- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with universities and other education providers regarding the number of planning courses and places required to meet Scotland's future workforce needs.
Answer
The Scottish Government is a core partner in the Partners in Planning network, which supports planning education and skills development across Scotland. This provides a forum for engagement with planning schools, Heads of Planning Scotland, COSLA, industry and other partners on the skills and workforce challenges facing the profession.
Over the past two months, officials have met with each of Scotland’s RTPI-accredited planning schools and a college provider. A key focus of this engagement has been around raising the profile of planning to attract more people into the profession, building future workforce capacity and ensuring education and training provision meets the needs of employers. We will continue to work closely with education providers to support these objectives.
We also recently endorsed the creation of a new Graduate Apprenticeship pathway into planning at Heriot-Watt University. The new course would provide an important new route into the profession, supporting efforts to expand planning education and develop the future planning workforce in Scotland.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current and projected demand for qualified town planning professionals across Scotland, and what action it is taking to ensure that there is sufficient capacity to meet that demand.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the challenges facing the planning profession in Scotland and we have taken account of a range of research. The Royal Town Planning Institute’s State of the Profession 2025: Scotland report shows the aging demographic profile of the profession and the need to attract and develop future planners. Research undertaken by Skills Development Scotland and the National Planning Improvement Team’s annual Workforce and Capacity Report highlights that further action is needed to meet demand for planning professionals and ensure sufficient current and future capacity within the planning system.
We are taking action to ensure that planning services have the capacity, skills and expertise needed to operate efficiently and to increase confidence and certainty in the planning process. This complements other organisations’ investments in their professional planning teams.
Last year, the Scottish Government invested £850,000 to help reverse the decline in the planning profession by creating the following pathways into planning for 48 new student planners:
- 17 graduates joined our award-winning Future Planners Programme, undertaking a two-year programme of work-based learning.
- A further 30 students received support through our Planning Bursary Scheme while undertaking professionally accredited planning degrees.
- We are also developing talent within Government by supporting a member of staff to undertake a part-time, work-based planning qualification.
This year, a further £150,000 has been offered to Dundee, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt Universities, through our Planning Bursary Scheme, with the funding shared across the three universities to support access to RTPI-accredited postgraduate planning courses across the country.
The first cohort of Future Planners is expected to be qualified and career-ready by July 2027, supporting a pipeline of planners. We are currently developing options for a second iteration of our Future Planners Programme.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government how its commitments regarding apprenticeships will support the recruitment and training of the next generation of town planning professionals, and whether planning will be identified as a priority area within those commitments.
Answer
We want to see more high-quality apprenticeships to support our vital services, including planning.
We recognise the benefits of the work-based learning opportunities that apprenticeships provide, as demonstrated by the early success of our Future Planners Programme.
We recently endorsed the creation of a new Graduate Apprenticeship pathway into planning at Heriot-Watt University. The new course would provide an important new route into the profession, supporting efforts to expand planning education and develop the future planning workforce in Scotland.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has advised planning authorities to seek agreement with applicants to extend the period for determining planning applications for hyperscale data centres pending the publication of national planning and spatial guidance, and, if so, when and to which planning authorities such advice has been issued.
Answer
No such advice has been provided by the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Hannah Mary Goodlad on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what written instructions, advice or guidance it has issued to planning authorities since 16 September 2026 regarding the determination of planning applications for hyperscale data centres that were already registered and under consideration before that date, including whether planning authorities have been asked to defer, pause or otherwise delay determination of such applications pending the publication of national planning and spatial guidance.
Answer
We have not issued instructions on the timing or determination of data centre applications. Through the notification direction we issued during the summer we are closely monitoring live applications and their intended timescales. We do not anticipate any applications will be determined by planning authorities before our planning guidance on Data Centres is issued later this year.
As I said in Parliament on 16 September, we will publish planning guidance before Christmas. In the meantime, the National Planning Hub continues to work with planning authorities to share knowledge and understanding of this rapidly emerging sector.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider inviting representative members and supporters of the Better Buses for Strathclyde, Better Buses for Grampian and Better Buses for Fife campaign groups to future round tables, meetings or events at which issues relating to the Better Buses Bill will be discussed.
Answer
I will be meeting with representatives from Better Buses for Strathclyde and other stakeholders in the coming weeks to discuss their views on what proposals should be considered for the Better Buses Legislation programme. In addition, my officials will be undertaking further opportunities for engagement and discussion with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives of the Better Buses campaign groups, on the development of the proposals for the Better Buses programme.
We are at the very start of the engagement process with regards to these proposals, and I am happy to engage with all stakeholders who have an interest in this issue.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Stephen Flynn on 6 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7O-00267 by Gillian Martin on 23 September 2026, regarding the round table event on 26 August 2026 where there were opportunities for stakeholder involvement to inform the Better Buses legislation, which organisations were invited to the event, what the key outcomes were and when the minutes will be made public.
Answer
The following organisations were invited to the first of a number of events held on 26 August 2026: Association of Transport Coordinating Officers, Confederation of Passenger Transport Scotland, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Bus Users UK, Transport Focus, Community Transport Association, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, South West of Scotland Transport Partnership, North-East of Scotland Transport Partnership, Stagecoach South Scotland, McGills, Lothian Buses, First Bus, Citylink and West Coast Motors.
The discussion enabled some stakeholders to provide views on our initial proposals and identify options to be explored further as the programme develops. A note of the meeting will be published in due course.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 5 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of Christina's Card, which aims to support women's health by encouraging breast awareness, providing information on menopause and promoting participation in screening programmes, whether it will consider using the card, or similar public awareness materials, to provide information on the symptoms of ovarian cancer and other gynaecological cancers, and to use this as an opportunity to make clear that cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancer.
Answer
Christina’s Card will direct people to a website landing page where women will find a range of information about women’s health topics. This will provide a valuable opportunity to highlight that cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancers, as well as information on other gynaecological cancers.
In the interim, information available on NHS Inform and our Get Checked Early website explicitly advises that cervical screening does not detect ovarian cancer. The cervical screening information leaflets issued to women alongside their screening invitation are currently under review. It is intended that these materials will be updated to clearly state that cervical screening cannot detect other gynaecological cancers, including ovarian, womb, vulval and vaginal cancers.
In addition, work is ongoing to reinforce this message through a range of public communications to ensure women have a clear understanding of the purpose and limitations of cervical screening.
Separately, our ‘Be the Early Bird’ marketing campaign aims to reduce fear of cancer and empower those with possible symptoms to act early. The 2025-26 evaluation found that 71% of campaign recognisers reported taking action as a result of the campaign, while 61% of the target audience said they would be very likely to contact their GP practice if they experienced suspected cancer symptoms.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that fire and rehire practices are consistent with Fair Work Principles.
Answer
The Scottish Government is clear in its opposition to the inappropriate use of ‘fire and rehire’. Our longstanding position is that such a practice does not align with the principles and expected practice of Fair Work.
It is our belief that a progressive approach to industrial relations and an effective voice for workers is at the heart of a fairer, more successful society.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2026
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 29 October 2026
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates ministers have visited HMP Barlinnie during (a) 2025 and (b) 2026, and which of these visits involved meetings with (i) trade unions, (ii) prison officers and/or staff, (iii) prisoners and (iv) prisoners' families.
Answer
Answer expected on 29 October 2026
