Parliamentary questions
Brian Whittle
810 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Energy Consents Unit has contacted the Children’s Rights Unit to request a consultation or advice regarding any impacts on children.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Energy Consents Unit requests contributions from other teams within the Scottish Government as required.Teams across the Scottish Government can assess any impacts of their work on children and young people without routinely contacting the Children’…
21 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42938 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what action it will take to address its inability to obtain this information, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was publ…
Answer · Neil Gray: As indicated in the answer to S6W-42938, spend on IT is a matter for NHS Boards and is not held centrally.The member will be aware from the answer given to S6W-42937 on the 22 January 2026 that the Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report an…
21 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42938 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what its response is to concerns that the variation in both the approaches and systems in use across NHS boards to record this information might be detrimental to the effective delivery of health and social car…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is committed to maximising the use of data and technology to make services as modern, joined up and efficient as possible. This is reiterated in the Service Renewal Framework, Operational Improvement Plan, and the Population Health Fra…
21 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42980 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 January 2026, whether any training is provided to (a) benefits advisors, (b) benefits assessors and (c) any other staff at Social Security Scotland on the importance of disabled people remaining physically act…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As noted in the previous question, S6W-42980, Social Security Scotland makes it clear on their website that disabled people are encouraged to improve their wellbeing by being more physically active, in a way that suits them, without it impacting their eligibi…
21 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42932 by Neil Gray on 21 January 2026, what it expects the accelerated timeline of the national rollout of MyCare.scot to be.
Answer · Neil Gray: MyCare.scot remains on track for whole-population rollout from April 2026, with the national plan (published September 2025) setting the strategic direction. Timelines may adjust based on evidence from the initial NHS Lanarkshire launch, with further details …
20 Jan 2026 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture has had with ministerial colleagues regarding how to ensure that Scotland maximises the cultural legacy benefits of the 2026 Summer of Sport.
20 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42935 by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026, what timeline it has given to the Collaborative Response and Assurance group to consider the recommendations and report back to it.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group (CRAG), which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, to come together to consider the recommendations as a whole and to de…
20 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42936 by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026, what form this work is taking, and what the timeline is for completion.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance Group, which is co-c-haired by the Scottish Government and COSLA, to come together to consider the recommendations as a whole and to develop …
20 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42985 by Jenni Minto on 20 January 2026, what funding has been allocated in the 2026-27 draft Scottish Budget to allow a national respiratory audit to progress.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Our 2026-27 draft Scottish Budget is published and awaiting Parliamentary approval. All indicative funding commitments are subject to the outcome of any spending review by the Scottish Government and approval of the annual Budget Bills by the Scottish Parliam…
15 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recent announcement by the Minister for Public Finance of a new public portal for submitting representations to energy consents applications, what level of weight will be given to representations made by individual community members through this new portal when …
Answer · Ivan McKee: All material considerations raised in representations and submitted by members of the public are carefully considered before reaching a decision on the application.This remains the case where representations are submitted through the new portal functionality.
13 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what training has been made available to civil servants to ensure compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Civil servants in Scottish Government and its Executive Agencies have access to an online training module on the UNCRC and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024. They also have access to self-led and faci…
13 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of how it is exercising its rights and meeting its obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 with respect to decisions made through the Energy Consents Unit, and how compliance with the U…
Answer · Gillian Martin: In reaching their decision, Scottish Ministers determine applications made under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy. Potential impacts on communities are important considerations in t…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42569 by Jenni Minto on 29 December 2025, what the total number of individual respondents from Scotland was to the (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 Action on Smoking and Health Smokefree GB Youth Survey, and whether it considers the number to be sufficiently r…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The total number of Scottish participants in the ASH SmokeFree GB Youth survey was:(a) 760 (677 aged 11-17) in 2024(b) 856 (755 aged 11-17) in 2025Information on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) is not available for this sample. Data are coll…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42568 by JenniMinto on 5 January 2026, by what date the scoping exercise for a nationalrespiratory audit by Public Health Scotland will be completed.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The scoping exercise we commissioned Public Health Scotland (PHS) to carry out for a national respiratory audit was completed in March 2024 but due to fiscal challenges PHS have been unable to progress the development of a national respiratory audit.We contin…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42573 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026, what action it is taking to encourage households with a disabled parent to take part in sport or physical activity with their children.
