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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

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Question reference: S6W-42955

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts it is making to enhance research into eating disorders.

The Eating Disorder Network is supporting the Scottish Government on how best to implement Recommendation 15 of the National Review, which asked the Scottish Government to consider funding eating disorders research through NHS Research Scotland.

The Network has hosted a series of research into practice seminars including the National Eating Disorders Specification – Implementation and Challenges hosted in partnership with eating disorder charity Beat.

400 clinicians, carers and people with lived experience from across Scotland signed up for the webinar, focused on steps that services can take to implement the National Specification. The sessions included guidance on routine outcome monitoring using the core dataset from the ED Clinical Research Network, how to engage meaningfully with those with lived experience, and examples and learning from successful all age services with self-referral pathways.

Question reference: S6W-42957

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it has done to improve discharge protocols for those with eating disorders to ensure that they continue to receive support and care.

The National Specification for the Care and Treatment of Eating Disorders in Scotland, published by the Scottish Government in 2024, makes clear that discharge from eating disorder services should be planned, collaborative, and based on individualised goals of treatment.

The Scottish Government continues to support NHS Boards in implementing the Specification, and the recent self-assessment tools that were completed by Boards have highlighted good practice that can be shared, as well as areas where Scottish Government support is needed.

Question reference: S6W-42947

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that hospital doctors and nursing staff have a greater understanding of eating disorders.

The Scottish Government has been working with NHS Education Scotland (NES) to develop new Eating Disorder content on Turas. The updated platform will act as a multi-agency resource, structured by age, context and practice type. This will link to guidance, training and evidence-based resources. Accessibility and intellectual property requirements are being built in, and navigation will be more user-friendly than the current structure.

Question reference: S6W-42990

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many nurses are currently employed by NHS Scotland, and how this compares to 2006-07.

Question reference: S6W-42991

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many doctors are currently employed by NHS Scotland, and how this compares to 2006-07.

Question reference: S6W-42992

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many dentists are currently employed by NHS Scotland, and how this compares to 2006-07.

Question reference: S6O-05366

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much the UK Government’s increase in employer national insurance contributions has cost local government in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-42656

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the finalised Vision Implementation Plan and route map will be published, and what progress has been made toward delivering approximately 24,000 additional public electric vehicle charge points by 2030.

The Scottish Government met its target for 6,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charge points in October 2024, two years ahead of schedule. Between October 2024 and October 2025 Scotland’s public charging network grew by a further 22.5%, resulting in a further 1,349 public charge points being added to the network.

Since 2011 the Scottish Government has provided over £65 million to support the development of public EV charging infrastructure across Scotland and we are continuing to support the expansion of public EV charging across Scotland. Over the course of 2025 the Scottish Government’s £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund was fully allocated, and Scotland’s local authorities are now using this funding to progress public procurement to deliver approximately 6,000 additional public charge points across Scotland, in partnership with the private sector. In August I announced a further £4.5 million to specifically support the expansion of public EV charging infrastructure in our rural and island communities.

In August I also launched a new cross pavement charging pilot offering up to £3,500 in financial support to enable residents without access to off-street parking to benefit from lower-cost domestic EV charging. On top of this, the Scottish Government has worked closely with the Scottish Collaboration of Transport Specialists (SCOTS) to develop national guidance on cross-pavement charging which will be published by SCOTS shortly.

Scotland continues to have one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK, but I recognise there is more work to do to ensure Scotland has a public charging network that is fit for the future. We consulted on a Draft Vision Implementation Plan earlier this year, however since the publication of that consultation, the UK Government has announced a number of policy changes, including a new pence per mile tax on EVs and business rates relief for eligible electric vehicle charging points in England in the Autumn Budget, as well as a review of public EV charging costs early next year. The publication of the finalised Vision Implementation Plan has therefore been delayed until 2026 to ensure that the impact of such changes can be considered in the final Plan.

Question reference: S6W-42084

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 November 2025
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its review of the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.

I am pleased to announce that today we have published Rail Recharged: Scotland’s Fleet Transition Strategy which is available at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/rail-recharged-scotland-s-fleet-transition-strategy-delivering-a-modern-fleet-for-a-connected-scotland/

This Strategy has been developed following the commitment made within the Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan to review the progress that has been made towards decarbonising Scotland’s railway.

Our Strategy builds on the Scottish Government’s record of modernising Scotland’s railway and is closely aligned with the action we are taking to replace ScotRail trains that are reaching the end of their useable life. This will ensure we continue to provide reliable and resilient passenger services, which is essential for attracting more people away from their cars and onto their publicly owned rail services.

At the core of our Strategy is our commitment to keep passenger services moving, investing strategically in light of ongoing budgetary pressures and supporting Scotland’s railway on its journey to net zero emissions by 2045.

Question reference: S6O-05194

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how Brexit has impacted Scotland's food and drink producers.

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