Parliamentary questions
Jackson Carlaw
1,088 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding paragraph 8 in part 2 of The Primary Medical Services - (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004, whether it plans to strengthen the requirement to “consider” an application to one where there would be a presumption for N…
Answer · Neil Gray: Paragraph 8 in part 2 of the Primary Medical Services (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 sets out that:Health Boards must have in place a plan for the development of premises to support the provision of Primar…
25 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed The Primary Medical Services - (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004, and whether there are plans to update the existing directive.
Answer · Neil Gray: Barring a minor and temporary amendment during the pandemic, the Scottish Government has not changed the Primary Medical Services (Premises Development Grants, Improvement Grants and Premises Costs) Directions 2004 since 2004.Plans to revise the directions ar…
25 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to make capital funding available to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for the specific goal of building new GP premises in the NHS board region, including in the Eastwood constituency.
Answer · Neil Gray: The 2025-26 budget provides £139 million additional investment for health infrastructure which allows some work to resume on delivering new acute facilities, and supporting Boards’ priority maintenance.Despite this increase, following the outcome …
2 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what training or guidance is provided to head teachers on the appropriate use of national symbols, including the Union Flag, in educational settings.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39113 on 29 July 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/…
2 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to schools on how to promote national pride through the act of flag flying with symbols such as the Saltire and the Union Flag.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has no jurisdiction over the flying of flags in Scotland. It is for Local Authorities to ensure that schools meet the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 in relation to these matters.
2 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what resources are provided to schools to teach the meaning and significance of national symbols such as the Saltire and Union Flag.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39113 on 29 July 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/…
2 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Renfrewshire Council regarding a letter from the headteacher of Cross Arthurlie Primary School to families of P7 pupils, which reportedly implied that their use of the Union Flag at an event may have been perceived as offensive or sectarian.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has not taken part in any discussions with East Renfrewshire Council in relation to Cross Arthurlie Primary School and subsequent correspondence by the Head Teacher.
2 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place to ensure that schools remain politically neutral in how they present national symbols such as the Union Flag.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39113 on 29 July 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/…
16 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords in circumstances where a tenant is the liable person for council tax but they are not making payments to ensure that the bills are covered and any situation of arrears can be addressed.
Answer · Shona Robison: In Scotland, typically the responsibility for Council Tax liability falls to the occupier of the property, not the owner. The exceptions to this general position may apply in specific circumstances, such as where a property is exempt, or let as a House in Mul…
16 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what options are available to private landlords who are considering issuing a tenant with a notice to leave on the grounds of abandonment because they are no longer believed to be living at a property, but mail is occasionally collected from the building.
Answer · Paul McLennan: In Scotland, if a private residential tenant abandons a property, the landlord must follow a specific legal procedure to regain possession. They must serve a formal notice to leave, which sets out the ground for eviction (the reason why they are asking the te…
16 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average timescale is for an application that is submitted by a private landlord to evict a tenant to be heard at the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber).
Answer · Paul McLennan: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
19 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to local authorities to ensure that disabled, older and infirmed people are supported, when required, to park their vehicles in local authority car parks without incurring a penalty charge notice, and when any such guidance was last reviewed.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is the responsibility of each local authority, who operates Decriminalised Parking Enforcement to ensure their parking attendants are issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) lawfully and the level of discretion that can be applied in individual situations. I…
19 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the approach of local authorities to issuing parking fines, and what its position is on whether any local authority has introduced policies in relation to penalty charge notices specifically to make a profit and not to respond to illegal or inappropriate parking.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A public consultation was undertaken in 2021, which looked at levels of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs). Following this, on 1 April 2023, the maximum PCN amount was raised to £100. Local authorities must ensure that they issue PCNs only when it is lawful …
19 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what instructions it expects local authorities to provide to parking attendants regarding the issuing of penalty charge notices in situations where a car is not displaying a ticket but the driver states that they were collecting a prepaid voucher from a machine and that this is the only …
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is the responsibility of each local authority, who operates Decriminalised Parking Enforcement, to provide guidance to ensure their parking attendants are issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) lawfully and the level of discretion that can be applied in ind…
19 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will legislate to ensure that all local authorities observe a "10-minute parking grace period" in their car parks, similar to that implemented in England.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Local authorities in Scotland have the powers to issue Penalty Charge Notices if the vehicle has been left beyond the period of parking which has been paid for, as per the Road Traffic Act 1991. Legislation to allow an additional 10 minutes grace period has n…
10 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans to allow people who received Zostavax when they became eligible for a shingles vaccination in recent years, before it was replaced by Shingrix, to receive a further inoculation with Shingrix, in light of reports that it provides a greater level of protection a…
Answer · Jenni Minto: There are no plans to revaccinate individuals who have had a previous Zostavax vaccination. The need for booster doses following previous vaccination has not yet been determined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).A statement on the …
27 Jan 2025 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether he will join HM The King and other world leaders in commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz extermination camp and offer his reflections on the theme of this year's Holocaust Memorial Day, "For a Better Future".
