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-00374

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will match the UK Government's £10 million commitment for Defence Technical Excellence Colleges, to create the possibility of two such hubs in Scotland to support skills and economic development.

Question reference: S7O-00270

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how informal exclusion from education among young learners with additional support needs is being recorded and addressed, for example, those neurodivergent young people who are unable to attend school regularly or are on part-time timetables.

Question reference: S7W-01819

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce national guidance on which clinicians are entitled to use the title “consultant psychiatrist”, including in locum roles, and when any such guidance will be issued to NHS boards.

The General Medical Council (GMC), the independent UK statutory regulator for the medical profession, publishes its guidance Good Medical Practice (GMP), which sets the standards for professional practice and how doctors should work with patients.

While the title “consultant” is not a protected title under the Medical Act 1983, GMP is clear that doctors must always be honest and transparent about their experience, qualifications and current role.

Therefore, the Scottish Government has no plans at present to issue separate national guidance on the use of professional titles. NHS Boards are expected to ensure that employment and governance arrangements are consistent with relevant professional and regulatory requirements.

Question reference: S7W-01775

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 3 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the UK Foundation medical training programme, what information it has regarding whether (a) any reserve list places are being made available in Scotland to applicants and (b) the full quota of places in Scotland, including the 72 additional places previously announced, has been made available to eligible doctors.

The Scottish Government has funded 1,173 Foundation Year 1 training posts in Scotland for 2026-27, which includes the additional 72 posts announced previously. These posts have been made available through the national allocation process.

No additional places have been created in Scotland for applicants on the UK Foundation Programme reserve list. The Scottish Government has funded the number of Foundation Year 1 posts required to support medical training capacity in Scotland, while meeting the requirements of the Medical Training (Prioritisation) Act 2026.

The final number of posts for the 2026-27 training year will not be confirmed until after the August start date, as applicants continue to complete pre-employment checks and General Medical Council registration requirements.

Question reference: S7W-01820

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what, if any, plans it has to introduce a phased transition towards ensuring that all locum consultant psychiatrist posts are held by doctors on the General Medical Council Specialist Register, including support for existing locum doctors to obtain the necessary qualifications and remain within the NHS workforce.

Question reference: S7W-01818

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 17 August 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest assessment is of vacancy rates for consultant psychiatrist posts across NHS Scotland, and what impact current levels of vacancies are having on patient (a) care and (b) safety, workforce sustainability and service delivery.

Question reference: S7O-00102

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of people with learning disabilities and complex needs who remain in inappropriate hospital placements, eight years on from its report, Coming Home.

Question reference: S7O-00082

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason over a third of CAMHS referrals have reportedly not been accepted in the last 12 months.

Question reference: S7W-00800

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when unpaid carers will be able to access a right to breaks, as set out in the Care Reform (Scotland) Act 2025.

Question reference: S7W-00801

Asked by: Joe Long, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to self-referral pathways to support good mental health and wellbeing.