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 MSPs 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: S7W-04162

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent statements from the chief executive of NHS Dumfries and Galloway that around a quarter of beds at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary were occupied by patients who were medically fit for discharge but remained in hospital awaiting support elsewhere.

Question reference: S7W-04161

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports from NHS Dumfries and Galloway that patients are (a) being cared for in corridors and that some patients are being accommodated in single rooms with other patients, (b) scheduled operations are being postponed, (c) and ambulances are experiencing delays in transferring patients to hospital due to demand on services.

Question reference: S7W-03680

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to respond to the findings in the Scottish Women's Convention's report, Women's Priorities 2026-27.

Question reference: S7W-03649

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Current Status: Holding Answer by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with local authorities regarding the introduction of byelaws for seasonal agricultural worker accommodation.

Question reference: S7W-04073

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any specific training, accreditation or assessment is required for teachers who teach pupils about artificial intelligence (AI), and, if not, what guidance is provided to schools regarding the qualifications and competencies expected of such teachers.

Question reference: S7W-04065

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is participating in the development of a corridor action plan between Scotland, Ireland and England and, if so, what commitments it has made, and what funding has been allocated or identified to support its delivery.

Question reference: S7W-04072

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether initial teacher education programmes adequately prepare newly qualified teachers to teach pupils about artificial intelligence (AI), including any opportunities, risks and ethical implications.

Question reference: S7W-04071

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what resources have been made available to support teacher training on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in schools, how many teachers have participated in any such training, and what evaluation has been undertaken of its effectiveness.

Question reference: S7W-03651

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to undertake a consultation on the proposed introduction of national housing standards for seasonal agricultural worker accommodation.

My officials completed a scoping exercise and considered evidence on: accommodation conditions and the results of engagement with farm employers, local authorities, Scotland’s Rural College, the Workers Support Centre and the National Farmers Union of Scotland.

Following this, the previous Cabinet Secretary for Housing wrote to COSLA on 13 March 2026 outlining our expectations regarding use of Section 315 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 by local authorities to make byelaws for seasonal agricultural worker accommodation, where appropriate to local circumstances.

Question reference: S7W-04023

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the prevalence of rats in residential areas across Scotland, whether it has identified any increase in rat sightings, infestations or related complaints in the last five years, and what action it is taking to support local authorities in addressing any such increase.