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-29788

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the definition of "rehabilitation" has been altered to include any form of "residential placement", in light of reported concerns that this potentially dilutes the understanding of what constitutes true rehabilitation.

No - we have set out a clear definition of what counts as residential rehabilitation and used it consistently since its publication in 2021.

The Scottish Government uses the Residential Rehabilitation Development Working Group definition of residential rehab as "facilities offering programmes which aim to support individuals to attain an alcohol or drug-free lifestyle and to be re-integrated into society, provide intensive psychosocial support and a structured programme of daily activities, and which residents are required to attend over a fixed period of time."

Question reference: S6W-29782

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the forthcoming UK Alcohol Treatment Guidelines will (a) influence the national specification for alcohol treatment in Scotland and (b) ensure consistency across both alcohol and drug treatment services.

The UK clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment (UKCGAT) will help to influence the national specification and subsequent overarching guidance for alcohol treatment in Scotland through looking to introduce new approaches to treatment and will apply to a broad range of settings including primary care, hospital and justice settings.

The UKCGAT aims to develop a clear consensus on good practice and help services to implement interventions for alcohol use disorders that are recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The intention is to promote and support consistent good practice and improve the quality-of-service provision, resulting in better outcomes, similarly to the Orange Book supporting treatment for drugs misuse and dependency.

Question reference: S6W-29784

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the core minimum dataset is transparent and accessible to the public and stakeholders, in order to foster accountability and continuous improvement in rehabilitation services.

The Scottish Government responded to calls for more transparency and accountability by working with Public Health Scotland, who were commissioned to carry out an evaluation of the residential rehabilitation programme, including the establishment of an experimental core minimum dataset.

The core minimum dataset was developed with input from the Monitoring and Evaluation Advisory Group. This includes input from individuals with lived experience of substance use, allowing robust data to be collected to help both the development and outcomes of this work to be more transparent and accountable.

Question reference: S6W-29789

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that the definition and delivery of rehabilitation services meet the comprehensive, long-term care needs of those seeking recovery.

Residential rehabilitation services in Scotland are regulated by appropriate governing bodies independent of the Scottish Government; namely the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland or the NHS.

It is the responsibility of these bodies to monitor and ensure that residential rehabilitation services are providing safe, quality support to people in recovery across the country.

The Scottish Government are working with regulators and providers to develop and publish a series of “Principles for Residential Rehabilitation” to support regulatory bodies with their evaluation of RR providers, and to empower individuals to understand what they should expect from a stay in residential rehab, including pre-rehab support and appropriate aftercare.

Question reference: S6W-29923

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being given to staff in the NHS who feel burnt out.

Scottish Government funding of over £2.5m has been committed to support the mental health and wellbeing of health and care staff in 2024-25. These resources include a 24/7 compassionate listening service, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and access to psychological therapies and interventions.

Prioritising these treatment and therapeutic programmes reflects our commitment to offer care and support to those staff suffering from burnout, stress, anxiety and other conditions. In addition, the National Wellbeing Hub offers a range of self-care wellbeing resources and signposting to relevant mental health and support services.

Question reference: S6W-29800

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the environmental assessment of the dualling of the A96 has been completed.

Question reference: S6W-29810

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in the past five years, how many people have faced consequences of any cosmetic procedures gone wrong due to the reported lack of regulation of beauticians carrying out non-surgical cosmetic procedures, and what the cost has been for the NHS to treat any issues associated with this.

This information is not centrally collected. When NHS Scotland treats someone that has suffered harm from a non-surgical cosmetic procedure which has gone wrong, NHS Scotland will not necessarily record that this was the result of that procedure as there is no specific code to record this. This means that it is difficult to assess the cost to NHS Scotland of treating harm or complications that may have been caused.

Question reference: S6W-29695

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the article in The Times on 26 August 2024, whether it is considering introducing prescription charges for medicines on the NHS to balance its budget deficit.

There is no plan to re-introduce prescription charges in Scotland. Prescription charges were abolished in April 2011 because Scottish Ministers believed that they were a tax on ill health and a barrier to good health for many people. This was particularly so for those with long-term conditions and those on a low income who in the past faced choices about which medicines they could afford. The introduction of free prescriptions has been fully funded by the Scottish Government, at no cost to NHS budgets.

Question reference: S6W-29257

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the Minister for Equalities' speech from the launch of the third New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy and New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy Delivery Plan 2024–2026 on 19 August 2024.

The speaking note used to address attendees at the launch of the third New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy and New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy Delivery Plan 2024 to 2026 on 19 August 2024 can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/new-scots-refugee-integration-strategy-minister-for-equalities/

The actual speech given is likely to have differed to the copy of the speaking note provided.

Question reference: S6W-29803

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to reviewing the Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Regrettably, a start date for the review is not confirmed at this time. It is important that the review of the guidance on patient travel expenses reimbursement is considered within the context of wider reform on access to health care which is already in progress. This will inform both how and when the review is taken forward.

In 2023 we prepared the draft Transport to Health plan and have been engaging with Health Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners to take forward a range of commitments to improve joined up working on transport to health. The plan will be published this Autumn and a workplan has been agreed.