Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-09119

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for ongoing public participation and stakeholder engagement in the development of the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme.

Falkirk Council are responsible for the development of the Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme. They have held a variety of public engagement events since 2019. Public information sessions will continue through 2022 and early 2023 using a variety of means including newsletters, social media updates, and drop in events.

A public exhibition will be held on the proposed flood defences before the Scheme goes into the formal Notification stage. The Notification process is a statutory requirement under Schedule 2 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

A record of previous and future engagement activities are available from the scheme website ( www.grangemouthfloodscheme.com ).

Question reference: S6W-09190

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of rising levels of obesity on (a) non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease and (b) non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

Living with overweight or obesity is linked with an increased risk of developing a range of health conditions, including non-alcohol-related fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). According to the 2019 Scottish Health Survey , two-thirds of adults in Scotland were overweight or obese. Obesity prevalence in Scotland has remained relatively stable since 2008.

The Scottish Government has not carried out a specific assessment of the impact of rising levels of obesity on NAFLD or NASH.

We want everyone in Scotland to eat well and have a healthy weight. We continue to implement our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan . We also continue to support NHS boards to improve weight management services in line with our Type 2 Diabetes Prevention, Early Detection and Intervention Framework and Public Health Scotland’s national standards .

Further information on NAFLD and NASH is available to the public and clinicians on NHS Inform and other professional groups such as British Society of Gastroenterology , and charitable organisations such as British Liver Trust .

Question reference: S6W-09191

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of stigma on late presentation and diagnosis of liver disease.

The latest findings of the British Liver Trust show that alcohol-related liver disease accounts for 60% of all liver disease and that 94% of British adults associate alcohol with liver disease and people with liver disease often feel stigmatised.

The impact of stigma often prevents people from accessing treatment or limits delivery of a successful intervention.

Liver diseases are generally avoidable, or treatable, if diagnosed at an early stage. Stigma often prevents people from accessing treatment; 75% of people currently being diagnosed are at a stage when it is too late for lifestyle changes or intervention.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling stigma and ensuring that people are diagnosed and treated more quickly. In December 2021 a national campaign was launched to tackle the stigma people with problematic alcohol and drug use face.

We are working with Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems to develop an action plan in relation to alcohol and stigma. This work builds on the earlier work of the Drugs Death Task Force around drugs and stigma.

Question reference: S6W-09192

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to support early diagnosis of liver disease in at-risk populations.

Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone with liver disease is able to access the best possible care and support and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and person-centred.

We are working with the UK Government and other devolved administrations on the development of the revised UK-wide clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment, which will include the treatment of liver diseases. The updated guidelines are expected to be published for consultation later this year.

We are improving our ability to detect cancer and to treat it successfully. That is why we continue to invest in our £44m Detect Cancer Early Programme, which adopts a whole systems approach to diagnosing and treating cancer as early as possible. This will include the early detection of liver cancer.

General Practice and Primary Care multi-disciplinary teams will continue to play a key role in supporting patients with long-term condition management, including those with a diagnosis of liver disease, alongside specialist treatment services within Scotland’s healthcare system.

Question reference: S6T-00821

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update following the summit on safe access to abortion services convened by the First Minister.

Question reference: S6O-01293

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to support the establishment of more publicly-owned bus services.

Question reference: S6W-08821

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to FIVEXMORE's Black Maternity Experiences Survey, in particular the finding that 43% of respondents reported feeling discriminated against during their maternity care.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of FIVEXMORE’s [The] Black Maternity Experiences Survey – a Nationwide Study of Black Women’s Experiences of Maternity Services in the United Kingdom , published on 24 May 2022, and we are considering its findings carefully, alongside the actions and recommendations from all audit reports and the MBRRACE-UK confidential enquiries. Our expectation remains clear: that mothers and babies receive high-quality, person-centred maternity care at all times, tailored to their needs, with quality and safety central to decision-making.

We are participating in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Race Equality Taskforce . The Scottish Government’s Senior Medical Officer for Maternity and Women’s Health is a member of the Taskforce, which will make recommendations for actions in maternity services to tackle the inequity in outcomes for pregnant women and babies from minority ethnic communities.

Question reference: S6W-08717

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the demand on endoscopy services to diagnose coeliac disease.

The Scottish Government remains committed to enhancing diagnosis and care for people with coeliac disease in Scotland. We have developed a Scottish Coeliac Disease Pathway (2020) in partnership with people living with the condition, the charity Coeliac UK and clinicians. This has been shown to accelerate correct diagnosis and access to appropriate treatment (gluten-free diet and lifestyle) as detailed in the Coeliac Disease Pathway Report . It is our expectation that all Health Boards will fully implement this pathway.

We have also invested £70 million in support of our Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan . This includes a commitment to promote and implement guidelines for non-biopsy diagnosis for coeliac disease, which is expected to reduce waiting times for diagnosis for this condition. This plan will be overseen by the Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Elective Care Group (EUDECG) with representation from all key stakeholders to support delivery, including NHS Boards and Endoscopy units across the country.

Question reference: S6W-08716

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider standardising testing for coeliac disease by encouraging local audits of blood tests against endoscopies and biopsies.

Question reference: S6W-08752

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Birthrights report, Systemic racism, not broken bodies, on racial injustice and human rights in UK maternity care.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of Birthright’s report - Systemic Racism, not Broken Bodies , published on 23 May 2022 - and we are considering its findings carefully, alongside the actions and recommendations from all audit reports and the MBRRACE-UK confidential enquiries. Our expectation remains clear: that mothers and babies receive high-quality, person-centred maternity care, tailored to their needs, with quality and safety central to decision-making.

We are participating in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Race Equality Taskforce . The Scottish Government’s Senior Medical Officer for Maternity and Women’s Health is a member of the Taskforce, which will make recommendations for actions in maternity services to tackle the inequity in outcomes for pregnant women and babies from minority ethnic communities.

Chamber and committees