Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-35789

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what visits Healthcare Improvement Scotland made to the Skye House mental health unit between 2017 and 2024.

Question reference: S6F-03919

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2025

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-35704

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reform the process for exhumation applications for ashes, in light of reports that the new system has moved away from independent crematory management, which was inexpensive, and now requires families to go through solicitors, which can reportedly cost more that £5,000.

Question reference: S6W-35643

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any pressures on GP surgeries caused by the reported (a) decline in the number of fully qualified GPs, (b) rising patient demand, (c) challenges with practice infrastructure and (d) financial pressures faced by GP partners, and what plans are in place to ensure a sustainable, well-funded and adequately staffed GP workforce.

Question reference: S6W-35644

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is implementing to provide timely support for carers and families in emergency situations, particularly where people are entitled to funding but face extended waiting times or financial hardship due to a lack of support or delayed assessments.

Question reference: S6W-35645

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce 15 hours of funded childcare per week for children aged nine months to three years, similar to that in England, and, if so, what the timescale will be.

Question reference: S6W-35655

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the joint visits by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland to all adolescent in-patient units and the national child in-patient unit will begin, and how often these joint visits will be carried out.

Question reference: S6W-35656

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 27 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the dates on which its ministers visited Skye House between 2017 and 2024, broken down by which ministers attended.

Question reference: S6W-35350

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-34287 by Neil Gray on 27 January 2025, on what date it will publish data showing whether the targets were met by March 2026 for (a) 95% of radiology referrals to be seen within six weeks, (b) no one waiting longer than a year for treatment and (c) the delivery of over 150,000 extra appointments and procedures, and whether the final outcome of these targets will be announced before 7 May 2026.

Question reference: S6W-35207

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its departments have an artificial intelligence (AI) lead within them.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used in a wide number of policy areas and for a diverse range of purposes. It is generally regarded as a tool which all staff will be using to a greater or lesser extent, so although we do not have many staff regarded as AI leads, we do have many staff who will be making use of it and benefiting from its impacts.

Recently published FOI release (Scottish Government staffing and salary statistics: FOI release - gov.scot) shares that in 2024 we had 6 data scientists, and a wide range of functions involved in the preparation of data, design of digital services, and support functions which could be related to the use or deployment of AI.

More specifically we have an AI Policy team in the digital directorate whose primary function is to support the introduction and development of AI across the public sector, ensuring all staff have the knowledge and skill to make use of AI most productively.

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