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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: S6F-04092

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 May 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-04091

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 May 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-37492

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any safety implications for (a) court staff and (b) the public arising from the reported shift from static to dynamic policing in court buildings, as piloted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Question reference: S6W-37406

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce information on the dangers of methanol poisoning to the school curriculum.

We are committed to ensuring that children and young people have the opportunity to learn about substance use and its impact on life choices and health. Curriculum for Excellence already provides the opportunity to explore the risks associated with a variety of substances including alcohol, medicines, drugs, tobacco and solvents. We recognise that education alone will not resolve the harmful abuse of substances, but it is an important strand within a broad range of measures across communities that are designed to tackle this issue.

There are no plans to introduce information on the dangers of methanol poisoning to the school curriculum. We do not take a prescriptive approach to the curriculum in Scotland and it is up to individual schools and local authorities to design approaches to help them deliver relevant and engaging learning.

Following the announcement in December 2023, Education Scotland has been leading on development and delivery of the new Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC). This represents a planned and systemic approach to strengthening the curriculum to ensure it remains forward looking, and supports more consistent teaching and learning experiences and improved attainment and achievement of our children and young people. The CIC, which covers all curricular areas including Health and Wellbeing (HWB), is considering all curricular areas and key aspects – including the subject area of HWB, where work is already underway, drawing on robust interrogation of evidence and a co-design process with practitioners and wider stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-37440

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how noise detection equipment is being deployed by Police Scotland in relation to motorbikes that break noise limits.

The Scottish Government recognises that transport noise is a concern, can be distressing, and has an impact on health and well-being. That is why we are working with our partners – including Police Scotland - to implement a range of actions to reduce noise. These are set out in Transport Scotland’s Transportation Noise Action Plan.

Direct measurement of noise levels for enforcement is a new and emerging technology. Police Scotland do not currently have this capability. However, Transport Scotland are working actively with partners to determine its effectiveness, and potential application. Otherwise, it is for Police Scotland to deploy specialist noise equipment as they see fit. While there are no measured legal limits to road noise for vehicles in use, it is illegal to modify the exhaust system to make a vehicle noisier after it has been ‘type approved’. Police Scotland can also take action if a vehicle’s silencer doesn’t work in the way it was designed or if someone is driving in a way that creates too much noise.

Question reference: S6W-37318

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-04562 by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025, whether the progress made towards meeting the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) waiting time standard would have been possible without changes in the approach to making neurodevelopmental assessments, such as NHS Tayside CAMHS no longer accepting neurodevelopmental referrals for young people without co-morbid mental health problems.

The Public Health Scotland CAMHS waiting times statistics capture children and young people who meet the CAMHS criteria. We continue to see a significant and sustained improvement in CAMHS waiting times, despite continuing high demand from children and young people who need mental health support.

The CAMHS waiting time statistics do not include children seeking a neurodevelopmental assessment unless they have a comorbid mental health condition because they do not meet the CAMHS criteria. This is stated in the publication of CAMHS statistics.

CAMHS is a specialist mental health service and is simply not the appropriate service for children and young people seeking diagnosis of a neurodevelopmental condition, unless they are seeking support for a co-existing mental health condition. For many young people, support through a neurodevelopmental pathway will be more appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-37319

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards’ child and adolescent mental health services are not accepting referrals for neurodevelopmental assessments of young people without co-morbid mental health problems.

The Scottish Government is responsible for setting the overall policy direction of mental health services, and for working with and funding NHS Health Boards and local authorities to ensure they plan and deliver appropriate local services. The design and management of these services is for local NHS Boards and local authorities to decide, and each will have their own arrangements in place.

CAMHS is a specialist mental health service and is not the correct service for children seeking a diagnosis for a neurodevelopmental condition, unless they have a co-existing mental health condition. For many young people, it is more likely that a neurodevelopmental pathway will ensure that the right help and support is provided. This approach is intended to ensure that young people who need support for their mental health from CAMHS are able to receive it in a timely manner, and also that specialist neurodevelopmental support is available whenever needed

Question reference: S6W-37481

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what further action it will take to increase access to alcohol detoxification services.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the need for improved access to detoxification services. This is an issue we are keen to see addressed through our strategy. Improving access to effective detoxification services is essential to ensure people can access help to reduce or stop drinking safely, avoiding acute withdrawal.

We are seeing more residential rehabilitation providers being able to offer in-house detox to prepare people for rehabilitation.

We are working with providers and other partners to discuss a wider set of residential harm reduction support – this includes stabilisation, crisis care, detox and long-term care for issues such as alcohol-related brain damage.

Our forthcoming National Specification for alcohol services will emphasise the requirement to provide a full range of services, including detox.

Question reference: S6W-37482

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish alcohol care teams in acute hospital settings.

The Scottish Government is constantly working to ensure that local services fully assess local needs to identify unmet need. Some hospitals run alcohol care teams already but there is a need for wider coverage .

This approach has been shown to improve outcomes for people and so we are encouraging local areas to establish teams like these wherever appropriate.

The publication of the UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment later this year will provide local areas with clear guidance to ensure appropriate pathways and treatment services are available for those who need support.

Question reference: S6W-37504

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its updated guidance on consequences in schools.