotine products and it will give the Scottish Ministers the power to impose restrictions in relation to the display of nicotine products in shops.

An update on implementation timescales for the Bill will be provided following Royal Assent.

Question reference: S6W-40760

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent discussions with key stakeholders regarding the phasing out of the use of farrowing crates, when it will fulfil the commitment in its 2021-22 Programme for Government to consult on this issue; what financial support will be offered to pig farmers to transition to free farrowing systems; whether it will work towards no routine crating for sows, and, if so, what the timeline is for this.

As per my reply to you in the chamber on 01 October, once a definitive direction as to what could replace traditional farrowing crates is determined, we will then consider the possible options which may be made available for producers transitioning away from traditional farrowing crates.

With regards to the Scottish Government’s 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment to consult on phasing out the use of farrowing crates. I would refer you to the answer to question S6W-36181 on. 22 April 2025. 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.

The Scottish Government remains committed to this work and the recent roundtable table discussion with industry, animal welfare organisations and academic representatives was the first steps in finding ways to ensure producer’s viability and improving sow welfare.

We will continue to listen and work with the industry and stakeholders to find ways for producers to transition towards implementing improved animal welfare methods and practices.

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