Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-43193

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 3 February 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is offered by the NHS to the victims of grooming gangs in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors can access the help and support they need at a time they need it.

The NHS provides care and support to meet the individual needs of each person, including victims of grooming gangs.

Victims of grooming gangs can access mental health support via the NHS. People experiencing distress or who are in crisis should phone their GP surgery or, where possible, their usual mental health team in the first instance. They will make a referral for specialist or urgent care, if required. If they are unable to access mental health support that way, the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub is available 24/7 on 111, and they will direct people to the right help. Where there is an immediate risk or life - or limb-threatening emergency, people should call 999 or go to their nearest A&E.

Various supports may be offered depending on the individuals needs and circumstances, it is likely that psychological therapies and interventions may be offered as they are suitable for supporting people affected by trauma. The range of evidence based psychological treatments delivered in Scotland is set out in the Scottish Psychological Therapies Matrix and the National Specification for Psychological Therapies and Interventions sets out best practice in the provision of psychological services.

The Scottish Government and the NHS in Scotland are prioritising support for victims of grooming gangs through a range of actions, some examples of which are set out below.

The Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021 (FMS Act) commenced on 1 April 2022. The FMS Act provides a statutory duty for health boards to provide forensic medical services for people who have experienced rape or sexual assault. The Act's implementation includes the establishment of a Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) in each health board, delivering person-centred, trauma-informed care.

A Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) provides vital healthcare and forensic examination services for people in the days following rape or sexual assault. Over £18m has been invested since 2017 to ensure a SARCS is available in every health board. SARCS can also make onward referrals to ensure victims are given the most appropriate care including to sexual health services; primary care; secondary mental health services; and, third sector organisations like Rape Crisis Scotland.

Our Bairns’ Hoose Programme is transforming the support available to children who experience, or witness, sexual abuse or exploitation. Bairns’ Hoose will give those children (and their families) access to coordinated health, recovery, justice and protection. Partnerships, including health partners across Scotland, are testing the approach ahead of incremental national rollout from 2027.

As part of the National Guidance for Child Protection we developed with stakeholders the NHS Public Protection Accountability and Assurance Framework published in 2022. It is a vital tool for health boards in Scotland, promoting effective public protection practices and ensuring that vulnerable individuals such as those who are victims of grooming receive the necessary support and safeguarding from health services. nhs-public-protection-accountability-assurance-framework.pdf

We have made substantial progress in raising awareness of psychological trauma and embedding trauma-informed practice across Scottish services and workforces. This is emphasised within our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and supported by over £14 million in investment since 2018 in the National Trauma Transformation Programme.

Question reference: S6W-42833

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 January 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42626 by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025, whether it will provide an update on what consideration it is giving to the request from the Scottish Retail Consortium and other stakeholders for Scotland to follow England and introduce a permanent business rate discount for all retail, hospitality and leisure premises, in light of the recent announcement that Lets Go Glasgow BID has added its support to the call.

Question reference: S6O-05360

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 January 2026
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve Glasgow’s economic performance, in light of reports that the city continues to lag behind the rest of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-40297

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35424 by Jenni Minto on 17 March 2025, regarding referrals to secondary services from the Thistle drug consumption facility, whether it will provide a breakdown of these referrals by service type, including (a) housing, (b) addiction recovery and (c) mental health services, and how many of the referrals were made to addiction recovery services up to 17 March 2025.

The Scottish Government does not hold a breakdown of referrals from the Thistle drug consumption facility by service type, nor does it hold data on the number of referrals made to addiction recovery services from 17 March 2025 to current date. Such information may be available from Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership who are responsible for operation of the Thistle facility.

The primary function of the safer drug consumption facility is to reduce drug-related harm by providing a safe, supervised environment for individuals who use drugs. Where additional support or treatment is required, staff may signpost individuals to the most appropriate services.

Question reference: S6W-40298

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35424 by Jenni Minto on 17 March 2025, regarding referrals to secondary services from the Thistle drug consumption facility, whether it will provide a breakdown of any such referrals by service type, including (a) housing, (b) addiction recovery and (c) mental health services from 17 March until the current date, and how many of the referrals were made to addiction recovery services during this period.

The Scottish Government does not hold a breakdown of referrals from the Thistle drug consumption facility by service type, nor does it hold data on the number of referrals made to addiction recovery services from 17 March 2025 to current date. Such information may be available from Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership who are responsible for operation of the Thistle facility.

The primary function of the safer drug consumption facility is to reduce drug-related harm by providing a safe, supervised environment for individuals who use drugs. Where additional support or treatment is required, staff may signpost individuals to the most appropriate services.

Question reference: S6T-02780

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that over 1,200 women have been treated for female genital mutilation in Glasgow in the past five years.

Question reference: S6W-40694

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains open to considering well-developed proposals for Safer Drug Consumption Facilities (SDCF). However, a mobile facility would be difficult to deliver while still being able to meet the criteria previously set out by the Lord Advocate in relation to what she would consider in terms of a proposal for an SDCF and for which she would be able to offer a statement of prosecution policy.

The current statement of prosecution policy is specific to the Thistle facility in Glasgow. Any alternative model, such as a mobile service, would require further detailed consideration with the Lord Advocate, Police Scotland and COPFS to determine whether it could be accommodated within the existing legal framework

Question reference: S6W-40696

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on opening an inhalation room in The Thistle safer drug consumption facility, and how much it estimates this would cost.

The position of the Scottish Government is that any intervention proven to save lives and reduce harms, such as an inhalation room, should be considered on its merits.

We would support a proposal from The Thistle facility to the Lord Advocate for the introduction of such an inhalation space. However, the ability to progress such a development remains constrained by the current legal framework under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and the limits of the Lord Advocate’s prosecutorial discretion.

At this stage no cost estimate has been provided as no formal proposal for the inclusion of an inhalation room has yet been submitted by the Thistle.

Question reference: S6W-40695

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it would cost, per vehicle, to introduce mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland.

The only existing Statement of Prosecution Policy from the Lord Advocate in relation to a safer drug consumption facility applies only to the operation of a fixed facility, mobile units are not currently within scope.

The Scottish Government has not received any proposals for the introduction of mobile safer drug consumption units in Scotland, nor have we undertaken any work to determine the estimated cost of such units.

As a result, we do not hold any cost estimates for this model.

Question reference: S6O-04991

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve night-time public transport connections between city centres and suburban areas, including support for late-night bus and rail services to improve affordability, safety and service reliability.

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