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-37657

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the care experiences of people with gynaecological cancers, in light of reported findings that they are less likely to rate their overall cancer care positively compared with the national average.

I refer the member to the question and response to S6W-37656 on 10 June 2025.

As acknowledged, individuals have an opportunity to rate their cancer experiences through the Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey (SCPES). The 2024 survey results highlight that 95% of people are positive about their overall experience.

Whilst this indicates that we are progressing towards our aim and ambition of putting people with cancer at the heart of all decisions and actions involving them, Scottish Government understands that there are still areas in which we can improve further, including for people with gynaecological cancer.

Our Framework for Effective Cancer Management has recently been refreshed to include Patient Voice and User Experience as a key element of the framework ensuring that patient feedback to improve cancer pathways is continuously reviewed.

We continue to invest in initiatives that support earlier and faster diagnosis and drive person-centred and holistic care to improve patient experience. NHS Boards are responsible for the delivery of their services, and we engage on an ongoing basis with them to identify and develop new actions or approaches that will improve the experiences of those diagnosed with cancer.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-37656

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing any gap in information provision for people with gynaecological cancers, in light of reported findings that they are less likely to receive the information required to care for themselves at home.

Scottish Government continues to work with ‘NHS inform’ to review and update their cancer information provision to best meet patient needs. Their website contains specific gynaecological cancer information, including cervical, ovarian, vaginal, vulval and womb.

Scottish Government is also committed to ensuring that people impacted by a cancer diagnosis, including those with gynaecological cancers, receive person-centred and holistic care.

We are working in partnership with Macmillan to improve the service we offer patients with cancer through the Transforming Cancer Care Programme (TCC). This joint partnership with Macmillan is worth £27 million and is the first of its kind in the UK, providing specialist key support workers who offer emotional, financial and practical support to people with cancer.

We are also supporting the roll out of the Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) model to every Health and Social Care Partnership, ensuring 100% of adults diagnosed with cancer (within agreed criteria) will be invited or referred to an ICJ service to speak to a link officer who will complete a Holistic Needs Assessment and generate a care plan to meet their needs.

Question reference: S6W-37655

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting times are for treatment for gynaecological cancers and how these compare with the waiting times for treatment for other types of cancer.

Latest statistics published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) in March 2025, includes data on cervical and ovarian cancer waiting times, between 1st October and 31st December 2024.

This data shows that 96.6% of women with cervical cancer and 98.4% of women with ovarian cancer are receiving their first treatment within 31 days of a decision to treat. This compares with 94.7% for all other cancer types. This is a median wait of 14 and 13 days respectively, with 4 days being the median for all other cancer types.

51.7% of women with cervical cancer and 73.3% of women with ovarian cancer are receiving their first treatment within 62 days of an urgent referral of cancer. This compares to 73.5% for all other cancer types. This is a median wait of 62 and 50 days respectively, with 49 days being the median for all other cancer types.

Scottish Government is continuing to take action to improve waiting times, with £14.23 million of the £106 million planned care funding made available in 2025-26 across NHS Scotland, directed towards Cancer Waiting Times.

Question reference: S6W-38374

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to replace the Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994, in light of the recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, which came into force in the EU in January 2025, and, if so, within what timescale it plans to do so.

Question reference: S6W-38375

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether SEPA will begin to proactively publish overflow monitoring data from sewerage assets that are managed under Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts.

Question reference: S6W-38386

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it currently oversees the work of non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos; how they are held accountable for their decision-making, and whether it plans to review any such arrangements.

Question reference: S6W-38377

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many new event duration monitors have been fitted to sewage overflows in 2025, and how many monitors in total have been installed as a part of the Improving Urban Waters Route Map.

Question reference: S6W-38376

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Helensburgh Wastewater Treatment Works recording 1,722 spills in 2024 meets the requirement for sewage spills to only happen in exceptional circumstances, in light of the European Court of Justice and Environmental Standards Scotland reportedly emphasising this requirement.

Question reference: S6W-38389

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide financial support to families who wish to move a family member's ashes, in light of reports that this can cost between £5,000 and £10,000, or more if there is an objection to planning permission.

Question reference: S6W-38373

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish up-to-date, clear and specific guidance about the exceptional circumstances in which it is permissible for storm overflows to spill, in light of Environmental Standards Scotland reportedly stating that the current guidance limits effective implementation and application of the law.