Monica Lennon

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local planning authorities regarding the proximity of high-risk retail units, such as those storing combustible vaping and smoking materials, to residential properties and major transport hubs, and whether it will review the safety of flats located directly a…

Answer · Ivan McKee: All aspects of the incident at Union Corner in Glasgow are being thoroughly investigated via a multi-agency investigation; this is currently underway and will establish the full circumstances when it is safe to do so. If there are lessons to be learnt from th…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce new fire safety standards specifically for retail premises that store high volumes of lithium-ion batteries and flammable lighters and lighter fluid, and what assessment it has made of the risk that these products can pose to historic, timber-framed buildings an…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Under existing legislation, Dutyholders (the employer, as well as any other person who may have control to any extent of any part of the premises) are already responsible for complying with the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 and the associated Fire Safety (Scotland…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support the introduction of a formal licensing scheme for vape retailers, similar to the one currently in place for alcohol, to ensure that all businesses selling these products are subject to rigorous pre-opening fire safety inspections and "fit and proper person" tests.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scotland is the only country in the UK with a Tobacco and Vapes Retail Register. All businesses, regardless of size, need to be registered to be able to sell these products in Scotland. The register exists to support the enforcement of regulation on age restr…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is regarding the proximity of high-risk retail units, such as those storing large quantities of combustible lithium-ion products, to critical national infrastructure like Glasgow Central Station, and whether it will review planning and building standards to prevent the lo…

Answer · Ivan McKee: Planning applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. Applications for planning permission for a new retail premises would be determined by the relevant planning authority in accordance with the development plan unless there are material planning cons…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish a City Centre Fire Recovery Fund, similar to the one created after the 2018 Glasgow School of Art fire, to provide immediate financial relief and business rates holidays for the small businesses that have lost their premises, stock, and livelihoods due to the Un…

Answer · Kate Forbes: On 14 March, the First Minister announced a financial package worth up to £10 million to help businesses rebuild and renew the part of Glasgow affected by the Union Corner fire. Glasgow City Council will administer the scheme based on engagement with lo…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the vape shop on Union Street, Glasgow, where the devastating fire on 8 March 2026 reportedly originated, was not registered on the Register of Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers, and what urgent steps it is taking to empower local authorit…

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scotland is the only country in the UK with a Tobacco and Vapes Retail Register. All businesses, regardless of size, need to be registered to be able to sell these products in Scotland. This includes retailers which operate from moveable premises, such as mar…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 30th anniversary of SUDEP Action, what specific steps it is taking to ensure that every person diagnosed with epilepsy is formally assessed for sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) risk using evidence-based tools, and how it is monitoring the consistency of "safet…

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-41594 on 10 November 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-committ…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many epilepsy specialist nurses are currently in post in each NHS board area; how this compares with the recommended "gold standard" ratio, and what progress it has made on the Scottish National Party (SNP) 2021 manifesto commitment to increase the number of specialist nurses to ensu…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of epilepsy specialist nurses currently in post in Scotland.We have commissioned NHS National Education Scotland to undertake a national census of clinical nurse specialists currently employed across Sc…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark Purple Day 2026 on 26 March to raise awareness of the 80,000 people in Scotland living with epilepsy, and which Scottish Government buildings and national landmarks, such as St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay, will be lit up purple as a symbol of solidari…

Answer · Jenni Minto: As in previous years, St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay will be lit purple for epilepsy awareness on 26 March 2026.

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Epilepsy Scotland’s 2026 research regarding the "mental health crisis" facing people with epilepsy, and what funding it will allocate in its Budget 2026-27 to improve access to neuro-psychology and mental health professionals that are specifically trained to…

Answer · Jenni Minto: We want people in Scotland, regardless of their background, age, or circumstances, to have access to the right help, at the right time, when they struggle with their mental or physical health. Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy published jointly with CO…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children are currently on the waiting list for a first appointment with a community paediatrician in each NHS board area; what the (a) median and (b) 90th percentile waiting time is for these appointments, and how many children in each NHS board area have been waiting for more t…

Answer · Neil Gray: Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes statistics as part of the Stage of Treatment (SoT) publication for consultant-led waits under the individual specialties of community child health and paediatrics.Data for these two specialties are grouped under the broa…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many whole time equivalence (WTE) consultant community paediatrician vacancies currently exist in each NHS board, and what assessment it has made of the impact of these vacancies on the ability of NHS boards to meet the 18-week referral-to-treatment standard for children with complex…

Answer · Neil Gray: Information on the number of community paediatrician vacancies is not held centrally.Information on the number of consultant paediatrician vacancies are available on the NHS Education for Scotland Data and reports | Turas Data Intelligence website.Health Boar…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current average time is between a referral being received by a community paediatric service and the completion of the initial triage process in each NHS board, and what steps it is taking to ensure that children are not "parked" in triage for extended periods before being formal…

Answer · Neil Gray: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. More detailed information on waiting times will be held locally by NHS boards.NHS Scotland has separate waiting lists for planned care, including one for new outpatient (NOP) appointm…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting times are for a neurodevelopmental assessment for (a) autism and (b) attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) within community paediatric services in each NHS board, and what its response is to reports that some boards have previously closed or suspended t…

