Brian Whittle

6 May 2025 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, in light of the publication of the Programme for Government, what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that prevention is more strongly integrated into the health system.

22 Apr 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of the Ayrshire Growth Deal.  

2 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects regarding the level of abandoned drug paraphernalia in the vicinity of the Thistle safer drug consumption facility.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Thistle operates like any other NHS facility, working closely with community safety partners to prevent and address antisocial behaviour, including the abandonment of drug paraphernalia. While the Scottish Government does not directly collect data on this…

2 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Thistle safer drug consumption facility plays in providing information to Police Scotland about contaminated drugs.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Thistle does not provide a drug checking service and it does not collect validated information about contaminated drugs. When concerns are raised, for example due to unexpected adverse events, these are reported to the Greater Glasgow and Clyde Drug Trend…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many postgraduate medicine training places in Scotlandare occupied by people who (a) studied as undergraduates in (i) Scotland and(ii) the rest of the UK, (b) are UK citizens and (C) have been grantedpermanent UK residency.

Answer · Neil Gray: As of 3 April 2025, the number of postgraduate medicine training places occupied by individuals who studied as undergraduates in Scotland is 4081, the number of places occupied by individuals who studied as undergraduates in the rest of the UK is 1558. NHS Ed…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with industry and business stakeholders to understand and address reported concerns regarding cross-border online alcohol sales, including how these might impact on its policy on minimum unit pricing.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government, through the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, provides the overarching legal framework within which alcohol can be sold and supplied in Scotland. The 2005 Act makes provision for the licensing of premises in Scotland where alcohol is sol…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its commitment to ensure "that by March 2026 no one is waiting longer than a year for their new outpatient appointment or inpatient/day-case procedure" includes people on waiting lists for mental health services and neurodevelopmental conditions.

Answer · Neil Gray: The additional £100 million investment contained in the Budget to reduce waiting times will create 150,000 extra appointments and procedures for elective services. This does not include mental health or neurodevelopmental services.Improving mental healt…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of (a) the level of such sales and (b) their potential impact on (i) public health and (ii) its policy on minimum unit pricing, what its position is on whether the current data collected regarding cross-border online alcohol sales is sufficient, and what consideration it has gi…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Public Health Scotland evaluation of MUP found some evidence of cross-border purchasing, but its extent was observed to be minimal. The evaluation also found online sales to be relatively minor at a population level.Public Health Scotland holds alcohol re…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by Public Health Scotland, which was published on 6 June 2023 and excluded neurodevelopmental conditions from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) waiting lists “if they do not meet the CAMHS service specification standards”, how it wi…

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34345 on 28 February 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-c…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to publish the independent analysis report of its consultation on restricting promotions of food and drink that is high in fat, salt and/or sugar, and what the next steps will be.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government will publish the independent analysis report of the consultation responses, as well as next steps for the regulation of HFSS food and drink promotions in the coming weeks.

18 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on continuing the treatment of people who move to Scotland from abroad with an existing diagnosis and treatment plan, where such treatment is approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium, as opposed to requiring their condition to be investigated and diagnosed anew …

Answer · Neil Gray: When a patient moves to Scotland from abroad with an existing diagnosis and treatment plan, and where such treatment is approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium, clinicians will make a decision whether to reassess the patient to ensure it is safe to go a…

12 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that theScottish Fire and Rescue Service is sufficiently resourced to provideappropriate planning guidance or able to respond to planning consultations whenrequired.

5 Mar 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported positive impact on educational attainment, how it ensures that the education system provides pupils with a wide range of opportunities to participate in sport.

25 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the process for approving renewable energy developments above 50MW encourages developers to carry out high-quality consultations and gives communities sufficient information and opportunity to engage meaningfully.

24 Feb 2025 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support farmers responding to threats to livestock from disease.

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities dealing with specialist planning applications, such as those involving quarrying or mining where no identifiable expertise exists within the local authority planning department.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is working with stakeholders, on a package of actions to strengthen a range of planning skills across Scotland.The Scottish Government has established the Hydrogen Planning Hub and the Housing Emergency Hub in response to concerns abou…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current capacity within local authorities to assess specialist planning applications such as minerals developments.

Answer · Ivan McKee: We are aware of concerns about the current capacity within planning authorities. The skills and capacity challenges faced by planning authorities are not unique to Scotland and are not restricted to minerals development. The Scottish Government is taking forw…

22 Jan 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to support galleries.

15 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26129 by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2024, whether it will provide an update on its work with the National Electricity System Operator to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is committed to working collaboratively with other governments where it can accelerate progress towards Scotland’s economic and net zero targets. On 20 October 2024, the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments jointly commissioned the…

15 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the date by which it plans to publish its Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan.

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32265 on 6 January 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-committe…

18 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of IBD UK’s latest report, Crohn’s and Colitis Care in Scotland: A Vision for Change, what steps it is taking to ensure that all inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) services have the resources and staffing necessary to address the psychological and nutritional needs of…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government welcomes IBD UK’s latest report, Crohn’s and Colitis Care in Scotland: A Vision for Change and is grateful for their work in this area.We are committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with inflammatory bowel …

18 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Transport regarding working collaboratively with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to address the reported backlog of people waiting to sit practical driving tests across Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Driving testing is a fully reserved matter to the UK Government but it is clear the consequences of years of delays and backlogs have been acutely experienced in Scotland. The previous UK Government undertook a consultation in early 2023 proposing changes, wh…

18 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role schools can play in ensuring that children develop life-long physical literacy skills.

12 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how and (b) where it allocates revenue from the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

Answer · Jenni Minto: My answer here is the same as that set out in S5W-23733 on 21 June 2019.The rules for how the Scottish Government is funded are set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. Changes in Scottish Government funding are determined by applying the Barnett formula t…

12 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the addendum to Evaluating the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol in Scotland on cross-border purchasing, which was published on 23 May 2023, other than self-reporting, what surveillance systems are used to monitor cross-border online alcohol sales that are …

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is aware of concerns that have been raised around online alcohol sales in Scotland. Officials are engaging with industry and business stakeholders to better understand these concerns and continue to keep the potential impact of this de…

12 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of minimum unit pricing (MUP) on the competitiveness of physical Scotland-based retailers compared with online retailers that are not captured by the MUP regulations.

Answer · Jenni Minto: All retailers selling alcohol that despatches from a location in Scotland, including those selling online, are required to hold a licence to sell alcohol and must comply with the Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) requirements as a condition of licence.The Scottish G…

4 Dec 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the access principles in November 2023 by the General Practice Access Short Life Working Group, what work it has undertaken to develop a set of standards or performance indicators to evaluate the performance of GP access models.

4 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the report, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: An analysis of updated NHS Board survey data, in November 2024, what action it is taking to address the gaps in service provision for people with ME that are…

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-31932 on 11 December 2024 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…

27 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is assessing the impact of the four new mobile endoscopy units on faster diagnosis for inflammatory bowel disease.

Answer · Neil Gray: The additional mobile endoscopy units have supported patients to be clinically prioritised for endoscopy, ensuring that a range of conditions, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease, are diagnosed and managed timeously.To provide further support for timeous dia…

27 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards exist for patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease who remain on the endoscopy waiting list past its target of six weeks, and how it has assessed the effectiveness of any such safeguards.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare…