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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

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6O-04514

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of a fisheries management plan for the future management of wild wrasse.

Question reference: S6W-35479

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what advice (a) it and/or (b) NatureScot has received regarding the enforceability of the grouse shoot licence condition pertaining to raptor crimes on land outside the area licensed for killing or taking grouse, and whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S6W-35481

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason relevant offences under the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Badgers Act 1992 and other similar legislation, are not included in the NatureScot licensing conditions relating to a whole landholding for an estate that has only licensed its grouse moor under section 16AA of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024.

Question reference: S6W-35480

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of estates applying for a section 16AA licence to shoot grouse in the 2024-25 season has registered the grouse moor only, rather than the whole landholding.

Question reference: S6O-04472

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is carrying out with local authorities regarding the wellbeing of school pupils and staff.

Question reference: S6O-04345

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its national mission for tackling child poverty.

Question reference: S6O-04272

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the public and private sector to develop carbon literacy skills.

Question reference: S6O-04175

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made to improve the learning outcomes of pupils to prepare them for careers in the technology sector.

Question reference: S6W-31750

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the uptake of GatewayC among GPs in relation to the brain tumour course, and whether it will outline the next steps for increasing awareness of its availability.

The free online Primary Care cancer education platform, Gateway C, was launched in Scotland on 30th of April 2024. Courses focus on cancer symptoms and referral, and we have seen uptake across all of Scotland's Health Boards, in wide ranging job roles in primary care.

The brain tumour course specifically aims to assist primary care staff in effectively assessing and managing patients with a potential brain tumour diagnosis. The course includes interactive video consultations based on patients with differing symptoms, alongside a range of activities to reinforce key learning points. In addition to online courses, there are podcasts and webinars that can be accessed at any time. The latest podcast recorded, 26 November 2024, discussed brain tumours and a communication has been sent out to make registrants aware of this.

In Scotland we will continue to push communications on Gateway C, to build momentum on the successful launch earlier this year.

Question reference: S6W-31749

Asked by: Elena Whitham, MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of, and recommendations in, the University of Strathclyde report, Final Report of the Evaluation of Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, whether improved guidance or protocols are being developed to clarify the roles of the GP Direct Access and Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service referrals for primary care professionals.

A clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer is currently underway to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time and are due to be published in Spring 2025.

As part of this update, a guideline will now be included for those patients presenting with symptoms that do not follow the specific tumour referral pathways. This non-specific symptom guideline is closely aligned to the referral route for those who are referred to a Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service (RCDS) or through a direct access to CT pathway.

The RCDS programme has a role to support these referrals and we are committed to achieving population based coverage by 2026, with a sixth service being established early 2025.

In addition, national guidance developed by Scottish Clinical Imaging Network provides primary care clinicians with information on when to refer for direct access to CT or an existing RCDS.