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: S6O-05289

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what research or assessments it has carried out in the south west of Scotland to understand the environmental impact of recent or planned road improvement projects.

Question reference: S6O-05133

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any reductions in police officer numbers since 2020 on rural communities.

Question reference: S6O-05089

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what powers local communities will have to raise objections in relation to new energy infrastructure projects.

Question reference: S6O-04994

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement its Marine Directorate has undertaken to progress any plans to reopen a boat-based cockle fishery on the Solway Firth.

Question reference: S6W-40367

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish breast screening statistics for 2023-24, which were initially scheduled to be published in spring 2025, have been postponed until December 2025.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) that they have delayed publication of their breast screening report to December 2025. This is due to data quality concerns identified during their standard quality assurance process. PHS are in communication with their data supplier to investigate and resolve these concerns to ensure accurate data is published in the report. These identified issues have not affected the operation of the breast screening programme itself or participants’ results.

Question reference: S6W-40368

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of reviewing and implementing the recommendations of the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and by what date the board's final recommendations, including those on data improvement, will be published.

The Scottish Government has received the final report from the Breast Screening Modernisation Board, and is grateful for their work. We are working with the organisations responsible for screening to implement the recommendations from the report. Funding has been provided to Screening Oversight and Assurance Scotland to oversee and progress this work.

The final report will be published in the coming weeks. In line with the prioritisation of recommendations suggested within the report, immediate work is focused on exploring possible changes to the way in which breast screening is managed.

Question reference: S6W-40369

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve access to defibrillators nationally.

Through delivery of the we are working with our Save a Life for Scotland partners to improve access to defibrillators by ensuring that they are publicly accessible, registered and to take a data driven approach to their placement.

The Scottish Government provided the Resuscitation Research Group funding to support the development of . This is a free to use, data-driven service to help defibrillator guardians make informed decisions about where to place their devices in order to have the most impact.

Question reference: S6W-39987

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider providing match-funding for the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence.

Scottish Government is aware that research is essential if we are to continue to develop new and effective approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of brain tumours.

There are no plans for the Scottish Government to provide direct funding support to the Scottish Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence, however, Individual researchers or groups of researchers based at the Scottish Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence and who are employed by a Scottish University or NHS Board can apply for CSO research grant funding.

We look forward to working with the Centre co-leads and funders to facilitate awareness of and engagement with the NHS Research Scotland support infrastructure.

Question reference: S6W-39988

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review current referral pathways to improve early detection of brain tumours.

Question reference: S6W-39990

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the long-term support needs of brain tumour survivors and their families.

Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that anyone diagnosed with cancer has access to a range of services throughout their cancer pathway. We are aware that individuals’ support needs change and evolve during this time.

The Scottish Cancer Network (SCN) has developed National Clinical Management Pathway (CMP) for adult neuro-oncology. This sets out an optimal treatment and support pathway for adults diagnosed with a brain tumour from diagnosis to end of life care.

The CMP outlines a consensus of clinical best practice, and includes information on a range of treatment and supportive care support following a diagnosis. This, ensures that everyone diagnosed with and living with a brain tumour have access the best possible care and support.