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: S7O-00113

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Due to be taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what advice and support it provides to rural communities on wildfire prevention ahead of the heightened risk of such fires during the summer months.

Question reference: S7W-00874

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Highland regarding the delayed opening of the Invergordon GP walk-in clinic, and what action is being taken to ensure that the service becomes operational as soon as possible.

My officials are in regular contact with NHS Highland regarding the opening of the Invergordon GP walk-in clinic. NHS Highland is responsible for the operational management of the pilot however the Scottish Government is providing support where required. I appreciate the hard work of the health boards to get these services up and running and my thanks go to our hard-working NHS staff for delivering these.

Question reference: S7W-00876

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement that a GP walk-in clinic would open in Invergordon in May 2026, for what reason the original opening date was missed, and when it first became aware that it would not be met.

Question reference: S7W-00875

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement that a GP walk-in clinic would open in Invergordon in May 2026, what the revised opening date for the clinic is.

Question reference: S7W-00147

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 3 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the current planning system on rural areas, and what discussions it has had with local authorities and rural stakeholders regarding proposed rural planning reforms.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), adopted by the Scottish Ministers in February 2023, sets out national planning policy and a long term spatial strategy for Scotland. It was subject to extensive consultation, including with rural stakeholders, and impact assessment and Parliamentary scrutiny.

The last Scottish Parliament’s Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee conducted annual reviews of NPF4 to assess its impact in practice.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with the National Planning Improvement Champion, monitors performance of planning policy and the planning system through close engagement with key stakeholders, including planning authority colleagues.

Question reference: S7W-00146

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 3 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what specific reforms to rural planning legislation it is considering as part of the development of the Rural Renewal Bill.

We are keen to develop potential rural planning reforms, informed over the early period of this new Parliament by stakeholder engagement and consultation. This will build on the findings of previous engagement on issues relevant to how planning policy and the planning system impact on rural areas, for example, through the development of the National Planning Framework and on permitted development rights.

Question reference: S7W-00044

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what role ministers will have in overseeing the independent review of maternity services in Caithness, and how this will be communicated to local communities.

Question reference: S7W-00045

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce will consider the impact of travel distances and weather-related disruption on patient safety and outcomes, and whether it will specially examine the sustainability of reinstating consultant-led maternity services in Caithness.

The Scottish Government has a clear focus on ensuring women have access to safe, person-centred and high quality maternity care, and I look forward giving a statement to Parliament in the coming weeks on how the Scottish Government will be further improving maternity services across the country.

It is already a matter of public record that the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce is reviewing the issues facing rural communities, including Caithness.

Question reference: S7W-00042

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Scottish Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, when (a) it last met, (b) it is next scheduled to meet and (c) the minutes of its most recent meeting will be published.

Question reference: S7W-00041

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 May 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 May 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42497 by Jenni Minto on 29 December 2025, what steps it has taken to ensure meaningful and consistent involvement throughout the independent review of maternity services in Caithness of (a) Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), (b) local midwives and (c) families with recent experience of maternity services in the area.

I will shortly be setting out to Parliament a statement detailing what the independent review will consider, how it will be led and how it will engage with stakeholders, including in Caithness. As has been the case under the previous Cabinet Secretary for Health and Minister for Public Health, there will continue to be close engagement with groups such as Caithness Health Action Team (CHAT), indeed Ms Minto engaged regularly with CHAT and with local stakeholders to discuss the issues women face and this Government will continue to do so.