Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37355

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its ongoing review of the guidance on mothballing.

Statutory responsibility for decisions about the learning estate, including mothballing, rest with local authorities. The Scottish Government issues guidance to support local authorities’ implementation of their statutory responsibilities.

As the First Minister stated on 24 April, we are reviewing current guidance on the mothballing of schools and nurseries to provide greater clarity on whether it is an appropriate action to take. Scottish Government officials have regular engagement with local authorities and their representative bodies on a range of issues, including mothballing, and Ministers are considering a range of local government and stakeholder views on mothballing through the review process.

We will update Parliament further on this work in due course. While the review is underway, the existing guidance on mothballing (which is included in the Statutory Guidance on the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 200) remains in place.

Question reference: S6W-37584

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to date is of time chartering the MV Alfred from Pentland Ferries for deployment on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S6W-37581

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported increase in the number of people having to access private healthcare as a result of lengthy waiting lists is consistent with its pledge of maintaining an NHS that is free at the point of need.

The Scottish Government’s policy could not be clearer, our National Health Service must be maintained on its founding principles – publicly owned, publicly operated, and free at the point of need. As we have previously said, the provision of health services must always be based on the individual needs of a patient.

The 2025-26 Budget will provide a record £21.7 billion for Health and Social Care, including almost £200 million to reduce waiting lists and improve flow through hospitals.

Question reference: S6W-37356

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the outcome of its review of the guidance on mothballing.

Statutory responsibility for decisions about the learning estate, including mothballing, rest with local authorities. The Scottish Government issues guidance to support local authorities’ implementation of their statutory responsibilities.

As the First Minister stated on 24 April, we are reviewing current guidance on the mothballing of schools and nurseries to provide greater clarity on whether it is an appropriate action to take. Scottish Government officials have regular engagement with local authorities and their representative bodies on a range of issues, including mothballing, and Ministers are considering a range of local government and stakeholder views on mothballing through the review process.

We will update Parliament further on this work in due course. While the review is underway, the existing guidance on mothballing (which is included in the Statutory Guidance on the Schools Consultation (Scotland) Act 200) remains in place.

Question reference: S6W-37064

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP on 14 April 2025, which states that a pathway for the diagnosis and management of postural tachycardia syndrome has been withdrawn pending a review, when it expects the review process to conclude.

Question reference: S6W-37582

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many timetabled services under the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract have been provided by the MV Alfred since 1 May 2023.

Question reference: S6W-37693

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have needed catheterising in each year since 1999, also broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-37666

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", which routes will be covered and what the (a) eligibility criteria, (b) application process and (c) rates of compensation payable will be.

Question reference: S6W-37671

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", whether applications will be backdated, and, if not, from what date applications will be eligible.

Question reference: S6W-37704

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31971 by Gillian Martin on 12 December 2024, and the publication of its Programme for Government 2025-26, for what reason it no longer plans to introduce new primary legislation on drinking water and wastewater in the current parliamentary session.

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