Parliamentary questions
Liz Smith
954 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Jan 2026 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to improve transparency and accountability within NHS boards.
20 Jan 2026 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to young athletes who will be representing Scotland in sport in 2026.
13 Jan 2026 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is putting in place to encourage young people to engage in the arts.
7 Jan 2026 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter from Scotland’s elite swimming athletes sent to the First Minister on 6 November 2025.
6 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the news release of 30 December 2025 by the University of Dundee, Mobile Stroke Units could reduce emergency department transfers by 86%, whether it plans to adopt Professor Iris Grunwald’s proposal for a mobile stroke unit to ease pressure on emergency services, i…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Ambulance Service is currently reviewing the evidence around the use of Mobile Stroke Units in England and beyond. Once this review is complete, it will be shared with the Scottish Government and the National Advisory Committee for Stroke (NACS) …
15 Dec 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with Scottish Mountain Rescue teams regarding mountain safety this winter.
9 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on agriculture, what discussions therural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how toprotect rural areas against fly-tipping.
2 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its recent decision to allow a flat-rate approach to the visitor levy, what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding whether to also introduce lower non-domestic rates for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses.
11 Nov 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Scottish Fiscal Commission's recently published Scottish median incomes fact sheet.
21 Oct 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the validity of HMRC's analysis of Scottish Income Tax statistics, including the July 2025 outturn publication.
30 Sep 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it being Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week, what financial progress has been made against its 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment to double its investment in sport to £100 million by the end of the current parliamentary session.
29 Sep 2025 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on whether NHS Tayside should exempt legal claims by former patients of Professor Sam Eljamel from the three-year time-bar which is currently in place.
1 Sep 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland about motorway gantry signage.
17 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will change its guidance on school ground improvement planning, in light of the School Grounds in Scotland in 2025 research, which has reportedly identified budget reductions over the past two decades as a major barrier to the improvement of outdoor spaces in Scottish schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate and the Scottish Government engages regularly with the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Property Services networks, i…
17 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend curriculum guidelines to promote any positive effects of learning in outdoor spaces, in light of the finding in the report, Schools Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that only around one third of secondary schools regard outdoor spaces as either very useful or e…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Curriculum Improvement Cycle is currently reviewing and strengthening Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence. Guidance, professional learning and resources on a wide range of matters will be considered as part of that process.Education Scotland hosts …
17 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote any benefits of outdoor learning and access to high-quality green spaces in schools, in light of the finding in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that almost 40% of Scottish schools have fewer than five trees within their boundaries.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Education Scotland, the national education agency, promotes the benefits of outdoor learning by sharing a range of resources, guidance and case studies via their new Learning for Sustainability webpage and by facilitating peer-to-peer learning through the Lea…
17 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statistic in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that around one in three primary schools have reported issues with flooding within school grounds.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate. However, the Scottish Government are engaging with Local Government via the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Propert…
17 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide adequate outdoor space for all pupils, in light of the findings in the report, School Grounds in Scotland in 2025, that 15% of primary schools and 16% of secondary schools have lost outdoor space because of building development.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate. However, the Scottish Government are engaging with Local Authorities via the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Scottish Heads of Proper…
16 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of any plans to introduce continuous alcohol monitoring technology for offenders across Scotland.
20 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support regional NHS boards to tackle any backlogs of complaints.
2 Apr 2025 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on the public inquiry into Sam Eljamel and NHS Tayside.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government recognises that many former patients still live with the consequences of being treated by Mr Eljamel and have waited a long time for answers. As I set out in my statement in February 2024, patients will be at the heart of this inquiry.…
31 Mar 2025 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent NASUWT survey, which recorded that 49% of female teachers in Scotland had reported physical abuse or violence in the last 12 months.
25 Mar 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Protecting Vulnerable Groups scheme, including the most recent data for the number of registered persons with PVG certificates.
12 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what procedure is in place to ensure that any companies receiving Scottish Government contracts for cavity wall insulation are of the appropriate standard.
Answer · Ivan McKee: According to data obtained via the Public Contracts Scotland Contract Register, the Scottish Government currently has one active contract that includes the requirement to install cavity wall insulation. This is the Managing Agent for the Heat in Buildings Sco…
12 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what selection process it follows when issuingcontracts to companies to install cavity wall insulation.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government's procurement activities are conducted in compliance with the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 and the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Regulated procurements are transparently advertised on the Public Contracts Scot…
4 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to reduce the level of wildlife crime.
24 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comment by the Scottish Information Commissioner that Scotland’s non-departmental public bodies, also known as quangos, are costing taxpayers £6.6 billion annually.
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have stopped receiving the enhanced living award of adult disability payment in 2024-25, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many had been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to t…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As of 31 October 2024, 182,395 clients were in receipt of the enhanced daily living award of Adult Disability Payment.Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken from by Scottish Index of Multiple…
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently in receipt of the enhanced living award of adult disability payment, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many have been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As of 31 October 2024, 182,395 clients were in receipt of the enhanced daily living award of Adult Disability Payment.Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment caseload broken from by Scottish Index of Multiple…
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have stopped receiving adult disability payment in 2024-25, broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile; how many (a) are and (b) are not in employment, and how many had been in receipt of the payment for (i) one to two, (ii) more than two to thr…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland does not currently publish statistics on clients leaving the Adult Disability Payment caseload. It also does not currently publish statistics on Adult Disability Payment by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). It also does n…