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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: S6W-41018

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given in the preparation of the 2026-27 Budget to ensure adequate provision of care and support for individuals with severe and enduring mental illness.

Mental health is an absolute priority for this Government and ensuring provision of care and support for individuals with mental illness will be considered as part of the ongoing budget process. The Cabinet Secretary for Finance has confirmed that the Scottish Government will publish the 2026-27 Scottish Budget on Tuesday 13 January 2026. The UK Government’s decision to publish its Autumn Budget on 26 November has significantly compressed the Scottish Budget timetable.

Question reference: S6W-40962

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve public awareness of the difference between polycystic ovaries and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), in relation to PCOS being a hormonal disorder that can lead to a number of other health consequences.

NHS Inform helps women to access the information they need on a range of issues relating to their health. The Platform includes comprehensive information on polycystic ovary syndrome This includes an animation produced by the University of Edinburgh which provides an explanation of the condition in an easy to understand way including what polycystic ovaries are and their relevance in a diagnosis of PCOS.

To raise awareness of the condition and provide further information to women we worked with the Health and Social Care Alliance to deliver a series of webinars on menstrual health including a webinar on PCOS. This session explored the condition and how it is diagnosed, included information about polycystic ovaries as well as busting some common myths about the condition.

Each September we highlight the condition to the public by lighting our Scottish Government buildings to mark PCOS awareness month and utilise this opportunity to highlight the information available on NHS Inform.

Question reference: S6W-40961

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support women with polycystic ovary syndrome, as it develops the next phase of the women’s health plan.

Menstrual health, which includes polycystic ovary syndrome, was a priority in the first phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

To support women with symptomspolycystic ovary syndrome of we have;

improved access to comprehensive information on menstrual symptoms and PCOS through our Women's Health Platform on NHS Inform.
worked with the Health and Social Care Alliance deliver a series of webinars for women on menstrual health including a session on PCOS.
published a workplace policy for NHSScotland on menstrual health and menopause, which can be adapted for use in other employment sectors.
worked with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop eLearning on menstrual health, including PCOS, for those working in primary care.

Menstrual health, including PCOS, will continue to be an important area of focus in the next phase of the Women’s Health Plan.

Question reference: S6W-41019

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10103 by Maree Todd on 16 August 2022, what budget it allocated for smoking prevention and cessation services in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.

In 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25 the Scottish Government provided annual funding to Health Boards for smoking cessation and prevention services as part of a wider Outcomes Framework allocation, whereby budget was provided to Health Boards to cover a range of outcomes and individual Health Boards decide how much of this funding to allocate to each outcome.

The value of the Outcomes Framework allocation was £74.1 million (2022-23); £74.1 million (2023-24); and £72.2 million (2024-25).

Question reference: S6W-41373

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment in its recent paper, Breastfeeding and infant feeding: strategic framework 2025-2030 that "our stretch aim is to reduce drop off in breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks by 10% by 2025", what progress has been made toward achieving this, and how it plans to implement each of the six strategic goals set out in the document.

Question reference: S6W-41369

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress it has made towards (a) delivering an intervention plan to guide long-term work on household food waste reduction behaviour change and (b) implementing mandatory reporting for food waste and surplus by businesses.

Question reference: S6W-41367

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to promote reuse and recycle initiatives across the country.

Question reference: S6W-41310

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards employ maternity service staff who are trained to deal with alcohol-related issues.

Question reference: S6W-41311

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what training midwives receive to support people with alcohol addiction.

Question reference: S6W-41365

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 October 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to encourage peer support in breastfeeding.