Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-42277

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what due (a) diligence and (b) value-for-money assessments were undertaken by Scottish Enterprise prior to awarding financial support to Offshore Solutions Group, particularly in relation to the proposed Moray FLOW-Park floating offshore wind storage project.

Question reference: S6W-42549

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on hosting the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ.

Bringing the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ to Edinburgh is a tremendous opportunity for our country. We are delighted that Scotland is co-hosting the biggest free spectator event alongside our partners in England and Wales and are committed to ensuring it will demonstrate that Scotland is the perfect stage for major events. The Grand Depart will consist of the first 3 Stages of the 2027 Tour, starting in Edinburgh then visiting Wales and England.

The Scottish Government will invest up to £9.25 million, which includes a contingency provision. This funding will help Scotland realise the full potential of the social and economic benefits the Tour de France will bring to our country, as well as ensure that the event is delivered safely, securely and successfully.

Our investment sits alongside funding contributions from the UK and Welsh Governments and includes investment into a UK-wide social impact programme. We are also extending this investment into a Scotland-specific social impact programme, which will seek to improve health by increasing cycling participation, supporting the Scottish Government’s wider active travel commitments, driving community cohesion and supporting economic growth. Scottish Cycling will play a pivotal role in this programme as our national governing body for cycling and are already seeking to recruit to their team to help with delivery. We look forward to sharing more details on this programme in due course.

As a natural progression from hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, the Tour de France will be part of an incredible pipeline of major events in Scotland – sitting between the Commonwealth Games in 2026 and the UEFA European Football Championships in 2028. Hosting the Grand Départ for the 2027 Tour de France will enhance Scotland’s already stellar reputation as an international events destination, and will allow us to further showcase our country on the world stage, with the event being broadcast in 190 countries, with around 150 million viewers in Europe alone.

Through the relevant budget review processes, the Scottish Government will continue to scrutinise budget lines and engage with the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Public Administration Committee as appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-42379

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Inverclyde are currently on waiting lists to access NHS hospital dentistry services.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes statistics on the number of waits for patients on waiting lists for planned care in the Stage of Treatment (SoT) Waiting Times publication. Patients may appear more than once if they are waiting for multiple appointments or admissions, so the statistics shown do not reflect the actual number of individuals involved. Further information about SoT Waiting Times can be found on the PHS website.

Table 1 presents the number of ongoing waits at 31 October 2025. The figures reflect waits for residents within the Inverclyde council area awaiting a new outpatient appointment or an inpatient/day case admission in dentistry-related specialties at any hospital in Scotland.

More detailed information on the treatment or procedure(s) that is planned or undertaken for a patient will be held locally by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde or the health board of treatment responsible for the patient’s wait.

Table 1: Number of ongoing waits for a new outpatient appointment or inpatient or day case admission at 31 October 2025, Inverclyde council area

Patient Type	Specialty	Number of Waits
New Outpatient	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	45
	Oral Medicine	59
	Oral Surgery	149
	Orthodontics	21
	Paediatric Dentistry	19
	Restorative Dentistry	63
Inpatient/Day case	Community Dental Practice	51
	Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	12
	Oral Surgery	18
	Paediatric Dentistry	10

Source: PHS Waiting Times Datamart (11 November 2025 snapshot)

Question reference: S6W-42395

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the recent report by Glasgow University’s Adam Smith Business School on behalf of the Economic and Social Research Council, A Stakeholder Model of Public Ferry Service Provision.

We note the report and that many of themes explored align well with themes identified in the recently published Islands Connectivity Plan.

Regarding the governance recommendation Scottish Ministers have not taken any decisions at this stage on potential further reforms to the governance of Scotland’s ferry bodies. Work to consider all available options is ongoing, and no approach has been ruled out.

We recognise the importance of clear communication, particularly during times of disruption. As part of the CHFS3 grant agreement, CalMac will be preparing a Customer service and accessibility plan and a disruption management plan to consider these matters further.

We also recognise the importance of consultation highlighted in the report and agree that it is vital to hear from a wide range of voices. Ministers, Transport Scotland officials, CalMac and CMAL will continue to engage with island communities, businesses, staff, trades unions and wider stakeholders across the network on new policy, timetables and projects to fully understand the wider range of challenges and opportunities as we invest to sustain and enhance services.

Question reference: S6W-42396

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on planned reforms to the governance of ferry services provided by CalMac under the Clyde and Hebrides (Third Generation) contract, which commenced on 1 October 2025.

Regarding the governance recommendation Scottish Ministers have not taken any decisions at this stage on potential further reforms to the governance of Scotland’s ferry bodies. Work to consider all available options is ongoing, and no approach has been ruled out.

The immediate priority is the successful delivery of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS3) contract, which commenced on 1 October 2025, and the introduction of six new major vessels into service. These measures are essential to strengthening resilience and improving the reliability of services for island communities.

Question reference: S6W-42338

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the safety risks associated with patients being treated in corridors and other non-clinical areas in hospitals.

The Scottish Government expects all healthcare to be safe, effective and person-centred. On the occasions where non-standard care areas have to be used, it is the NHS Boards who are responsible for ensuring that effective and documented risk assessments, that detail the mitigating measures, are in place to support staff who are required to deliver care to patients in these areas.

The use of non-standard areas of care is scrutinised by Healthcare Improvement Scotland as part of their inspection process. HIS has encouraged NHS Boards to implement strategies to enhance patient flow and eliminate the routine use of non-standard care areas for patient care.

Question reference: S6W-42377

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average ambulance response time is in Inverclyde, and how this compares with the national average.

Question reference: S6W-42340

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that NHS boards record and publish corridor care data consistently.

Question reference: S6W-42526

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many people who were patients at Inverclyde Royal Hospital have been subject to delayed discharge despite being deemed clinically fit, in each of the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6W-42537

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 8 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) VisitScotland and (b) enterprise agencies regarding any potential impact of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates for self-catering properties on farm diversification and crofting enterprises reliant on tourism income.

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