Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-42570

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the addition of preventative education on nicotine pouches as part of the Childsmile programme.

While the latest Action on Smoking and Health Smokefree GB Youth Survey shows that only a very small percentage (3%) of children in Scotland reported ever using nicotine pouches in 2024 and 2025, I am concerned about these products and their appeal to children and young people.

We know from existing evidence that other nicotine products, including cigarettes, can negatively impact an individual’s oral health and increase the risk of gum disease, however there is currently limited clinical evidence on the impact of nicotine pouches specifically. Scottish Government will continue to review the evidence and take any appropriate and necessary action required to support the oral health of children and young people.

In the meantime we continue to offer free regular NHS dental examinations to everyone in Scotland, to enable risk factors to be identified and recorded. NHS dental services also offer enhanced preventative treatment, including smoking cessation advice, for all patients including children and young people.

Question reference: S6O-05335

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made any assessment of recent prison inspection findings on the use of restricted regimes and their impact on prisoners’ welfare and safety.

Question reference: S6W-42272

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41852 by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025, what the (a) estimated cost and (b) average time taken is for the Energy Consents Unit to process a representation generated by the Object Now service in relation to the Kintore-Tealing overhead line development.

Question reference: S6W-42271

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41852 by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025, whether it will provide the (a) lowest, (b) highest, (c) median and (d) mean figure for the (i) cost and (ii) time taken for the Energy Consents Unit to process a representation from a member of the public in respect of an application, in 2025.

As previously stated in the answer to S6W-41852, the processing of a representation requires multiple members of staff of the Energy Consents Unit to undertake a combination of detailed administrative tasks. The time and cost taken to process representations vary depending on the nature, size and complexity of each submission, as well as the total number of representations received for an application.

It is therefore not possible to provide average processing timescales and costs that would accurately portray the work undertaken by Scottish Government officials to administer representations submitted by the public.

As previously stated in the answers to S6W-41171 and S6W-41175 on 27 October 2025, all submissions received by the ECU are treated in the same manner, irrespective of the application or the sender of the representation. All material considerations raised in representations are carefully considered before reaching a decision on the relevant application.

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.

Question reference: S6O-05302

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the role of the third sector in ensuring the sustainability of the NHS.

Question reference: S6W-42200

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve public-facing information on the specific symptoms of Crohn’s disease and colitis to support earlier diagnosis, including through the NHS 24 Online app and other tools.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of improving public awareness of the symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis to support earlier diagnosis and reduce stigma.

We have worked with Crohn’s & Colitis UK and clinicians to update information and guidance on gastrointestinal conditions and symptoms such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This is widely available to the public via the NHS inform website: Scottish health information you can trust | NHS inform.

Crohn's & Colitis UK - Symptom checker also provides an online tool designed to help people recognise potential symptoms and seek timely medical advice.

We are exploring opportunities to enhance digital tools to provide symptom guidance and signposting to reliable resources through NHS inform. This work will complement our ongoing efforts through the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme and the National Gastroenterology Speciality Delivery Group to improve early diagnosis and care for people with inflammatory bowel disease.

Question reference: S6W-42199

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the increase in inflammatory bowel disease cases, in light of reported estimates that 25,000 people in the UK will be diagnosed in 2025 with Crohn's disease and colitis, and that Scotland has the highest prevalence in the UK, with one in 103 people affected.

The Scottish Government welcomes IBD UK’s report Crohn’s and Colitis Care in Scotland: A Vision for Change and values its contribution to improving care for people living with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

We are committed to ensuring that people living in Scotland with long term conditions like IBD, including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and person-centred.

Actions which the Scottish Government is taking include:

An Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan The Recovery and Renewal Plan - Endoscopy and urology diagnostic: recovery and renewal plan - gov.scot backed by £70 million. The plan focuses on key areas such as: Balancing Demand and Capacity; Workforce Training and Development; Infrastructure; and Innovation and Redesign.
Funding the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme (MPPP) with a specific workstream continuing to promote improvements in IBD care which is being taken forward through the MPPP’s National Gastroenterology Speciality Delivery Group (SDG). They have developed a national IBD pathway for NHS Scotland which was published in January 2025: inflammatory-bowel-disease-ibd-pathway.pdf. The SDG is also developing a lower gastrointestinal pathway which will provide primary care guidance about testing and diagnosis for people with IBD in Scotland.
Developing a new Long Term Conditions Framework to better recognise that many people living with long term conditions share similar needs and may benefit from the same types of support and care, regardless of their condition.

We will continue to work with clinicians, patients, and third sector partners to improve services and outcomes for those living with IBD.

Question reference: S6W-42293

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent in total on its We Are Scotland campaign.

Question reference: S6W-42292

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on the advertising and promotion of St Andrew's Day on (a) radio, (b) television, (c) print media and (d) digital and social media in 2025.

Question reference: S6W-42239

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 in relation to the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), and what its position is on whether applications called in for consideration by the Energy Consents Unit that meet the threshold for a “national development” require a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA).

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) was approved by the Scottish Parliament in February 2023, before the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act commenced. Its implementation reflects children’s rights principles, including participation and wellbeing considerations.

For individual development proposals, including national developments and cases under sections 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989, applicants are not legally required to prepare a CRWIA. However, Ministers must act compatibly with UNCRC requirements.

Scottish Ministers must prepare and publish a CRWIA for strategic decisions affecting children’s rights and wellbeing—high-level decisions that may impact the Government’s ability to respect, protect, and fulfil these rights. These typically include setting policy priorities, allocating resources, and policy delivery, but not routine operational decisions (e.g. many planning or licensing cases).

Strategic decisions are usually made by Ministers but can also be made on their behalf. They generally influence how the Scottish Government implements laws and policies over the long term, though urgent short- or mid-term decisions may also qualify. Strategic decisions may form part of an overarching plan. Ministers also intend to carry out CRWIAs for any changes or reviews of such decisions.

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