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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: S6W-31008

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03876 by Kaukab Stewart on 31 October 2024, in which the minister stated that people "can either be male or female", what progress it is making with the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan, and whether it remains its position that many people identify with neither a male or a female gender.

In law, including under the Equality Act 2010, people are either male or female.

The Scottish Government recognises that many people may identify differently. Scotland’s Census 2022 showed that almost half of people who responded to the question on trans status or history identified as non-binary. We know too that depending on the circumstances, the law on gender reassignment discrimination might protect non-binary people.

The Scottish Government is committed to advancing equality for all LGBTQI+ people, and promoting, protecting and realising the rights of every LGBTQI+ person in Scotland. This includes trans people, and non-binary people who do not identify as either male or female.

The Non-Binary Equality Action Plan 2023-28, published last November, aims to improve equality and bring about real, positive and lasting change to the lives of non-binary people.

We will soon publish our first Progress Report which will provide detail on the steps which we have made so far towards achieving the actions in the Plan.

Question reference: S6W-31011

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in 2023,16% of primary school teachers nationally moved directly from their probation period to a permanent contract compared with 57% in 2017.

The Teacher Induction Scheme guarantees every eligible student a one-year probationary placement, it does not provide a guarantee of future employment with a particular local authority. Teaching posts should be advertised and filled in a fair and transparent manner.

While the recruitment and deployment of teachers is the responsibility of local authorities, the Scottish Government is doing everything it can to help maximise the number of teaching jobs available. As part of this, we are providing £145.5m to local authorities to protect teacher numbers.

While we cannot direct teachers where to work, it is important to note that teacher vacancies arise across Scotland throughout the year.

Question reference: S6W-30821

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to making the drug, ivabradine, available on the NHS as a treatment for postural tachycardia syndrome.

The regulation 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). Ivabradine is currently licensed in the UK for the symptomatic treatment of chronic stable angina pectoris, and the treatment of chronic heart failure.

The use of ivabradine for the treatment of postural tachycardia syndrome is an off-label indication (where the product licence does not cover the indication for which the medicine is being prescribed). Clinicians can prescribe medicines off-label, in line with local Health Board protocols where they consider there would be significant clinical benefit for an individual.

Decisions on whether to prescribe a medicine are based on an individual’s needs and are a matter for the clinical judgement of the prescribing clinician in consultation with the individual (and where appropriate their parent/s or guardian/s), informed by advice and guidance about the medicine.

Question reference: S6W-30844

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates that it will achieve its target of eliminating the hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health concern by the end of the 2024-25 financial year.

In 2019, Scotland committed to the ambitious goal of eliminating HCV as a public health concern five years ahead of the World Health Organization’s global target of 2030. Since then, we’ve seen considerable progress with major achievements across multiple indicators. Unfortunately the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the rate of progress, however we continue to work with NHS Boards and other services to press towards our shared goal of HCV elimination.

Public Health Scotland’s annual HCV surveillance report is scheduled for release on 3 December 2024 and we are working with PHS to assess our position against the indicators. We will provide an update on progress towards our elimination goal in due course.

Question reference: S6W-30825

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taken to improve (a) diagnosis and (b) outcomes for people with brain tumours.

Through our 10-year cancer strategy, the Scottish Government continues to have a focus on the less survivable cancers, including brain tumours, and improving their outcomes. We will assess the suitability of any new diagnostic tests specifically for brain tumours as the evidence develops.

The Scottish Government is taking various actions to help ensure the right patient is on the right pathway at the right time, and they receive an appropriate diagnosis as early as possible. These actions include:

A clinical review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer
Publication of a new Headache Referral pathway, which lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour
Publication of a Clinical Management Pathway for adult brain tumours, to ensure consistency, equity of treatment and care, and improve outcomes across Scotland.

Brain cancer is one of 11 priority testing pathways with Scottish Government funding provided to NHS National Services Division (NSD) in 2023 to commission enhanced genomic testing for patients with brain cancer in Scotland. NSD are working with the laboratory service on an implementation plan for this testing.

Question reference: S6W-30684

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the complexity of the cladding remediation process for those involved, and what steps it has taken to expedite the delivery of remediation works.

We have made significant progress in the last few months, including the passage of the Housing (Cladding Remediation) Scotland Bill and publication of the technical specification for the Single Building Assessment (SBA).

We will publish the SBA Standards this month which will set out the basis for assessment, remediation, compliance, and assurance in Scotland and commence the Act in January 2024. Combined with the technical specification this allows Developers to conduct SBAs on buildings they have responsibility for.

The Scottish Government has received the report for a Single Building Assessment (SBA) based on the specification published on 21 June 2024 for one of the pilot entries. An invitation to tender has been issued to undertake SBAs based on the specification published on 21 June 2024 for a further twelve of the pilot entries.

These numbers relate to known works on a pilot entry only, as developers or other organisations could have carried out works without informing the Scottish Government, and therefore the true numbers may be higher and could increase as further information becomes available.

We have also begun engagement with linked developers to agree the hand-over of pilot phase buildings where there is draft Single Building Assessments for them to proceed with refreshed SBA assessments which will set the standard for design and remediation.

Full remediation of a building is a complex process encompassing, assessment, design, remediation, and assurance, with physical completion of work dependent on the entirety of any remediation design and the commercial capacity to undertake such work.

We are aware that there are potentially a larger number of buildings in Scotland affected by cladding beyond those in the pilot phase.

We are continuing to take steps to improve our understanding of the number and nature of these buildings (for example, whether they fall within the scope of the Cladding Remediation Act) and will collaborate with relevant authorities in considering the action required.

For many such buildings, taking forward assessment and any remediation required will be a matter for the relevant developer or other responsible body.

We recognise the need to better understand the complexities faced by owners and residents in the cladding remediation process. Our intent is to engage directly with these groups to gain insight into the challenges they experience during the assessment and remediation process. By doing so, we aim to ensure that their lived experiences inform our approach, helping us to identify the barriers they face and work towards more effective and timely solutions. This engagement will be crucial in helping us address the full scope of issues involved and ensuring that remediation efforts are responsive to the needs of those most affected.

Question reference: S6O-03975

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest Scottish Economic Bulletin.

Question reference: S6O-03976

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent its economic development activities and infrastructure project decisions in the North East Scotland region are aligned with the regional economic strategy.

Question reference: S6O-03988

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what ongoing discussions the finance secretary is having with ministerial colleagues and officials regarding the planning of portfolio budgets in the lead up to the publication of its Budget for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6O-03978

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on work at Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow, in light of the announcement of £14 million worth of investment into the yard earlier this year.