- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure equitable access to
Xonvea for all pregnant women across Scotland, in light of it being routinely
available in parts of England, and the only medication licensed in the
UK to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy, including severe cases of
hyperemesis gravidarum, a condition that has reportedly been linked to the
tragic loss of pregnancies.
Answer
Following a full submission of doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea®), for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy (NVP), for women who do not respond to conservative management, the SMC | Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) published not recommended advice found here: doxylamine succinate and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Xonvea) in May 2019. The marketing authorisation holder did not present a sufficiently robust clinical or economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC. The SMC would welcome a resubmission at any time.
Where licensed medicines, such as Xonvea®, are not routinely available on the NHS in Scotland, doctors can use the PACS Tier Two system to request access on a case-by-case basis. The cost of the medicine is not a decision-making criterion.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding
how the Glasgow City Region Deal can support improvements to transport and
connectivity across the region.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the development of Coul Links, and in light of the reported over 700 formal objections submitted, including from conservation bodies, scientists and residents, how it is ensuring that community and expert voices are being heard as well as those of private commercial interests.
Answer
Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted. The independent reporters held hearing sessions to gather evidence from the local community and expert witnesses (including those for the applicant, NatureScot and environmental charities) on the proposal’s potential impacts on protected sites, wildlife, and plants, as well as its anticipated socio-economic effects.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is proceeding with the proposed development of Coul Links, in light of the reported assessment by NatureScot that it might cause irreversible damage to a nationally important dune ecosystem and concerns that the project could undermine its commitments to halt biodiversity loss.
Answer
The Scottish Ministers are following the statutory planning process in considering the application. Any planning application is required to be determined in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning considerations that justify a departure from the development plan. In reaching a decision, full regard will be had to all material planning considerations, including the views of consultees as well as any representations submitted.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent older people from becoming victims of phishing scams, including in relation to social security payments.
Answer
Social Security Scotland has delivered a range of communications activity warning older people about phishing scams, including fraudulent text messages that claim to be from government departments. The activity includes regular content across multiple social media platforms, the organisation’s website and coverage in newspapers to help keep people informed.
The agency’s Chief Executive David Wallace took part in an interview with the BBC interview that was broadcast across its channels, to raise awareness of these scams and make it clear that Social Security Scotland will never ask for personal or financial information by text. Social Security Scotland will continue to work closely with Police Scotland and the media to ensure public awareness remains high and that people know how to protect themselves.
Since April 2025, Consumer Scotland has taken on a strategic leadership role in scam prevention, supported by £175,000 in funding. The Scottish Government also funds Advice Direct Scotland to operate the national consumer helpline, which is available at consumeradvice.scot or by calling 0808 164 6000. Members of the public should report suspicious activity to Advice Direct Scotland or to Police Scotland by calling 101.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed draft regulations to add the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, what evaluation process will be used to assess whether embedding the characteristic of sex in hate crime law is effective in tackling gendered violence patterns, and how it will ensure that any feedback from frontline practitioners, victims and experts directly shapes any iterative updates in the future.
Answer
Implementation of Sections 14 and 15 of the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 enable ongoing evaluation of the effectiveness of the legislation by ensuring systematic data collection and public reporting. If the draft SSI is approved by Parliament when it is laid following the current consultation period, these reporting requirements will enable a deepening of the understanding of the impact of implementing the sex characteristic legislation, while also supporting meaningful engagement with communities to assess how commencement will affect them.
Further, we will continue to monitor our wider activity to tackle hate crime as set out in the terms of reference for the Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group which is chaired by the Minister for Victims and Community Safety.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its decision not to proceed with the introduction of the Misogyny Bill, and instead to consult on draft regulations to add the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021, how it will ensure that it captures the specific experiences of women and girls, particularly by engaging local survivors’ groups, women’s aid services and intersectional advocacy organisations, and what formal mechanisms will help to ensure that their input shapes any statutory guidance.
Answer
The draft Scottish Statutory Instrument which seeks to add sex as a characteristic to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 ("the 2021 Act") is subject to super affirmative process and is therefore subject to consultation. Stakeholders, including women’s aid services and intersectional advocacy organisations, were notified of the publication of the draft SSI and the launch of the consultation. They were encouraged to both actively participate in the consultation process and to disseminate the details of the draft SSI and consultation within their wider networks to broaden the scope of outreach.
We will utilise the feedback received via responses to the consultation to inform the final policy of the SSI. Similarly, if the final SSI is passed by Parliament, we will engage with all organisations with on matters relating to implementation prior to the SSI coming into effect.
There is no power contained in the 2021 Act for the Scottish Ministers to publish statutory guidance.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 September 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed draft regulations to add
the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act
2021, how it will determine its (a) budget and (b) timetable for implementing
the change at (i) Police Scotland and (ii) the Crown Office and Procurator
Fiscal Service, and in relation to (A) any system upgrades, (B) the delivery of
training and (C) the introduction of any statutory guidance.
Answer
A Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIA) will be published when the final SSI is laid in Parliament and will set out the estimated costs associated with the addition of the characteristic of sex to the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (“the 2021 Act”). This will be informed by discussions with Police Scotland, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and other justice sector bodies about the costs that may arise.
With regards to the timetable for implementation, the final SSI will include a date on which it takes effect. This commencement date will be agreed following consultation with Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal, Police Scotland, the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service and others with an interest, so as to ensure that there is sufficient time for them to carry out necessary training and changes to IT systems and guidance.
There is no power within the 2021 Act for the Scottish Ministers to publish statutory guidance on the Act.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the separate publication of audiology waiting times was discontinued in 2014, and whether it will consider reinstating this reporting to improve transparency and accountability.
Answer
From 2014 data on Audiology service waits was included as part of the 18 weeks referral to treatment waiting time data Public Health Scotland (PHS) publication. In March this year, PHS communicated that as part of their ongoing work to ensure their suite of statistical publications meets user needs, they decided to pause the 18 weeks RTT national data collection, analysis and publication. The 18th March 2025 publication was the last planned publication.
It is important to note that PHS will continue to publish comprehensive statistics on waiting times which will help demonstrate the impact of the additional funding to reduce waiting times. By pausing the 18 week RTT statistics, PHS will be able to shift resources towards developing statistics on the number of 8 key diagnostic tests carried out per quarter. This change in focus is needed for the public to understand how we are progressing with our commitment for 150,000 extra appointments, diagnostics and treatment in 2025-26.
Given the importance of audiology, as part of the Scottish Government’s implementation of the Service Renewal Framework consideration is being given as to how to strengthen visibility and accountability on audiology waiting times to ensure planning of services reflects actual need and supports equitable access. This has been prioritised as part of the first year work programme of SRF implementation.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve access to training and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities for audiology professionals across Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government has commissioned NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to undertake work which maps the skills and competencies required at each level of practice for all disciplines within the healthcare science profession, including audiology as a clinical priority area, which will better enable planning of clear education pathways for audiology, and other disciplines, and support progression of staff between levels of practice. NES are continuing to work towards completing this, with a focus on audiology, over the course of 2025.
Alongside this, a Redefining our Workforce document is under development which sets out work on redefining of the scientific workforce in Scotland (including audiologists) and will support development of educational courses in the future. This is in its final stage of publication and will be published this Autumn.
