Asked by: Clark, Katy (Scottish Labour - West Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the forthcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, what progress it has made on implementing measures to improve the safety of event attendees, including in relation to first aid provision and the regulation of private first aid companies and ambulance providers.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Provision of medical first aid at a major sporting event is the event organisers’ responsibility which, in this instance, is the Glasgow 2026 Organising Company.
The Scottish Government continues to work closely with event organisers to ensure that Scottish Ambulance Service, NHS Boards and Public Health Scotland are appropriately engaged in planning groups for major sporting events.
Public sector health colleagues work meticulously with the event organisers and any procured private first aid and ambulance services to ensure adequate first aid and health care is provided to event participants, workforce and spectators, in line with guidance and requirements as set out in the Green and Purple Guides.
The Green Guide, or ‘Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds’, provides guidance on safety at sports grounds for stadium operators and event organisers. The Purple Guide is aimed at event organisers who are responsible for managing health and safety and at events in more general terms.
Asked by: Briggs, Miles (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Lothian)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what records NHS Scotland holds on the purchasing of the drug stilbestrol.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
The NHS in Scotland holds data on the prescribing of diethylstilbestrol (otherwise known as DES or stilbestrol) in both primary care and secondary care.
Data on primary care usage of medicines is published and available on the Public Health Scotland website Show all releases - Publications - Public Health Scotland. Data on secondary usage is not routinely published.
Asked by: Wells, Annie (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Glasgow)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the projection set out in the Public Health Scotland report, Future prevalence and burden of chronic liver disease, which was published on 18 March 2025, that chronic liver disease cases will increase by 54% by 2044 due to alcohol misuse, what action it plans to take to address this issue.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Scottish Government notes this report with interest and is fully aware that the risk of liver disease is increased by the impact of harmful alcohol use and obesity.
This is why we are determined to do all we can to reduce alcohol-related harm, one of the most pressing public health challenges that we face in Scotland. We take a whole population approach to tackling such harm, in line with the World Health Organisation’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.
Our Alcohol Framework 2018 contains 20 actions to tackle alcohol-related harm. One of the key actions was the implementation of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in May 2018. Since then, we have seen a reduction of 3% in total alcohol sales,with a focus on the cheap high-strength alcohol which is often drunk by people drinking at harmful levels. Recent research by Public Health Scotland has found that MUP has been found to save more than 150 lives a year and 411 fewer hospital admissions. It’s also encouraging to see that this research has highlighted that the policy is having an effect in Scotland’s most deprived areas – which experience higher death rates and levels of harms from problem alcohol.
We also want everyone in Scotland to eat well and have a healthy weight to help reduce the impact of a range of diet-related ill health conditions, including liver disease. We continue to implement the wide-ranging actions set out in our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan to address this challenge. This includes our commitment to restrict less healthy food promotions and improve the availability of healthier options when eating out, as outlined in our Out Of Home Action Plan.
Scottish Government through its national Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) has formed a Specialty Delivery Group for Liver Disease with the first meeting on 6th November 2024. Early Detection is one of the pathways being prioritised.
The Early Detection Pathway has already been passed through the first Gateway in the CfSD delivery pathway. The challenges are around how individual boards can implement this before the National Laboratory Information Management System.
There has been progress in developing the Early Detection pathways in individual health boards using the technology as currently available while others are using the Referral Advice to Primary Care with increased use of the FIB-4 and Fibroscan with advice for Lifestyle changes and repeat investigation as required.
Asked by: Lumsden, Douglas (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - North East Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Investigation into the care and treatment of Mr TU, published in March 2023, what steps it will take to ensure that mental health services consistently involve families and carers, especially in discharge planning and crisis planning processes.
Answered by Todd, Maree - Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport
NHS Boards have duties under the Carers Act to involve unpaid carers in decision making and planning the return from hospital of the person they care for (or will care for). More specifically, the Core Mental Health Quality Standards state that a person’s support network should be involved in their care if they wish. Progress on implementing the standards is measured by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
To support Boards in discharging these duties we have funded NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop three training modules for the health and social care workforce to help them identify, include and support unpaid carers including young carers. In 2025 and 2026 NES will promote and support the use of these training resources across the health and social care workforce. We are also funding NES to develop carer awareness training for staff in mental health services.
