The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S7W-04126

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to improve continuity of care for patients who are required to change psychiatrists, including when moving between NHS board areas, and to ensure that responsibility for the care of patients with complex mental health needs is clearly defined between NHS mental health services and primary care providers.

Question reference: S7W-04085

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00411 by Kirsten Oswald on 5 June 2026, which stated that it was "working at pace with Police Scotland...to effectively tackle the antisocial and criminal use of vehicles, including illegally modified e-bikes and e-scooters" and would "keep Parliament updated regarding all progress", whether it will provide an update on how it is working with Police Scotland to address the ongoing antisocial and criminal use of e-bikes and e-scooters.

Question reference: S7W-03586

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, of all the applications for a crisis grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund that were declined in the last three years, what percentage were declined on the grounds that the applicant had previously received support and was assessed as not meeting the qualifying criteria for a further award.

In 2023-24, 27.8% (27,545) of declined Crisis Grant applications were recorded as Excluded as a result of previous application history. In 2024-25, the equivalent figure was 25.0% (22,950), and in 2025-26 it was 26.7% (23,980).

The category, Excluded as a result of previous application history, covers a range of circumstances related to an applicant's previous application history and is not limited to cases where a previous award was the reason for refusal. It is also possible that applications where previous support was a relevant factor may have been recorded under another category.

Question reference: S7W-03585

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for a crisis grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund were declined in each of the last three years.

In 2023-24, 99,050 of 259,865 Crisis Grant applications decided upon were declined.

In 2024-25, 91,845 of 245,315 Crisis Grant applications decided upon were declined.

In 2025-26, 89,980 of 257,980 Crisis Grant applications decided upon were declined.

Applications received and decisions made in a year do not always align, as some applications may be decided in a different financial year from that in which they were received.

Question reference: S7F-00060

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2026

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S7W-03583

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Simita Kumar on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent phase two delivery plan it has published with COSLA, Ending Destitution Together, whether it will provide further details regarding how it plans to address food insecurity and systematic reliance on food banks among people with no recourse to public funds.

The Ending Destitution Together strategy Phase 2 delivery plan was published on 24 August 2026. It includes an objective to maximise access to financial support for people with NRPF, where possible, within devolved competencies.

This work builds on the existing project with FairWay Scotland which provided casework support to 890 people and emergency cash support to over 200 people during 2025-26. The casework element helps people to exercise their rights to public funds, including housing, while the emergency cash payments help to tackle food insecurity and enable access to culturally appropriate food. This project has demonstrated that cash payments can reduce hunger, material deprivation and destitution rates.

In 2026-27, Scottish Government has invested £560,000 in Fair Way Scotland to continue this work but also to test a new model of enhanced support that local authorities can lawfully provide to people subject to NRPF. Over the course of the delivery plan, learning from this will be shared with local authorities across Scotland. A new Short Life Working Group on financial inclusion will also consider new approaches to providing essential support.

On 29 September 2026, we published the final evaluation of our Cash-First Programme, which aimed to improve urgent access to emergency income and reduce the need for food banks. We are currently considering the findings to help inform future policy decisions.

The Scottish Government will continue to do everything we can within devolved competence to support people subject to NRPF which includes continuing to call on the UK Government to remove NRPF for the most vulnerable and ensuring that harmful UK Government policies do not force people into destitution.

Question reference: S7W-03949

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider its decision not to proceed with the proposed Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, or will commit to introduce equivalent legislation, to provide statutory protections for people with learning disabilities, autism and other forms of neurodivergence and to establish appropriate training requirements for public sector staff.

Question reference: S7W-03948

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its decision not to proceed with the proposed Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, what consideration it has given to concerns that a non-legislative approach may provide less statutory protection, legal clarity and accountability for neurodivergent people than legislation would have done.

Question reference: S7W-03582

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is still committed to ending the need for food banks, and, if so, what actions it plans to take to deliver this commitment.

The Scottish Government’s ambition is for a Scotland without the need for food banks. No one should have to compromise on food or other essentials and people should have sufficient money to access these with dignity and choice.

To support this, across this Parliament we will go further to protect and expand our cost-of-living package. Putting more money into people’s pockets – through maximising the support they are entitled to or cutting everyday costs – is one of the most direct ways we can tackle poverty, protect people from the cost crisis and ensure they have the resources they need to thrive. That aim is built on a solid foundation, with Scotland having the most generous cost-of-living package anywhere in the UK.

Specifically in 2026-27, we will allocate around £3.5 billion to policies that tackle poverty and the cost of living, including maintaining our investment in the Scottish Welfare Fund at £41 million, funding free bus travel for over 2.4 million people and helping households save an estimated £450 a year on energy bills. We are also investing more than £18 million for the provision of free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice.

Over the last 15 years, we have committed around £1.5 billion to mitigate the impacts of UK Government policy such as the bedroom tax and benefit cap, and we call on the UK Government to follow the Scottish Government’s lead to protect and enhance the social security safety.

On 29 September 2026, we published the final evaluation of our Cash-First Programme, which aimed to improve urgent access to emergency income and reduce the need for food banks. We are currently considering the findings to help inform future policy decisions.

Question reference: S7W-03587

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the historically high numbers of people presenting as homeless and being housed in temporary accommodation for extended periods of time, what action it plans to take to ensure that people experiencing homelessness can eat well and maintain good nutrition during periods spent in temporary accommodation and while longer term ambitions to reduce the numbers of people housed in temporary accommodation are realised.

The legal duty for housing and homelessness services, including responsibility for the provision and management of temporary accommodation, rests with local authorities. Under The Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Order 2014, temporary accommodation provided to households must meet specified standards, including access to adequate cooking facilities. Access to suitable cooking facilities is important in enabling households to prepare meals and make their own choices about the food they eat while living in temporary accommodation.

The Scottish Government provides funding to regional community food networks to work with local authorities and health boards to help improve access to healthier food options and improve diets, including for people living in temporary accommodation.

Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Filter your results Hide all filters

Question reference: S7W-04126

Answer

Question reference: S7W-04085

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03586

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03585

Answer

Question reference: S7F-00060

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03583

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03949

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03948

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03582

Answer

Question reference: S7W-03587

Answer