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

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Question reference: S6F-04626

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 26 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2026

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government's launch of walk-in GP clinics will support its work to bring down waiting times and ensure everyone gets the care they need.

Question reference: S6W-43102

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 January 2026
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kate Forbes on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing the accepted recommendations of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report, which was published on 18 July 2024.

We welcomed the publication of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s Module 1 report on pre-pandemic preparedness and resilience on 18 July 2024. We published our initial response on 16 January 2025, where we set out the actions and steps we are taking to address the Inquiry’s recommendations.

Today we publish our second progress report, setting out the steps taken over the past twelve months to make effective, practical and measurable improvements in pandemic planning and preparedness.

During Autumn 2025, the Scottish Government participated in the UK-wide pandemic exercise, Exercise Pegasus, to test our national and local preparedness for future pandemics. This is the first exercise of its kind in almost a decade and the learnings identified will inform our future plans and actions.

In September 2025, the Scottish Government laid before the Scottish Parliament titled, “the Scottish Government Report on Whole System Civil Emergency Preparedness”. The is the first report in a series, which will follow every three years and on 12 January 2026, we submitted a close out report to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Chair, stipulating that we consider this recommendation closed.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring that Scotland is as resilient as possible to future risks, and we continue to taking the necessary steps to achieve this. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners and stakeholders to deliver these recommendations.

A copy of the progress report is available online at: www.gov.scot/isbn/9781806436248

Our next progress report will be provided within six months.

Question reference: S6O-05403

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding its engagement with credit unions in relation to CMutual withdrawing its Family Protection Plan.

Question reference: S6W-42534

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that all eligible recipients of the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will receive payments in 2025-26.

Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will support at least 880,000 pensioners with their heating bills this winter.

As of 14 December 2025, over 837,000 payments of our Winter Benefits have been made to help households with heating costs, including more than 568,000 Pension Age Winter Heating Payments. This payment replaces the Department for Work and Pensions’ Winter Fuel Payment in Scotland and is set at a higher rate than the equivalent support elsewhere in the UK.

Payments commenced in November, and we expect the vast majority of payments to be issued by the end of December. Work will continue throughout the rest of the winter to finalise any remaining payments.

Eligible people of State Pension age will receive a payment between £101.70 and £305.10 depending on their circumstances. Most will get their payment automatically–no application is needed.

Question reference: S6W-42502

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its findings on the Future Medical Workforce project.

I am pleased to announce that today we have published our Phase 1 report on the Future Medical Workforce Project. You can access the report here.

The report follows an extensive exploratory process to understand the challenges and opportunities for Scotland’s medical workforce over the next 15 to 20 years.

Over the past six months, we have engaged widely with the profession, we have listened to over 2,000 doctors through a national survey and 40 focus groups.

The report reflects these candid views and explores how technology, service redesign, and cultural change can help create a better future for the profession, enabling high-quality care in a rapidly changing health system. It also makes the case for meaningful change.

Phase 2 of the project will begin in January 2026 and will focus on designing solutions in partnership with the profession. This will include workstreams on training reform, workforce planning, and service redesign.

A letter will be sent to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee to provide an update on the report and to invite them, along with key stakeholders, to a cross-party discussion in the new year to review the findings and consider how best to take forward Phase 2 of the project.

Question reference: S6O-05305

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting NHS boards, in light of the increase in hospital admissions of people affected by influenza.

Question reference: S6O-05276

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6T-02772

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the warning from Scottish Care that the UK Government’s immigration proposals risk destabilising care provision in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-04468

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2025

To ask the First Minister, in light of the UK Government’s reported decision to revisit compensating Women Against State Pension Inequality, what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the potential social security implications for those affected in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-41855

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards its commitment to review the law on abortion to ensure that abortion services are a healthcare matter.

The Scottish Government committed in our Programme for Government 2023-24 to ensuring that abortion services are first and foremost a healthcare matter.

That is why in August 2024 I established an Expert Group chaired by Professor Anna Glasier, the Scottish Government’s Women’s Health Champion, to provide an independent assessment of the current law on abortion and, if appropriate, make recommendations for reform. The independent Expert Group’s report has been published today.

The Group examined the current law, and reviewed international examples, stakeholder contributions and other evidence. It sets out 36 recommendations for the Scottish Government to consider and the minutes for the Expert Group meetings, along with their terms of reference, can be found here.

The report represents the views of the independent Expert Group, and it will form only one part of the overall review.

The Scottish Government will now begin its own programme of stakeholder engagement on these recommendations with the many individuals and organisations interested in this subject. I am clear that any future consideration of legislative proposals would also be subject to a full public consultation.

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