Asked by: Whittle, Brian (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - South Scotland)
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 given to the collection of more detailed data.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
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 retail sales data for both the on-trade and off-trade, which includes all electronic point of sale data for the main supermarkets and a representative sample of smaller retailers and independent stores. Detailed information on cross-border online alcohol sales is not available and such information is likely to be commercially confidential and would require businesses to supply this on a voluntary basis.
The Scottish Government has no current plans to make any changes to the collection of online alcohol sales data.
Asked by: Kerr, Stephen (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve access to early-stage funding for startups, particularly those based outside of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
Answered by Lochhead, Richard - Minister for Business
Numerous Scottish public bodies deliver support and tailored strategic investment into Scottish businesses including Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish National Investment Bank, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Business Gateway and the Scottish Government’s £42m national Techscaler programme.
The Scottish Government-backed investment funds deployed by these organisations are designed to fill gaps in the supply of capital available to businesses and at the same time crowd in private capital to create a busier ecosystem of investors active in Scotland. Underpinned by Techscaler offering online education, expert mentoring, and a network of 14 hubs across seven regions in Scotland, these funds support tech startups from creation through to scale, ensuring support is accessible and rooted in communities across the country.
Examples of this funding and support include:
Asked by: Kerr, Stephen (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported increasing number of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in domestic and industrial settings.
Answered by Brown, Siobhian - Minister for Victims and Community Safety
The Scottish Government is aware of the increased number of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries, as highlighted by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). Lithium-ion battery use has increased, particularly as we transition to net zero emissions, and it is important to ensure proper use, storage, disposal and recycling of these batteries as highlighted by SFRS in their recent public awareness campaign on this issue.
SFRS continues to work in collaboration with key partners to ensure the highest level of preparedness for potential incidents involving lithium-ion batteries. In the event of incidents involving these batteries in domestic premises or in recycling facilities, SFRS have the ability to deploy a range of resources that can be utilised by the highly skilled crews to successfully bring incidents to a safe conclusion
Asked by: Wishart, Beatrice (Scottish Liberal Democrats - Shetland Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a Marine Fund Scotland grant scheme this financial year, and when such a scheme might open.
Answered by Gougeon, Mairi - Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands
Significant planning work has been undertaken for the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) for 2025-26 and we hope to be able to confirm arrangements shortly. Potential applicants should provide their details to [email protected] if they wish to be added to the mailing list.
Asked by: Kerr, Stephen (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of university spin-out companies formed in Scotland have (a) remained in the country and (b) relocated to (i) the rest of the UK and (ii) overseas.
Answered by Forbes, Kate - Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic
The information requested is not held centrally. However, data are available that show of the university spin-out companies formed in Scotland less than 5% have registered trading addresses out with Scotland.
Asked by: Choudhury, Foysol (Scottish Labour - Lothian)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its NHS Scotland operational improvement plan, what assessment it has made of the impact of the digital dermatology pathway on waiting times for patients currently waiting to see a dermatologist.
Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
The £1.8m Digital Dermatology programme referenced within the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan (OIP) is designed to reduce the number of patients who require a dermatology outpatient appointment through the creation of a digital triage system enabled through image capture within primary care.
The digital dermatology programme is now available in all 14 territorial health boards and is accessible to over 50% of GP practices across NHS Scotland. As referenced in the OIP, we continue to work towards full roll out to all GPs across Scotland by the end of Spring 2025.
For patients, evidence suggests that this will allow around 50% to be returned to the GP with advice or reassurance, without having an in-person appointment with a consultant. Some patients are also likely to be fast-tracked to further diagnostics or treatment based on assessment at this digital triage stage.
The Scottish Government commissioned National Elective Coordination Unit’s (NECU) work is complementing the national Digital Dermatology programme by focusing on high-volume patient validation within an accelerated timeline, as well as developing robust digital infrastructure for image capture and clinical triage, and ensuring a well-structured workforce model for governance and clinical safety.
The Scottish Government has worked with NECU to establish comprehensive governance arrangements and a workforce framework that promotes collaborative efforts across NHS Boards. This has enabled the onboarding of 18 dermatology consultants and the creation of digital infrastructure to support clinical workflows.
NECU’s dermatology campaign has already engaged four Health Boards – including NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, NHS Grampian, NHS Ayrshire & Arran and NHS Highland - addressing the needs of patients waiting over 52 weeks and ensuring patient requirements are correctly recorded. As we progress, our goal is to continue leveraging these innovations to improve patient outcomes and streamline dermatological care delivery.