Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-43429

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what long-term implementation plan is in place to reduce Type 1 emergency department bed occupancy to below the 85% level advised by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) and ensure that people can be seen quickly and safely admitted.

As set out within our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are committed to improving patient flow throughout the system, reducing delays for admission to and discharge from acute settings and bring down length of stay for patients. This is being done through, for example, optimising alternatives to hospital admission, ensuring discharge planning takes place from the point of admission, reducing delays to inpatient investigations and developing remote investigation services. The development and expansion of Hospital at Home and front door frailty services are playing a central role in supporting this shift in the balance of care and reduce hospital occupancy.

Question reference: S6W-43428

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to ending corridor care in NHS Scotland, and, if so, whether it will set clear milestones, timelines and accountability mechanisms to ensure that people are no longer treated in corridors and other non-clinical spaces.

The Scottish Government is clear that any care out with standard care areas should be avoided where possible and if required, all actions to mitigate the risks of this should be undertaken, and the length of time in which patients are in these areas should be as short as possible.

We accept that caring for patients in non-standard patient areas is sub-optimal and we are clear that no patient should be treated in a space not fit for clinical care.

Through our NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan we are investing £220 million to address high hospital occupancy, improve patient flow and improve the acute care experience for patients. Work has been underway over the last year to develop enhanced frailty services through the Healthcare Improvement Scotland - Frailty at the Front door standard. As a result, all NHS Health Boards have a frailty service which includes Multi-Disciplinary teams which support our front doors.

Question reference: S6W-43424

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to make paths and streets accessible to all in (a) rural and (b) urban communities.

The large majority of roads in Scotland form part of the local road network, therefore, it is primarily Local Authorities who are responsible for ensuring inclusive access to their network. However, the Scottish Government remains committed to improving accessibility to enable everyone to be able to walk, wheel and cycle. This is both through the funding we provide and a suite of guidance and best practice documentation for those delivering infrastructure.

In April 2025, the Scottish Government published ‘Guidance on Inclusive Design for Town Centres and Busy Streets’, co-produced with disabled people, and other stakeholders, which highlights best practice for co-production and working with disabled people to design inclusive spaces. Most recently, Transport Scotland has also developed Equality Impact Assessment training for Local Authorities, which has been endorsed by the Mobility and Access Committee Scotland.

For the design and construction of new projects on the trunk roads, Transport Scotland produces ‘Cycling by Design’ and the ‘Roads for All’ guidance, which requires the use of inclusive design in the construction, operation and maintenance of road infrastructure and aims to create environments which can be used by everyone regardless of age or disability. Transport Scotland has also sought to highlight best practice and provide practical advice in addition to the requirement to undertake Equality Impact Assessments.

Question reference: S6W-43437

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the five dimensions in the Fair Work Framework are applied to (a) seafarer and (b) port jobs in Scotland connected to any roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Scotland and Continental Europe in 2026-27.

A new ferry service from Scotland to Continental Europe would be a commercial operation led by a private ferry operator. As employment law is reserved, any new ferry service will be required to comply with UK employment laws, including the Seafarers’ Wages Act 2023.

Our application of Fair Work First criteria in procurement and grant offers is designed to raise employment standards in Scotland. More stringent grant conditionality was introduced from July 2023, requiring employers receiving public sector grants to pay at least the real living wage. Any company receiving Scottish Government grant support would also be required to demonstrate that all workers, including agency workers, have access to effective workers’ voice channels.

Question reference: S6W-43434

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the level of public funding required to restart a ferry service between Scotland and Continental Europe.

The Scottish Government has not made an estimate of the level of public funding required for a ferry service between Scotland and continental Europe. The costs of any such service are a commercial matter for ferry operators to consider. The Scottish Government is open to discussions with ferry operators and other stakeholders about proposals for new ferry services. However, the possibility of public support would depend on the strength of the business case, the availability of funding and compliance with subsidy control rules and other relevant regulations.

Question reference: S6W-43618

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 February 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the UK Government report, Global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security.

Question reference: S6W-43438

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when its (a) ministers and (b) officials last met representatives of (i) DFDS, (ii) Ptarmigan Shipping and (iii) the Port of Dunkirk to discuss roll-on, roll-off ferry services between Rosyth and Dunkirk.

The Scottish Government continues to support the development of our ports, and the potential for new direct freight and passenger ferry services linking Scotland to Europe.

Ministers and officials have met with the sponsors on a number of occasions regarding their proposal to introduce a new ferry route between Rosyth and Dunkirk.

I have personally engaged with interested parties, meeting DFDS and Ptarmigan Shipping in November 2025. Scottish Government and Transport Scotland officials continue to communicate regularly with the project sponsors.

Question reference: S6W-43421

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how regional transport partnerships will access the £4 million allocated in the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 to support bus franchising, as set out in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

It is right that local transport authorities explore how best to use the measures in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, as our approach is to enable them to determine what is best to improve services in their areas. I am pleased that £4 million is included in the draft Scottish Budget 2026-27 to support these authorities to build business cases for local bus improvements.

Work on the design of the fund is at an early stage, but we will develop appropriate governance arrangements and work on the detail of administering the £4 million, which will be considered with various stakeholders, including CoSLA and regional transport partnerships.

Question reference: S6W-43430

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce (a) standards and (b) regular public reporting on hospital discharges and the use of non-clinical spaces to deliver care, in light of national standards being set for emergency department waits and ambulance holdovers but no equivalent standards relating to discharges or corridor care.

a)Standards on hospital discharges and the use of non-clinical spaces

We do not collect national data on the use of non-clinical spaces. Our focus is on addressing the underlying causes of this practice, such as high hospital occupancy and poor patient flow.
We are driving improvements and working closely with local systems to ensure plans are in place to improve system flow. Through the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, we are investing £220 million to reduce waiting times, improve hospital flow, and minimise delayed discharges.

b)Regular public reporting

Regular public reporting on hospital discharges is already undertaken and published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) and can be found on their website.

Question reference: S6W-43422

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 5 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support there will be for regional transport partnerships to support the development and delivery of franchising of local bus services.

The Scottish Government has allocated £4 million funding to support Local Transport Authorities to build business cases for local bus improvement through franchising, announced as part of the draft Scottish Budget for 2026-27.

Work on the design of the fund is at an early stage, but we will develop appropriate governance arrangements and work on the detail of administering the £4 million, which will be considered with various stakeholders, including CoSLA and regional transport partnerships.

Seòmar agus comataidhean