Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-13615

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the March 2020 suspension of treatment targets for hepatitis C had.

During 2020, national treatment targets were suspended in recognition of the necessary response to the covid-19 pandemic, before being reinstated in 2021.

We know that the covid-19 pandemic had a major impact across our health services, including the detection and treatment of Hepatitis C. In considering the re-instatement of Hepatitis C treatment targets, both the impact of COVID and associated steps to manage it were considered by the SHPN Hepatitis C Elimination Group, which comprises clinical expertise from Scottish Health Boards.

A recent PHS report shows that the number of new diagnoses made in 2020 and 2021 were the lowest recorded in the last decade. Encouragingly, however, it also shows that major progress has been made despite the pandemic. For example, there is evidence to indicate that Scotland has already achieved one of the WHO targets set for 2030; 80% of those ever diagnosed having received treatment.

The full PHS report can be found here: Surveillance of hepatitis C in Scotland (publichealthscotland.scot).

Question reference: S6W-13613

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it projects that it will meet its goal of eliminating hepatitis C by 2024.

The Scottish Government remains committed to eliminating Hepatitis C as a major public health concern by 2024.

We must recognise the impact the covid-19 pandemic has had on services, as well as the monitoring and evaluation of HCV data.

However, despite that impact, PHS recently published a report (“Surveillance of hepatitis C in Scotland”) which shows that major progress has been made on a number of key targets including a large drop in cases in people who inject drugs, with some parts of Scotland seeing as much as a 70% reduction. This is hugely encouraging. As we continue to recover from the pandemic, we must build on that progress and continue to work with key stakeholders to remove this public health threat.

Question reference: S6W-13183

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the 25 questions put to it on pages 25-26 of the Who Cares? Scotland publication, Paving the Way - Care Experienced People’s Views on the Scottish Government’s Plan to Keep The Promise, published on 17 June 2022.

The First Minister wrote an open letter to the Care Experienced community on the 22 October 2022 to thank all involved in preparing the Who Cares? Scotland publication and to acknowledge the points raised. The letter is available on the Scottish Government website . The Scottish Government continues to work closely with Who Cares? Scotland and the points identified in the publication are informing the ongoing work to Keep The Promise.

Question reference: S6W-13184

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delegation of roles and responsibilities for ensuring that it keeps The Promise to care experienced people and their families, and whether it will make this available in an easy-read format to ensure accessibility.

Keeping the Promise requires a collective approach across all of our services, including care, health, education and justice. The Scottish Government requires to lead from the front, working with partners across local government and third sector, to bring the transformational change required. The actions and commitments we will take are set out in our Promise Implementation Plan published in March 2022.

The Promise Oversight Board includes members with lived and professional experience and is responsible for holding Scotland to account on whether the Promise is being kept.

The Promise Scotland has been established to support organisations across Scotland to Keep The Promise. The Promise Scotland published its set up year report in July 2022. This includes a helpful timeline of work undertaken from the point The Promise Scotland was established.

The Scottish Government has published a child friendly version of the Promise Implementation Plan, developed with the support of Who Cares? Scotland and other stakeholders which is available on the Scottish Government website .

Question reference: S6W-13187

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with local authorities to engage directly with care experienced people on implementation of The Promise to care experienced people and their families.

Question reference: S6T-01103

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by the Chief Inspector of the Constabulary that some Police Scotland officers lack empathy and show outdated attitudes in domestic abuse cases.

Question reference: S6T-01104

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by Prostate Cancer UK regarding reported figures showing that men in Scotland are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer too late for it to be successfully treated than in any other part of the UK.

Question reference: S6F-01736

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the report, Closing the Accountability Gap, published by National Autistic Society Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01727

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government has made in clearing the reported backlog of people waiting for key diagnostic tests.

Question reference: S6F-01716

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2023

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government has taken to bring the strike action by teachers to an end.