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on length of waits for accessing neurodevelopmental assessments as managing waitlists is the responsibility of health boards. However, we are working closely with boards to improve the experience of childr…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific funding it will provide to South Lanarkshire Council in 2026-27 to support the Reinventing the High Street initiatives proposed by the FSB, including (a) pop-up grants and (b) temporary use licenses for vacant retail units in town centres.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Government has no plans to provide specific funding for the initiatives proposed by FSB in their 2024 report The Future of the High Street. However, we remain committed to supporting vibrant, thriving towns and town centres, and we are continuing our…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Police Scotland’s use of specialist drones to detect and track illegal e-scooter and e-bike riders, and how many vehicles have been seized in the (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Greater Glasgow division as a direct result of these interve…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Police Scotland have a Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) capability and rightly make operational decisions on how that is deployed. Police Scotland have advised this capability is within the development and evaluation phase, and future deployment will …

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of 2026 reporting by the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers suggesting that an average of 26 people per week across Great Britain are harmed in e-scooter collisions, what specific data it holds on the number of such casualties in Scotland, and what urgent steps it is taking…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Data on collisions which cause injury and take place on the road network, including adjacent pavements and cycle lanes, is collected by Police Scotland as part of the Great Britain-wide dataset known as STATS19.The following table provides the recorded number…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that accessible, community-embedded advice services are prioritised in the 2026-27 Budget; and how it is supporting local authorities to co-locate welfare rights and debt advice in settings such as schools, GP surgeries and community hubs, which are cons…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Since 2021, the Scottish Government has invested over £5.3 million into Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships (WAHPs), supporting delivery of welfare rights advice within participating GP Practices. Building on the evidence from the WAHPs, since 2023 w…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reform the Scottish Child Payment to ensure that families do not experience a so-called "cliff edge" loss of all support due to small changes in household income, and whether it will consider extending eligibility to people aged 16 to 19 who remain in full-time education.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The childhood assistance section of the Social Security (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2025 provides powers to legislate for Scottish Child Payment as a standalone benefit. Any future developments would need to take into account finance availability, cost effecti…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its most recent assessment is of the number of hospitality businesses in South Lanarkshire that will recieve support as a result of the 40% non-domestic rates relief for licensed premises introduced in its Budget 2026-27, and what steps it is taking to ensure that the £110,000…

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Budget sets out a decrease in the three non-domestic property rates for 2026-27 and offers more than £320 million of support through transitional relief schemes and retail hospitality and leisure relief over the next three years.The Scottis…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its specific timeline is for the implementation of the first steps of the minimum income guarantee (MIG) roadmap, as called for in the Trussell 2026 Scottish Parliament election manifesto, and what assessment it has made of how a MIG would reduce the 16% of Scotland's population who…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government response to the independent Expert Group’s Roadmap, published in November 2025, sets out the associated actions we are already taking to transform the lives of people across Scotland.However, the UK Government retains powers over…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the proposal to extend free bus travel to all people on universal credit to improve access to employment and essential services, and what progress has been made in reforming public debt recovery processes to ensure that debt owed to the Scottish Government …

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the National Concessionary Travel Schemes to ensure their longer- term sustainability. At present the Scottish Government has no plans to extend the concessionary travel schemes beyond the current eligibility c…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Walking and Wheeling Survey 2025, which suggested that 48% of adults over 65 would walk more if pavements were in better condition, and how it ensures that local authorities are meeting their Public Sector Equality Duty when making budget reductions t…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of walking for physical and mental wellbeing regularly reported in the Scotland Walking and Cycling Index. However, as with the response to PQ S6W-44458 on 24 March 2026 pavement maintenance is the responsibilit…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the effectiveness of the pavement parking ban in (a) South Lanarkshire and (b) Glasgow since its implementation.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 places a duty upon all local authorities to enforce the new parking prohibitions. It is for each local authority to determine how best to monitor the effectiveness of enforcement in their area. However, Transport Scotland doe…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Age Scotland’s 2025 research identifying fear of falling as a leading cause of loneliness and social isolation among older people, what guidance it provides to local authorities to ensure that pavement management systems and maintenance schedules prioritise footway rou…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises that social isolation and loneliness is a public health issue. Our social isolation and loneliness strategy, A Connected Scotland, outlines a number of actions we are taking to tackle this issue and is underpinned by a deliv…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of reported deteriorating pavement conditions on the number of unintentional trips and falls among people aged 65 and over, and what data it holds on the annual cost to each NHS board of treating injuries, such as hip fractures, specifically resu…

Answer · Shona Robison: Councils have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads and footways in their area; and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic and people using their…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many third-party liability claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes were submitted to each local authority in 2025-26; what percentage of these claims were successful, and what steps are being taken to ensure that the "negligence" threshold used by cl…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.The Scottish Government…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the test of change pilots for free school meals in secondary schools, which was launched in August 2025; how many pupils in S1 to S3 have benefitted from these pilots to date, and what its timeline is for evaluating these trials and bringing forward a…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In 2025-26. the Scottish Government allocated £3m to deliver a Test of Change for those in receipt of Scottish Child Payment in secondary 1 to 3. The Test of Change has been providing nutritious meals for up to 6100 newly eligible pupils across 60 schoo…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific metrics it is using to assess the impact of universal free school meals on closing the poverty-related attainment gap, and whether its evaluation includes data on school attendance, classroom concentration and the reduction of so-called "holiday hunger" for those families c…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The impact of deprivation on attainment is well understood and addressed through the Strategic Attainment Challenge Programme. The Scottish Government implements a range of policies, including Free School Meals, to mitigate the impact of poverty on pupils, su…

12 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will issue updated guidance to local authorities to ensure that early learning and childcare (ELC) demand is formally integrated into the school roll forecasting process for new housing developments, and what steps it is taking to ensure that developer contributions are consis…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities have the statutory responsibility to manage their school and early learning and childcare (ELC) estate. While the Determining Primary School Capacity guidance focuses on primary school capacity, authorities are expected to consider ELC requi…