Brian Whittle

9 Mar 2026 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any impact on the NHS arising from reports that the number of consultants working in the private healthcare system is the highest on record.

2 Mar 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s statement on 3 September 2025 regarding defence firms linked to Israel, how this policy is being delivered by (a) its relevant departments, (b) its enterprise agencies and (c) the Scottish National Investment Bank; whether the review of the policy h…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The policy was implemented on 3 September 2025 after the First Minister’s statement to Parliament. Scottish Government officials have undertaken consultation with stakeholders and full operational guidance was issued in December 2025. This operational g…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the most recent Public Health Scotland data, what assessment it has made of the likelihood of meeting the March 2026 diagnostic waiting times target for radiology.

Answer · Neil Gray: The latest statistics show that as at 31 December 2025, of those waiting for Radiology tests, 62% had been waiting six weeks or less; higher than 30 September 2025 (58%) and December 2024 (57%). The radiology list size also decreased by 18.1% compared to last…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the existing CT and MRI scanner stock across NHS boards, what conversations it has had with NHS boards and what assessment it has made of whether it is sufficient to meet present and future demand.

Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answer to S6W-43945 on 5 March 2026, National Radiology Lead from the Centre for Sustainable Delivery meets regularly with Health Boards to discuss imaging performance, staffing levels and scanner stock. NHS Boards have been asked to…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has undertaken of any impact of radiographer and clinical radiologist staffing levels on timely access to CT and MRI scans.

Answer · Neil Gray: We have increased Radiography staff from 2,248.2 WTE to 2,773.0 WTE a 23.3% increase (Dec 2015 – Dec 2025). This includes:24.1% increase in Diagnostic Radiographers (from 1,978.8 WTE as at Dec 2015 to 2,455.9 WTE as at Dec 2025).17.7% increase in Therap…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve timely access to CT and MRI scans, and how the impact of initiatives, including seven-day services and mobile scanning units, is being evaluated.

Answer · Neil Gray: In 2025-26 we allocated more than £22 million additional funding to Health Boards to help tackle the longest waits for Radiology. The latest data shows that the Radiology list size decreased by 18.1% compared to last quarter. We are determined to contin…

25 Feb 2026 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the gap between secondary school leavers from the most deprived and least deprived areas going to a positive destination widened to 4.7 percentage points, which is the largest since 2020-21. 

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Ayrshire and Arran's escalation to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework, what discussions it has had with the board regarding whether it is seeking to sell the Carrick Glen National Treatment Centre, and whether the board has formally made such …

Answer · Neil Gray: The escalation of NHS Ayrshire and Arran to level 4 of the framework has no impact on decision making around the National Treatment Centre or the Carrick Glen site.Carrick Glen Hospital has not yet been disposed of because the necessary service-planning and a…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding reports of their continuing (a) purchase and (b) regular use of fax machines; how much each board has spent on the acquisition and servicing of these devices in each of the last three years; what its position is on whether such expend…

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is a matter for individual NHS Boards.The Scottish Government is focused on driving innovation and has already taken significant steps to harness the use of digital technology in the NHS. We expect …

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding reports of their continuing (a) purchase and (b) regular use of pagers; how much each board has spent on the acquisition and servicing of these devices in each of the last three years; what its position is on whether such expenditure …

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is a matter for individual NHS Boards.The Scottish Government is focused on driving innovation and has already taken significant steps to harness the use of digital technology in the NHS. We expect …

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent tooth decay in children, and what recent discussions it has had with the British Dental Association regarding this.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government made significant improvements to children’s dental care as part of our payment reforms introduced in 2023, with NHS dentists now able to undertake a much wider range of preventive treatments for all children. Following this intervent…

25 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS Ayrshire and Arran's escalation to stage 4of the NHS Scotland Support and Intervention Framework, what discussions it hashad with the board regarding the (a) operating cost so far and (b) date of the openingof the National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service for Scotland…

Answer · Neil Gray: Ministers remain committed to ensuring that the National Secure Adolescent Inpatient Service at Foxgrove opens as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so. Scottish Government officials meet regularly with NHS Ayrshire and Arran and NHS Scotland Assure to …

18 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision in the case Raeshaw Farms Limited vs The Scottish Ministers and Energiekontor UK Ltd, whether any changes will be made to the processes followed by planning reporters.

