Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 46064 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-37122

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is for ensuring that Scotland’s coasts remain safe and sustainable, in light of reported evidence showing significant gaps in vessel tracking and monitoring.

Question reference: S6W-36631

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21266 by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023, whether NHS Highland was successful in recruiting a replacement Public Dental Service senior dental officer/tutor in Campbeltown, and, if so, whether they remain in post.

Question reference: S6W-36374

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) review it (i) has undertaken and (ii) plans to undertake and (b) engagement it has had with the UK Government in light of reports that an estimated 30,000 women across the UK were prescribed stilbestrol, and how many women affected were resident in Scotland.

I have the utmost sympathy for the women who may have been adversely affected by diethylstilbestrol (otherwise known as DES or stilbestrol).

The regulations for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines is currently reserved to the UK Government and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Any review of diethylstilbestrol (otherwise known as DES or stilbestrol) would ultimately be a matter for them to consider.

Question reference: S6W-36612

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35639 by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025, which NHS boards will be supported to provide suicide bereavement support.

We are continuing to work closely with partners to design and plan the expansion of suicide bereavement support across Scotland, taking account of the evaluation findings and existing local provision.

In addition to delivering suicide bereavement support services in Highland and Ayrshire & Arran Health Boards, Suicide Prevention Scotland has progressed discussions to establish suicide bereavement support which connects to existing local and national provision in several NHS Board areas. These are: Borders, Tayside, Fife, Shetland, Dumfries & Galloway and Greater Glasgow & Clyde.

We will continue our discussions with the remaining health boards over the coming months.

Question reference: S6W-36614

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its next Creating Hope Together suicide prevention action plan.

The first three year Creating Hope Together action plan was published in 2022 and covers the period 2022-2025.

As outlined in the answer S6W-35639 on 27 March 2025, we are starting to develop our next three-year action plan which we intend to publish in early 2026. This will build on the existing suicide prevention work and the significant insights gathered over the lifespan of the current action plan, as well as reflecting emerging and new evidence on suicide prevention. We will be engaging with our key stakeholders, our lived experience panels and others in the coming months so that they can help shape the next action plan.

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-36632

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21266 by Jenni Minto on 22 September 2023, how many undergraduate students in the fifth year of the Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS5) programme have been trained in Campbeltown in each year since 2022-23, and how many of those trainees (a) remained in Campbeltown, (b) relocated elsewhere in NHS Highland and (c) relocated elsewhere outside of NHS Highland, since 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-36726

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Investigation into the care and treatment of Mr TU, published in March 2023, what the findings were of any assessment it has carried out on the impact of a lack of continuity in senior medical staffing on patient care.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any specific assessment in regards to the impact of a lack of continuity in senior medical staffing on patient care. However, we regularly engage with Boards at official level to ensure they are providing a safe, high-quality service to patients.

In addition, we are progressing the actions within the Mental health and wellbeing: workforce action plan 2023-2025 which seeks to address key workforce challenges. This includes the Mental Health Nursing Review and Psychiatry Recruitment and Retention Working Group, which are due to report shortly. This work has been informed by views from each profession and people with lived and living experience.

Question reference: S6W-36991

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly spent £2.67 million on office buildings, in light of reports that occupancy rates in some have been as low as 20%.

Question reference: S6W-36992

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current level of office occupancy across its estate represents value for money.

The Scottish Government core estate is under review to allow us to plan for affordable, inclusive, accessible, modern, secure, energy efficient buildings of the right size to meet our changing needs and net zero ambitions, as well as to ensure best value for taxpayers’ money.

Since the beginning of 2023, 11 SG core buildings have been closed, resulting in a reduction of approximately £2.4m in annual running costs and a 10% reduction in our building footprint.

This direction of travel continues as we work to reduce estate footprint and running costs, increasing efficiency across the SG estate.

Under the Single Scottish Estate Programme, all leases that are in the name of Scottish Ministers are reviewed as they approach a break clause or lease end to ascertain whether renewal is necessary.

All opportunities for sharing with other public bodies are considered in line with the Single Scottish Estate programme. A number of Location Based Reviews have been progressed in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Inverness, Perth, and Ayr, together with a review of interim strategy for Glasgow in preparation for the Glasgow Office Project. The Location Based Reviews will identify opportunities for sharing across the Public Sector Estate.

Question reference: S6W-36923

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the structure of the Scottish National Investment Bank, in which it is wholly owned by ministers but operating independently, to be optimal for transparency and accountability.

The Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020 and the Shareholder Relationship Framework Document outline the relationship between the Bank and Scottish Ministers as the Shareholder, including measures to ensure appropriate controls and accountability, and to ensure the administrative and operational independence of the Bank.

These are available online:

Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020

73888039.7