Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that, when the Scottish Ministers make decisions to allow development under the Electricity Act 1989, they are meeting the requirements of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 for all public bodies to further the conservation of biodiversity when carrying out their responsibilities.
Answered by Martin, Gillian - Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy
The Scottish Ministers make decisions on applications in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy. Energy consent applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with all relevant information considered to ensure balanced decision-making. This includes environmental information, consultee responses from public bodies and representations from the public.
All information related to determinations made by the Scottish Ministers in respect of onshore wind farm developments, including any conditions to mitigate biodiversity impacts, is publicly available on our Energy Consents portal: https://www.energyconsents.scot/ApplicationSearch.aspx
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations that applied for funding from the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in securing funding in each year since 2021.
Answered by Fairlie, Jim - Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity
Please find the details requested as follows:
Year | Applications received | Successful | Unsuccessful |
2021 | 15 | 5 | 10 |
2022 | 21 | 7 | 14 |
2023 | 15 | 4 | 11 |
2024 | 23 | 7 | 16 |
Total for period | 74 | 23 | 51 |
The 2025 round of KTIF is currently live and the deadline for applications is 7 September. At the time of writing, no applications have yet been received.
Asked by: Wishart, Beatrice (Scottish Liberal Democrats - Shetland Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38187 by Jim Fairlie on 17 June 2025 and in relation to the Air Discount Scheme, which is due to expire on 31 March 2026, whether it will consider including business travel in the Air Discount Scheme when it is renewed by a new notification under the UK subsidy control scheme, in light of reports that the subsidy control scheme would not prohibit the inclusion of business travel.
Answered by Fairlie, Jim - Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity
Ministers have no plans to introduce business travel under the Air Discount Scheme.
An extension of the Air Discount Scheme is unaffordable at this time.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all NHS boards adopt and report against national KPIs for audiology services, including patient-reported outcome measures and paediatric pathway indicators.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
As part of Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) benchmarking, a mapping exercise is currently underway which includes the consideration of national KPI reporting for audiology services.
An executive lead group for audiology has been reestablished, with representation from each NHS Territorial Health Board to consider the outputs and next steps of this work, which will conclude within the current financial year.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding supporting NHS boards to achieve Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) accreditation for audiology services.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
The Scottish Government has committed funding to all territorial Health Boards to undertake Improving Quality in Physiological Services (IQIPS) benchmarking throughout the current financial year.
An executive lead group for audiology has been reestablished, with representation from each NHS Territorial Health Board to consider the outputs and next steps of this work, which will conclude within the current financial year.
Asked by: Carson, Finlay (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Galloway and West Dumfries)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review current referral pathways to improve early detection of brain tumours.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39986 on 4 September 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
Asked by: Lennon, Monica (Scottish Labour - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to amending NHS fertility guidelines to ensure that embryo creation and implantation remain funded when privately sourced donor eggs are used, provided that they meet UK safety and quality standards, in order to eliminate any discrimination against couples based solely on the origin of donor gametes.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
The Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to meet the needs of couples who are eligible for NHS fertility treatment and require donor gametes (eggs and sperm) for that treatment. We have always been clear that couples who are eligible for NHS fertility treatment should not pay for any aspect of their treatment, and this includes the purchase and use of donor gametes.
Asked by: Kerr, Stephen (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Central Scotland)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recently reported finding by the General Medical Council of an increase in the frequency of care failings in Scotland compared with a reduction in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Gray, Neil - Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39938 on 4 September 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-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
Asked by: Carson, Finlay (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Galloway and West Dumfries)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to address any unmet need in diagnosing cancer, including brain tumours.
Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health
Scottish Government knows that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat, and even cure. Diagnosing brain cancer can be challenging as symptoms are wide-ranging and often vague.
We continue to have a focus on the less survivable cancers, including brain tumours, and improving their outcomes and this vision is part of our Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026.
The Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme initially launched in 2012, takes a whole-systems approach to early detection and encompasses primary care, diagnostics, public education, data, innovation and screening.
A new primary care cancer education platform - Gateway C, launched in 2024, is a free online platform providing innovative and tailored information to support earlier cancer diagnosis efforts and enable effective decision-making.
The Scottish Referral Guidelines (SRGs) for Suspected Cancer support primary care clinicians to identify those with symptoms suspicious of cancer and identify those who require urgent assessment by a specialist. For the first time, the guidelines includes an update to the guidance for urgent referral for suspected brain tumours, to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time.
A new National Headache Pathway has also been published by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery. This pathway, based on presentation at General Practice, clearly lists red flag symptoms that indicate the need for urgent and/or emergency assessment to exclude a secondary cause, such as a brain tumour.
Asked by: Eagle, Tim (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party - Highlands and Islands)
Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has paid consultants related to its work to support (a) the introduction and development of AI across the public sector and (b) staff training on the use of AI.
Answered by McKee, Ivan - Minister for Public Finance
The Scottish Government does not hold information on payments to consultants for (a) the introduction and development of AI across the public sector or (b) staff training on the use of AI.
However, the Scottish Government has prioritised building internal capability and expertise to ensure sustainable and responsible adoption of AI technologies.
Work to support the development and implementation of AI has been led by civil servants, supported by specialist input from The Data Lab, in line with the Scottish Government’s AI Strategy which promotes inclusive, ethical, and trustworthy use of AI. Staff training and upskilling in AI have also been delivered internally including by the Scottish Digital Academy.