Answer · Maree Todd: Sport and physical activity is crucial for the health and wellbeing of our communities and we want everyone to have the opportunity to be active.Our devolved disability benefits help with the additional costs of being disabled. They are non-means tested and p…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42576 by Jenni Minto on 29 December 2025, what the timescale is for the introduction of enhanced service practitioners.
Answer · Jenni Minto: As noted in response to question S6W-42576, as part of the strategic work to implement the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, the Scottish Government are considering how best to shift the balance of care by reducing referrals to hospital dental…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42575 by Maree Todd on 7 January 2026, how it is working with (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards to encourage disabled people to participate in physical activity or sport.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government remains committed to increasing opportunities for everyone to participate in sport and physical activity, no matter their background. This involves working closely with a wide range of partners across the sector, including both local a…
12 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42573 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 January 2026, whether it will provide the information that was requested and confirm what action it is taking to address reported concerns that 40% of people with disabilities are worried their benefits will be …
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government actively encourage disabled people to improve their wellbeing by being more physically active, in a way that suits them. Sport Disability Scotland has invested £750,000 to support this work.Social Security Scotland make it clear …
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (C…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and CoSLA to come together to consider these recommendations as a whole and develop a p…
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what governance arrangements are in place with the population health framework, the health and social care service renew…
Answer · Tom Arthur: We have now finalised plans for Health and Social Care Reform Portfolio and programme governance to take forward the commitments within the Operational Improvement Plan (OIP), the Population Health Framework (PHF) and the Service Renewal Framework (SRF), and …
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (C…
Answer · Tom Arthur: We agree with Audit Scotland that Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) are critical in delivering our reform ambitions as set out in the Service Renewal Framework (SRF), published in June 2025. Governance arrangement…
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the NHS budget is spent on IT, including digital (a) infrastructure and (b) innovation.
Answer · Neil Gray: It is not possible for the Scottish Government to answer this question, as the total NHS Scotland expenditure on IT infrastructure and innovation is a matter for NHS Boardsand is not held centrally. Given the variation in approaches and systems in use across …
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation in the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, that "the Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (C…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and CoSLA to come together to consider these recommendations as a whole and develop a p…
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what plans it has to carry out a workforce evaluation to understand the implications of the anticipated rise in demand for po…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes Audit Scotland’s report and has asked the Collaborative Response and Assurance group, which is co-chaired by the Scottish Government and CoSLA to come together to consider these recommendations as a whole and develop a p…
9 Jan 2026 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Delayed discharges: A symptom of the challenges facing health and social care, which was published on 8 January 2026, what action it is taking to expedite plans for, and the delivery of, the MyCare Scotland App, and associated digital inn…
Answer · Neil Gray: While 97% of discharges occur without delay, further action is needed. Local systems are working to improve patient flow, supported by over £220 million of national investment, including winter funding to increase social care capacity.The national rollo…
16 Dec 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any assessment of recent prison inspection findings on the use of restricted regimes and their impact on prisoners’ welfare and safety.
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to bringing forward a national pathway for interstitial lung disease.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government fully supports the work of the Respiratory Specialty Delivery Group, based at the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD), which is developing this pathway. While the Scottish Government is not directly involved in drafting, we understa…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the inclusion of dentistry within the MyCare.scot app roll-out.
Answer · Neil Gray: A detailed stakeholder identification and mapping exercise is currently underway as part of NHS Education Scotland’s discovery work into onboarding primary care services into MyCare.scot.As with other primary care services such as optometry and pharmacy…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the addition of preventative education on nicotine pouches as part of the Childsmile programme.
Answer · Jenni Minto: While the latest Action on Smoking and Health Smokefree GB Youth Survey shows that only a very small percentage (3%) of children in Scotland reported ever using nicotine pouches in 2024 and 2025, I am concerned about these products and their appeal to childre…
12 Dec 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the workforce required to deliver lung function testing and scanning.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s role is to set the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland. Operational matters, including staffing, are the responsibility of each NHS board and will depend on the service needs of the health board taking account of…