First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 15 January 2026.
Finlay Carson
Conservative
My constituents are deeply alarmed that Dumfries and Galloway’s integration joint board plans to end Alzheimer Scotland-commissioned dementia support on 31 March. They fear that that change will seriously harm the care of the 373 people who are currently supported, including 235 who are in the year of guaranteed post-diagnostic support.
I am aware that you have recently been heavily engaged in looking at the future of dementia support through your advanced dementia round-table work, precisely to avoid changes being made without proper consultation. Will you instruct your officials to engage urgently with the health and social care partnership and the IJB in Dumfries and Galloway to secure and make public a dated continuity plan that includes single family contacts and named leads and a timetable for consultation under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations, and will you commit the Government to give support, if required, including bridging arrangements, so that there will be no cliff edge in April?
Alison Johnstone
Presiding Officer
I remind members of the requirement to speak through the chair.
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
Mr Carson makes a series of reasonable points. I have been very pleased to convene the round table on Alzheimer’s care suggested to me by one of Scotland’s leading and most distinguished industrialists, Sir Iain Anderson. I welcome Sir Iain’s Intervention to advance these issues, and the active participation of clinicians.
Mr Carson makes a strong point about the early intervention support that Alzheimer Scotland makes, particularly in community settings, which I suspect must be the context of the arrangements in Mr Carson’s Constituency. I give him the assurance that I will take the issue away and explore it with the health secretary to see what steps we can take to ensure that there is continuity of service. It is obvious that any disruption to the care arrangements of individuals with Alzheimer’s is likely to be damaging to them.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
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