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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-33046

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities to encourage support for community radio stations.

The Scottish Government does not provide guidance to local authorities specifically about support for community radio stations. We are however clear that community radio is a valuable resource across many communities in Scotland and we will persist in championing the continuation and strengthening of these vital services for Scottish listeners through our engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the UK Government and the regulator Ofcom.

Question reference: S6W-33141

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the reported trend in Scotland of Foundation Year 2 doctors delaying NHS specialty training compares with the rest of the UK, and what its response is to the findings of this comparison.

UK data from the General Medical Council (GMC) shows that the reported trend of Foundation Year 2 doctors delaying NHS specialty training in Scotland is similar to the trend in the UK as a whole. There are a number of possible (and complex) explanations for this trend but progression data from the GMC shows that 90% of trainees have obtained a specialty training post in the UK within three years of completing the Foundation Programme.

Question reference: S6W-33146

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of NHS specialty training places was filled in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-33150

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of Foundation Year 2 doctors who applied for NHS specialty training in each of last 10 years was offered a place.

Question reference: S6W-33054

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the inclusion of smaller or independent media outlets in its advertising strategies.

Scottish Government marketing teams do not specify inclusion of any specific media outlets to media agencies who prepare the media strategy and schedules based on audience to ensure advertising is as effective as possible and delivers high levels of reach for the investment. Therefore campaign budget is also a critical factor in media agencies determining whether smaller outlets, which deliver lower levels of reach in general, will be added to a media schedule.

The media agency does not have guaranteed spend arrangements with media vendors, whether large or small. Each media property is assessed according to its merit and relevance to campaign requirements.

Question reference: S6W-33151

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to expand the number of NHS specialty training places available, particularly in specialties that have high demand.

The Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group undertakes an annual review of medical training establishments (the number of established training places in each specialty) and makes subsequent recommendations to Scottish Ministers around the need to expand in order to meet increased service demand and future anticipated consultant need. This annual review process has led to year on year increases in additional training places being created across multiple different specialties since 2014, including 47 new specialty training places that will be created in 2025.

Question reference: S6W-33084

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the current charges are for accessing records from National Records of Scotland, and how these compare with the charges five years ago.

I have asked Alison Byrne OBE, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland (NRS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Registration service fees are set by the Registrar General for Scotland with the approval of the Scottish Ministers under The Registration Services (Fees, etc.) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Fees contained within the schedules were last amended in 2010 and 2022. These regulations provide instruction for the charges associated with accessing records through the Scotland’s People website.

The fees for inspecting, searching and issuing copies of any records transmitted to the Keeper of the Records of Scotland are set by the Court of Session with consent of Scottish Ministers under the Act of Sederunt (Fees in the National Archives of Scotland) 2005.

In 2022, the Registrar General for Scotland, with the approval of the Scottish Ministers, increased the fees payable for submission of a marriage notice and submission of a notice of a proposed civil partnership from £30 to £45 per party to the intended marriage or civil partnership.

All other statutory fees have remained unchanged since 2020.

Question reference: S6W-33092

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to transition its vehicle fleet to low-emission or zero-emission vehicles.

Question reference: S6W-33628

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in ensuring equitable access to palliative care services across NHS boards, and how it is addressing any gaps identified in rural areas such as Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S6W-33615

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of community pharmacists, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
Posts Advertised	1195	1224	1149	1108	1074	1131	1154	1204	1282	1053
Posts Filled	1132	1150	1068	1039	1030	1042	980	968	1001	976
Fill Rate	95%	94%	93%	94%	96%	92%	85%	80%	78%	83%