13 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it made to alert people aged 50 to 64, who are not included in a defined risk group, that they would not be eligible for the 2024-25 seasonal flu immunisation programme, to enable them to take up the option of paying for a vaccine at a local pharmacy while stocks w…
Answer · Jenni Minto: Changes to the eligibility for flu vaccination were communicated via campaign materials produced by Public Health Scotland (PHS) that can be seen on NHS Inform and social media, as well as being advertised across health and community settings. The Health and …
13 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what clinical basis the decision was reached to not include people aged 50 to 64, unless they are included in a defined risk group, in the 2024-25 seasonal flu immunisation programme.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s decision-making for the flu vaccination programmes is guided by the expert clinical advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI typically advises flu vaccination for all those aged 65 years an…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify whether the payment that dental practices receive for carrying out NHS dentistry services is reduced to 20% of the relevant fee for patients who have not attended an appointment for three years or longer, and, if so, for what reason it was determined that this fun…
Answer · Jenni Minto: Capitation payments are paid monthly per patient to NHS dentists to help ensure that patients remain registered. Where a patient does not attend for examination or treatment for a period of greater than 3 years the monthly payment for that patient falls to 20…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify whether NHS dentists need to submit a claim form to Practitioner Services within three months of a patient completing treatment in order to receive payment, and, if so, for what reason such a requirement and timeframe were introduced, and whether there are any pla…
Answer · Jenni Minto: In order to ensure the efficient and timeous processing of dental payments to contractors all claims require to be submitted for payment within 3 months of the completion date of the claim.This reflects the period from the closure of the claim for the care an…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what communication strategies and campaigns it has deployed to highlight the importance of people attending dental appointments and the negative impact on NHS practices if scheduled check-ups and treatments are missed without any notification to the surgery.
Answer · Jenni Minto: To accompany the launch of changes to the dental payment system from November 2023, Scottish Government ran a marketing campaign via commercial radio, social media and surgery posters to highlight the changes to patients and direct them to NHS Inform for more…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered establishing a payments system to reimburse NHS dentists for scheduled appointments where patients do not attend, in order to safeguard the financial viability of practices.
Answer · Jenni Minto: There is already existing discretion within NHS arrangements for dentists to charge patients for late cancellations and missed appointments, in accordance with their business need.As circumstances may vary considerably between practices with respect to demogr…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to integrate the Bright Start Breakfasts initiative with breakfast clubs operated in primary schools by not-for-profit providers.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Draft Scottish Budget on 4 December 2024 announced plans to invest £3m in 2025-26 in Bright Start Breakfasts.At this stage the Budget remains subject to Parliamentary approval and therefore, more detail about Bright Start Breakfasts will be provided…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has evaluated what positive or negative impact the Bright Start Breakfasts programme may have on breakfast clubs within schools that are organised by not-for-profit providers for primary school pupils.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Draft Scottish Budget on 4 December 2024 announced plans to invest £3m in 2025-26 in Bright Start Breakfasts.At this stage the Budget remains subject to Parliamentary approval and therefore, more detail about Bright Start Breakfasts will be provided…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any of the finance that has been announced for the Bright Start Breakfasts initiative will be allocated to not-for-profit organisations that operate breakfast clubs within schools, and, if so, whether this will include organisations that are not currently in receipt of public fun…
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Draft Scottish Budget on 4 December 2024 announced plans to invest £3m in 2025-26 in Bright Start Breakfasts.At this stage the Budget remains subject to Parliamentary approval and therefore, more detail about Bright Start Breakfasts will be provided…
10 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide more information on what specific formula and criteria will be used to determine the allocation of Bright Start Breakfasts funding across Scotland to support children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: The Draft Scottish Budget on 4 December 2024 announced plans to invest £3m in 2025-26 for Bright Start Breakfasts.At this stage the Budget remains subject to Parliamentary approval and therefore, more detail about Bright Start Breakfasts will be provide…
18 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the document, Guidance on the Provision of Wheelchairs on Short-Term Loan, which was published in March 2021, to consider whether any updates may be required.
Answer · Maree Todd: In 2023, Scottish Government published revised guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations, which includes actions regarding provision for short-term wheelchair loans. Officials are currently engaging with Health and Social Care Partnerships to bet…
18 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is currently available incircumstances where NHS wheelchair and special seating provision may not beable to meet the needs of a patient.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Following an assessment by a healthcare worker, the NHS will provide the necessary equipment to support the clinical needs of a patient free of charge. This includes the provision of a wheelchair. Seating is also provided to individuals free of charge followi…
18 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work has taken place in recent years todetermine whether a formal mechanism should be put in place to allow NHS boardsto partially fund privately purchased wheelchairs through a personalised budgetor voucher scheme.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Following a clinical assessment, the NHS will always provide the necessary equipment to support the healthcare needs of a patient. This includes the provision of a wheelchair.However, should an individual choose to purchase a wheelchair which is not available…