Meeting of the Parliament

General Questions Paul O'Kane S6O-05563 1. To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly reduced the funding it provides to the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award programme for 2026-27. Mark Griffin S6O-05564 2. To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to support research into finding a cure for motor neurone disease. Jamie Greene S6O-05565 3. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, and other relevant criminal justice organisations, regarding the implementation of section 34 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Act 2025. John Mason S6O-05566 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 aligns with Fair Trade principles for imported food and drink. Rona Mackay S6O-05567 5. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards the establishment of a pathway for free dyslexia assessments at the point of contact for adults. Kenneth Gibson S6O-05568 6. To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are applied in deciding on the location of the new walk-in GP clinics. Collette Stevenson S6O-05569 7. To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to reduce orthopaedic services waiting times across NHS Lanarkshire. Miles Briggs S6O-05570 8. To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent announcement that the freeze on council housing allocation in Edinburgh will continue until March 2027, what support it is providing to the City of Edinburgh Council to address the housing crisis. followed by First Minister’s Questions Russell Findlay S6F-04697 1. Question to be taken in Chamber. Anas Sarwar S6F-04698 2. Question to be taken in Chamber. Gillian Mackay S6F-04699 3. Question to be taken in Chamber. Michelle Thomson S6F-04717 4. To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of warnings from industry leaders that high transmission charges are making wind farms in the north of Scotland uncompetitive, including any implications for its work to grow the renewable energy sector. Liam Kerr S6F-04705 5. To ask the First Minister, in light of reported renewed calls over the weekend to end the Lord Advocate’s dual role, when the Scottish Government will publish its proposals and begin a consultation on separating the prosecution function from the role of providing legal advice to the Scottish Ministers. Mercedes Villalba S6F-04709 6. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the outcome of the University of Aberdeen UCU ballot, which resulted in 83% of those voting in support of strike action and 90% in favour of action short of a strike. Submitting member has a registered interest. followed by Members’ Business: Improved Childcare Support for Parents Roz McCall S6M-20786 That the Parliament believes that providing childcare support to parents not only supports the family unit but also helps to grow Scotland’s economy by encouraging more parents back into the workforce; understands that families in Mid Scotland and Fife, and across the country, still struggle to find affordable, flexible and accessible childcare; praises the work of organisations such as Pregnant Then Screwed, which have campaigned to improve childcare provision across the UK; notes that its 2024 State of the Nation Survey concluded that around four in five parents (83.7%) found that childcare costs are the same as or more than their income, and that 71% of mothers and 50% of fathers say that it does not make financial sense for them to work; understands that its 2026 survey is due to conclude, with findings to be published in due course; further understands that the Scottish Government’s Early Learning and Childcare expansion programme evaluation strategy has assessed the impact of the expansion of provision covering the period 2018–25, and that it expects to publish its findings in early 2026, and notes the view that the Parliament should have the opportunity to scrutinise this important review before the end of the current parliamentary session. Further details available for S6M-20786