- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government from which line of the Scottish Budget 2025-26, as passed by the Scottish Parliament, the funds will be sourced to meet the request from Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow, reportedly of £25 million, to complete the construction of the Glen Rosa vessel, in light of comments made by the Scottish Government's Director-General Economy to the Public Audit Committee on 21 May 2025 that "there is insufficient capital allocated to Ferguson Marine to accommodate that", and, if this is the case, from which other budget line or by which means the funds would be found.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working with Ferguson Marine and CMAL to understand fully the basis of the revised delivery plan for MV Glen Rosa. All requests for an additional budget for capital projects require detailed scrutiny processes before they can be approved and decisions taken on sources of funding within the overall Scottish Budget.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many self-employed counsellors have been contracted by each local authority to work in schools in each year since 1999.
Answer
Local Authorities have the statutory responsibility for education therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Local authorities may hold this information.
As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest in access to school counselling services, since 2021 local authorities have reported on key measures of their counselling provision. A summary of these reports can be found at:
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware that Ferguson Marine reportedly undertakes sub-contract work for BAE Systems on the Type 26 frigate programme, and how this sits with its reported policy of not funding munitions.
Answer
The aerospace, defence, and shipbuilding sectors play a vital role in supporting jobs and driving economic growth across Scotland. We are committed to promoting manufacturing and innovation, and Ministers continue to engage with businesses in these sectors as part of that commitment. Ferguson Marine's (FMPG) work for BAE Systems is consistent with the Scottish Government’s policy that public money is not used to support the manufacture of munitions.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to engage in the development of amendments to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently considering its position on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill moving forward, in light of Parliament’s decision to support the general principles of the Bill. In doing so, we will be taking care to ensure that any future steps are informed, balanced and respectful of the views expressed across the Chamber and the country. As part of this, we are carefully reflecting on the conclusions of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in their Stage 1 report.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the delivery of its 2021 commitment to renew every play park in Scotland, and whether this includes a national dataset or dashboard.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer provided in S6W-38036 on 13 June 2025. The reporting information provided by Local Authorities is collated and held centrally and provided on request.
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
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people who are reporting topical steroid withdrawal.
Answer
In partnership with NHS Scotland colleagues, the Scottish Government are developing tools to support GP practices to proactively identify people on topical steroids so that their treatment can be reviewed.
We have cascaded the medicines regulatory body’s updated safety alert, new labelling information and revised patient safety leaflet to prescribers through our established clinical networks to further raise awareness.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has achieved its reported commitment to provide a counsellor for every secondary school.
Answer
The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.
We continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that all school pupils aged 10 and above and all secondary schools in Scotland have access to school counselling services.
In December 2020, all local authorities confirmed that access to counselling services were in place across Scotland.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what reporting obligations were placed on local authorities in return for play park renewal funding, and whether any of these include the submission of completion data.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer provided in S6W-38036 on 13 June 2025. 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
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on school security measures in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate, therefore, the Scottish Government does not hold this information.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that everyone diagnosed with ovarian cancer is able to access ovarian cancer surgery regardless of where they live.
Answer
NHS Boards continue to undertake improvement work to ensure that women diagnosed with ovarian cancer can access surgery. The Scottish Government continues to seek regular updates on progress and to work with them to improve overall care for patients with ovarian cancer regardless of where they live.
Further to this, Scottish Government has provided £106 million planned care funding in 2025/26 across NHS Scotland, with £14.23 million of this directed towards Cancer Waiting Times.
This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD). Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.