Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-39572

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to studies indicating that hyperbaric oxygen therapy may have positive effects for patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome and long COVID.

Question reference: S6W-39554

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) agricultural, (b) forestry and (c) fishing businesses closed down in (i) 2023-24, (ii) 2024-25 and (iii) 2025-26 to date.

Question reference: S6W-39278

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported calls from the RSPB for a moratorium on gamebird and Mallard releases in 2025 due to the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Britain being formally classed as "high".

The SG has no plans to bring forward a moratorium on gamebird and Mallard releases in 2025.

Where release of gamebirds may adversely affect the natural features of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (and so is listed as an Operation Requiring Consent), the owners or the occupiers of the site must apply for consent from NatureScot. NatureScot can then give consent with or without conditions, refuse, modify or withdraw a consent as appropriate. The prevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the local area can be a reason for consent to be withheld/withdrawn.

Due to the frequency of wild bird findings in the current outbreak season, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been in place in Scotland (and across GB) since January 2025 to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry (which includes gamebirds) and other captive birds. This introduced a legal requirement for all bird keepers, including gamekeepers, to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu and protect the environment from onward spread.

The measures also include a requirement that that birds taken from the wild for the purpose of restocking supplies of game must not be moved from the premises into which they are taken until a period of 21 days from the date of taking of the last bird has elapsed, unless the movement is direct and licensed by a veterinary inspector or by an inspector under the direction of a veterinary inspector.

It is a legal requirement for suspicion of a notifiable avian disease to be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Question reference: S6W-39262

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that Scottish SPCA guidance stating that, in the event of an animal requiring euthanasia, a vet should perform the injection rather than Scottish SPCA staff could result in increased animal suffering due to difficulties accessing a vet for the animal.

The Scottish Government is aware of the changes introduced by the Scottish SPCA in respect to how it deals with the euthanasia of wild animals. The Society has assured the Scottish Government that it is taking every step to ensure that animal welfare is not compromised by its recent decision and that its National Wildlife Rescue Centre is operating normally and continues to receive animals in need of care.

Question reference: S6W-38966

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position regarding introducing at-home human papillomavirus self-sampling as part of the NHS cervical screening programme, in light of reports that such at-home screening tests are to be offered in England.

The Scottish Government welcomes the recommendation made by the UK National Screening Committee in June 2025 that evidence supports offering HPV self-sampling to individuals who have not attended their cervical screening appointment within six months of their most recent invitation. Self-sampling has the potential to significantly enhance accessibility and increase participation in life-saving cervical screening.

The cervical screening programme in Scotland is working towards offering the first self-sampling kits by spring 2026. The initial roll out will focus on reducing inequalities through offering self-sampling to some of the most deprived areas first, as we know cervical screening uptake is lower in these areas.

Question reference: S6W-38911

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to accelerate the publication of a coherent just transition plan, which sets out when and where key interventions will be undertaken to support any workers and communities that are dependent on high-carbon industries.

We are committed to developing Just Transition Plans that provide certainty for workers and communities. To that end, we published our draft Transport Just Transition Plan in February, our Grangemouth Just Transition Plan in June, and we intend to publish the consultation on our Land Use and Agriculture plan later this summer.

The judgements and issues we are considering will be informed and influenced by recent developments in the UK Government’s energy policy and court decisions. We are taking time and care to analyse the impact of these developments on Scotland. Our just transition planning to date will also be reflected in the next Climate Change Plan, which will be published in draft form later this year.

Question reference: S6W-39085

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency regarding potentially expanding the available locations offered by the Scottish Driving Assessment Service for people who wish to commence, resume or continue driving after illness or injury, in light of the reported barriers to attendance for those in the Highlands and island areas.

The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the DVSA about the expansion of locations offered by the Scottish Driving Assessment Service.

The Scottish Driving Assessment Service is a matter for NHS Boards, and is hosted by NHS Lothian on behalf of NHS Scotland. The service is free for users and is currently funded through contributions from NHS Boards to NHS Lothian.

The NHS Directors of Planning Group has agreed to oversee a review of the Scottish Driving Assessment Service (SDAS) and present a paper to the NHS Boards Chief Executives group. A Working Group will oversee a detailed scoping exercise to understand the demand for driving assessment in Scotland, and how this is currently being met.

It is proposed that the review will conclude with an Option Appraisal, supported by NHS Ayrshire and Arran, enabling stakeholders from throughout Scotland to discuss and appraise potential future service delivery models for driving assessment in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with NHS Ayrshire and Arran, and the review is expected to conclude in late 2025.

Question reference: S6W-38791

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with stakeholders regarding a workable solution to enable patients in Scotland to take part in proton beam therapy clinical trials, and what the estimated timeline is for the conclusion of any such work.

Scottish Government Officials have held 2 stakeholder meetings including representatives from the NHS Boards to discuss access for patients in Scotland to Proton Beam Therapy clinical trials delivered at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust Proton Beam Therapy Centre in Manchester.

These meetings took place on 23 January 2025 and 23 April 2025. In addition officials have held numerous calls with individual stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-38792

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the Chief Scientist Office’s budget for excess treatment costs has been in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-39127

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any (a) disruption and (b) health implications reportedly caused by wind turbines, and what consideration it has given to changing its planning policy for wind turbines, in light of reports that subaudible, low-frequency noise emissions can have an impact on people’s health.

Guidance on the assessment of noise from onshore wind turbines across the UK is set out in the UK Government’s ETSU-R-97 guidance. The UK Government is currently consulting on an which aims to bring the guidance in line with available evidence on turbine noise emissions, developments in turbine technology, and wind turbine noise assessment methodologies. The UK Government intends to issue a formal response to the consultation in Autumn 2025, and has advised that the current guidance remains suitable for assessing wind turbine noise in the meantime.

The Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) policy 11 (energy) requires that wind energy project design and mitigation will demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including from noise, are addressed. Having an established and consistent policy framework enables confidence in the planning system and we have no current plans to amend NPF4.