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-42354

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the article in The Scotsman on 23 November 2025, which reported that a recent meeting scheduled between the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and the UK energy minister had been cancelled, whether it will publish all correspondence related to this cancelled meeting.

Question reference: S6W-42630

Asked by: Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to ensure that patients with cholangiocarcinoma can access the genomic testing needed to access Scottish Medicines Consortium approved precision therapies.

I am pleased to announce that the Scottish Government will support the initial implementation of much-needed testing for cholangiocarcinoma, with funding to be released in December and reassurance from NHS National Services Division (NSD), the national commissioner of genomic testing in NHS Scotland, that this will be available to patients across Scotland from February 2026.

This is a single test for a relatively rare form of cancer. However, I want to assure you that the Scottish Government is fully committed to improving access to the full range of genomic testing needed and to building the foundations required to allow Scotland to take full advantage of developments in genomic medicine, including data and digital infrastructure and skilled workforce requirements. This is part of our long-term approach to deliver bold and ambitious action to reform and renew our health and care systems in Scotland within a fiscal position that remains extremely challenging.

Question reference: S6W-42309

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41436 by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2025, whether it will consider introducing a relationship between the charge levied by the employer for accommodation and the accommodation offset rate when it introduces bespoke statutory accommodation standards.

Question reference: S6W-42311

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many co-ordinated support plans have been made in each local authority, in each year since their introduction.

Question reference: S6W-42306

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the development of standards for caravans and mobile accommodation for seasonal workers, and further to the answer to question S6W-41436 by Mairi McAllan on 19 November 2025, whether it will ensure that (a) there is a robust inspection regime, (b) those providing accommodation that does not meet the standards are penalised and (c) workers are not charged for or refunded any payments for substandard accommodation.

Question reference: S6W-42310

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on breakfast provision from Public Equity Funding (PEF) since the policy was established in 2017.

Specific data on breakfast provision expenditure from Pupil Equity Funding in schools is not held centrally.

Since Pupil Equity Funding’s introduction in 2017-18, over £1 billion has been allocated to Scotland’s schools, empowering headteachers to take the best approaches that suit the needs of their pupils, including using it to support breakfast clubs, to improve readiness to learn and help close the poverty-related attainment gap.

Across the country we continue to trust and empower Scotland's headteachers to use this extra funding to support their pupils - whether through extra support staff, family link workers or through breakfast provision, for example. The , published in May, highlights some of the ways Headteachers are investing Pupil Equity Funding to improve outcomes for children impacted by poverty. Within this report there are various examples of schools using PEF to support a breakfast club, such as Easter Carmuirs Primary School’s “Breakfast for All” programme, as well as Castlemilk High School’s work on studying during breakfast clubs.

We are also investing £3 million to expand and enhance breakfast club provision across Scotland through our Bright Start Breakfasts fund – which supports 20,000 children across 490 breakfast clubs to get a healthy start to their day and put more money in family’s pockets by delivering real savings.

Question reference: S6W-42294

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many households received support from the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme, broken down by local authority area, in the financial year 2024-25.

The following table gives the number of households who received support through the Warmer Homes Scotland (WHS) scheme in the financial year 2024-25, broken down by local authority area.

Local Authority Area	WHS2
Aberdeen City	193
Aberdeenshire	218
Angus	213
Argyll and Bute	166
City of Edinburgh	498
Clackmannanshire	98
Dumfries and Galloway	247
Dundee City	260
East Ayrshire	195
East Dunbartonshire	159
East Lothian	136
East Renfrewshire	114
Falkirk	172
Fife	549
Glasgow City	807
Highland	269
Inverclyde	198
Midlothian	134
Moray	121
Na h-Eileanan an Iar	38
North Ayrshire	229
North Lanarkshire	515
Orkney Islands	20
Perth and Kinross	140
Renfrewshire	303
Scottish Borders	201
Shetland Islands	59
South Ayrshire	182
South Lanarkshire	449
Stirling	82
West Dunbartonshire	93
West Lothian	276
Total	7,334

Question reference: S6W-42307

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41434 by Mairi McAllan on 18 November 2025, whether it plans to publish the final review report and options for ministers to consider for new accommodation standards for seasonal workers developed by its Housing Standards and Quality team, and, if so, by what date this will happen.

Question reference: S6W-42501

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce adult patient waiting times for access to diabetes technology.

We are committed to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes can access clinically appropriate, safe, effective and person-centred care. We know that waiting times for access to diabetes technologies, such as Closed Loop Systems (CLS), remain a challenge, and we are taking action to improve this.

Since 2016, the Scottish Government has invested over £50 million to support technology access, including:

£29.6 million between 2016-2022 for diabetes technologies
£8.8 million in 2024-25 to expand CLS access
£14.6 million in 2025-26 to onboard 2,500 additional individuals and cover recurring consumables

These measures increase capacity and reduce delays by enabling virtual onboarding and freeing up local clinic resources. In addition, the National Onboarding Team, hosted by NHS Golden Jubilee, provides virtual education and training, enabling people anywhere in Scotland to start using diabetes technologies without delay. This innovative model supported almost 1,000 people last year with a 100% satisfaction rate.

The National CLS Onboarding Programme has enabled more than 4,200 people to receive CLS since May 2024. As of September 2025, 77% of under-18s with Type 1 diabetes have access to CLS, and every child or young person should have received at least a referral. This paediatric focus helps prevent complications early and reduce future backlogs.

This builds on Scotland’s strong progress in diabetes technology adoption. According to the 2024 Diabetes Survey, insulin pump use has risen to 23.2% of all people with Type 1 diabetes, up from just 6.3% in 2013. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) adoption has increased to 85.7% in 2024, compared to 82.5% in 2023, reflecting Scotland’s commitment in digital diabetes care.

We will continue to work with boards to reduce variation and waiting times through targeted funding and performance-based delivery models that prioritise equitable access for all.

Question reference: S6W-42500

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the information that adult patients receive regarding diabetes technology treatment options.

Responsibility for providing education and discussing treatment options lies with clinicians, who are expected to ensure that individuals receive clear, accurate information about all available diabetes technologies when considering their care. Decisions on prescribing specific devices are made by the prescribing clinician in line with clinical guidance and in discussion with the individual.

The Scottish Government supports this through a range of initiatives designed to improve access to reliable information and education. We fund digital resources such as My Diabetes My Way, Scotland’s interactive self-management platform, which provides secure access to personal health records, test results, treatment plans and NHS-accredited eLearning resources. We also invest in DigiBete, a digital tool offering age-appropriate education and practical support for people living with diabetes.

Education is central to the National Closed Loop System Onboarding Programme, hosted by NHS Golden Jubilee. This team provides virtual training and support from experienced clinicians and peer support workers, enabling people anywhere in Scotland to start using diabetes technologies without delay and with confidence.

We work closely with the third sector, including Diabetes Scotland, to promote peer support and community-based education. These partnerships help ensure that people living with diabetes have access to practical advice and lived experience alongside clinical guidance.

Finally, through the Scottish Diabetes Group and its subgroups, we continue to deliver the commitments set out in the Diabetes Improvement Plan (2021–2026). This includes work to improve knowledge and confidence in primary care teams, ensuring that clinicians across Scotland are equipped to discuss technology options effectively with their patients.