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-03542

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing to support (a) an ‘earn while you learn’ degree pathway for existing NHS ambulance staff to progress to become paramedics through an employer-supported training route while working and (b) a Technician-to-Paramedic pathway, involving the completion of a diploma with academic and vocational training, that enables staff to qualify as paramedics without leaving the service or their full-time role to undertake full-time study at one of the higher education institutions offering paramedic education.

In 2018, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) raised the threshold for paramedic registration to degree-level education. This change came into effect from September 2021 and now means individuals must successfully complete an approved degree programme to register as a paramedic. The two-year diploma route no longer exists.

The Scottish Government currently sets an intake target for paramedic education programmes at 335 Scottish domiciled students. A package of support for eligible students includes the annual £10,000 bursary as well as free tuition and funding for placement expenses – this includes travel and where appropriate accommodation expenses. Furthermore, uniforms, disclosure and health checks are also provided free of charge.

There is currently no Earn as You Learn route for technicians to become paramedics and therefore no dedicated funding is provided for this pathway. However, the Scottish Government provided £40,000 to the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to explore a technician-to-paramedic progression pathway. An initial business case was developed but SAS subsequently decided not to proceed at this time.

SAS continues to support ambulance technicians who wish to train as paramedics at university while remaining in employment, including through flexible working arrangements. Some universities may grant eligible technicians advanced entry to a degree course, subject to meeting specific university requirements.

Question reference: S7O-00334

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what process it followed in selecting SAMH to deliver its new network of mental health drop-in hubs, including how it took account of existing local provision, such as Hope Point at The Centre in Dundee and the original Neuk in Perth, when reaching its decision.

Question reference: S7W-02620

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported proposal by Stirling Council to outsource its primary and nursery school meals provision, and, in light of reported concerns raised about a similar proposal by Perth and Kinross Council in 2019, whether it plans to have discussions with Stirling Council regarding the potential impact such a proposal could have on food quality and local employment prior to any contract being awarded.

Question reference: S7W-01752

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture report on its June 2025 visit to Scotland, which was published on 2 July 2026, by what date it will implement the outstanding recommendations of this report in relation to children's secure accommodation, and how it will report progress.

The Scottish Government ran a public consultation on the future of secure care between January and April 2026. We expect to receive independent analysis of the consultation responses and outputs over the coming weeks. Consideration will be given over the autumn to next steps and action to be taken. Future Government action will also be informed by the findings from the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and other key information sources.

Question reference: S7W-01750

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the contrast between the three to five written complaints made annually and the safeguarding concerns identified by the Care Inspectorate and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, what specific steps it will take to improve children's confidence in the internal complaints system at St Mary's Kenmure.

There are appropriate channels where issues and complaints can be raised and addressed independently, both through St Mary's Kenmure’s internal complaints process and complaints raised directly with either a placing authority, or the Care Inspectorate.

The care manager for the child must be notified immediately when a formal complaint has been raised in any aspect of the child's care.

Independent advocacy is also provided to every child residing at St Mary's to enable them to express views, raise issues, make complaints or representations to ensure that their rights are promoted and upheld.

St Mary's, like all secure centres, is inspected at least once a year on an unannounced basis. The Care Inspectorate has a responsibility to ensure that the service is upholding, protecting and promoting the rights of children. The Care Inspectorate inspectors are responsible for working alongside the secure providers to ensure that children get the care and support they need while living in secure.

As work is undertaken to enhance secure care in Scotland, consideration of the CPT’s findings – including those on children’s confidence in internal complaints processes – alongside a range of other evidence will be taken into account.

Question reference: S7W-01457

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request NHS Education for Scotland to publish information on the number of children's and young people's nursing graduates compared with the number of available children's and young people's nursing posts, broken down by NHS board, in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S7W-01458

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that newly qualified children's and young people's nurses, as a small and specialist workforce, are offered posts commensurate with the level of public investment made in their training.

The Scottish Government values the contribution of the NHS Scotland workforce and is committed to supporting those who choose to pursue a career in nursing. We want to help more people who are trained in Scotland to work in NHS Scotland upon graduation. To do this, we have committed to an NHS Job Guarantee for all graduates for medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other NHS professions in Scotland with a guaranteed position for a minimum 3-year contract, so they can put their training into practice.

Further detail on the proposed job guarantee will be set out in further detail in due course.

Question reference: S7W-01466

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of newly qualified nurses being unable to secure a post on future nursing recruitment, in light of the rate of acceptances to undergraduate nursing courses in Scotland decreasing by 5.4% in 2025, from 3,530 to 3,340, which is the lowest level in seven years.

We want to help more people who are educated and trained in Scotland to work in NHS Scotland upon graduation. To do this, we have committed to an NHS Job Guarantee to all graduates for medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other NHS professions in Scotland with a guaranteed position for a minimum 3-year contract, to enable them to put their training into practice. The Scottish Government will set out further detail on the proposed job guarantee in due course.

Question reference: S7W-01462

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS board has paused, frozen, capped or otherwise restricted the recruitment of newly qualified nurses and, if so, (a) which NHS board, (b) for what reason and (c) following what guidance or instruction from the Scottish Government or health bodies, in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S7W-01461

Asked by: Helen McDade, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Reform UK
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 20 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the situation whereby appointable nursing graduates have been told that no posts are available, while at the same time as there were reportedly 3,227.3 whole-time-equivalent unfilled nursing and midwifery posts as at 30 June 2025, compared with 2,015.4 WTE at 31 December 2024.

Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters such as staffing and recruitment, including the recruitment of graduates, are the responsibility of the individual health and social care employers, taking into account national, regional and local priorities.

NHS Boards actively manage their turnover and vacancies throughout the year, to ensure all posts recruited meet current and future demands and will deliver the best outcomes in the most effective and efficient way. NHS Scotland is a large organisation and will always carry some vacancies. While it is hoped that all nursing graduates will secure a post in Scotland upon graduation, this is not always immediately possible, as vacancies can fluctuate significantly from year to year due to a range of factors.

We have also committed to an NHS Job Guarantee for all graduates for medicine, dentistry, nursing, and other NHS professions in Scotland with a guaranteed position for a minimum 3-year contract, so they can put their training into practice.