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43837 on 2 March 2026. 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/…

18 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Opinion of the Court delivered in the case Raeshaw Farms Limited vs The Scottish Ministers and Energiekontor UK Ltd on 17 February 2026.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government notes the opinion of the Court of Session that was delivered on 17 February in the appeal by Raeshaw Farms Limited against the Scottish Ministers.It would not be appropriate to comment further, as this is a live case and could be subje…

18 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of efforts to reduce child poverty, whether it will consider widening the eligibility criteria of the Young Patients Family Fund to make it more accessible to the families who are most in need of financial support by (a) taking a "cash first" approach and (b) extending it t…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF) is designed to support the families of all babies, children and young people from birth to age 18 who require inpatient care in Scotland. The fund helps with travel, subsistence and accommodation costs to ensure families …

17 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to implement the recommendations from the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape by James Withers, particularly around engagement with business.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government remains committed to driving change through our Post-School Education and Skills Reform Programme. Recent progress includes the passing of The Tertiary Education and Training (TET) Bill on 20 January, which will simplify the system by …

16 Feb 2026 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its decision to escalate NHS Ayrshire and Arran to Stage 4 of the national improvement framework.  

16 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43538 by Gillian Martin on 12 February 2026, how many times the Energy Consents Unit has corresponded with the Children’s Rights Unit by (a) email, (b) post or (c) internal memo to request a consultation or advice regarding any impacts on chil…

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-43538 on 12 February 2026. 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…

5 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it expects the impact will be of its decision to not cover the full costs of paying the real Living Wage in commissioned public services on its commitments to deliver both Fair Work and ethical commissioning.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government heard the concerns raised by local government and social care providers regarding the funding challenges in relation to the uplift to the Real Living Wage in commissioned care services.In direct response to those concerns, the Cabinet …

5 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its decision to not fully fund the social care pay uplift from the real Living Wage 2025-26 to the real Living Wage 2026-27 in its draft Budget 2026-27, who it has asked to fund the gap in pay for wholly commissioned public services. 

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government heard the concerns raised by local government and social care providers regarding the funding challenges in relation to the uplift to the Real Living Wage in commissioned care services.In direct response to those concerns, the Cabinet …

5 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it undertook with (a) commissioned providers, (b) local government and (c) health and social care partnerships regarding proposals to change the social care commissioned services pay uplift baseline for 2026-27, in advance of the publication of the draft Budget 2026-…

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government heard the concerns raised by local government and social care providers regarding the funding challenges in relation to the uplift to the Real Living Wage in commissioned care services.In direct response to those concerns, the Cabinet …

5 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the calculations provided by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) that to uplift pay in commissioned services from the real Living Wage in 2025-26 to that for 2026-27 would cost more than has been allocated in the draft Budget and …

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government heard the concerns raised by local government and social care providers regarding the funding challenges in relation to the uplift to the Real Living Wage in commissioned care services.In direct response to those concerns, the Cabinet …

5 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what potential risks to supported people and jobs it considered before deciding to change the baseline calculation for the social care commissioned services pay uplift for 2026-27, and what mitigations it put in place to address any such risks.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government heard the concerns raised by local government and social care providers regarding the funding challenges in relation to the uplift to the Real Living Wage in commissioned care services.In direct response to those concerns, the Cabinet …

4 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is an entitlement to annual health checks for people with mental illness in Scotland, in the same way as there is (a) in England and (b) for people with learning disabilities.

Answer · Tom Arthur: In Scotland, there is no requirement for annual physical health checks for people with mental illness. However, the Scottish Government has issued National Directions requiring NHS Boards to deliver annual health checks to people aged 16+ with learning disabi…

4 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people with mental illness are provided with timely screening and treatment for preventable physical health conditions.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government and our NHS partners are committed to ensuring everyone in Scotland has equal access to the healthcare they need. This is reflected in The Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework 2025-26, which sets out our vision to improve p…

4 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address diagnostic overshadowing impacting people with mental illness.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government is fully committed to ensuring people have access to advice and support for their physical and mental health, at the point they need it. We are also committed to healthcare being delivered in an integrated, person-centred way, both to …

4 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the mortality gap between people with mental illness and the rest of the population.

Answer · Tom Arthur: A key focus of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Delivery Plan is improving the quality of life for people with mental health conditions, recognising that poorer physical health outcomes are a contributor to the mortality gap.To achieve this, we are improving a…

4 Feb 2026 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training Social Security Scotland staff receive in supporting disabled people to be physically active. 

3 Feb 2026 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-43309 by Gillian Martin on 3 February 2026, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm how many times the Energy Consents Unit has contacted the Children’s Rights Unit to request a consultation or advice regarding a…

Answer · Gillian Martin: We cannot confirm how many times the Energy Consents Unit has contacted the Children's Rights Unit, as not all exchanges in the normal course of Scottish Government business are routinely documented.

2 Feb 2026 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reported warnings that a significant proportion of the medical workforce is experiencing stress, anxiety and burnout.