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: S6O-04496

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 1 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of some teachers requesting self-defence classes due to the prevalence of violence in schools.

It is the Government’s understanding that Freedom of Information requests recently released by Scotland’s Councils found that only two teachers across Scotland have made this request, whilst fifteen other Councils that responded said no requests have been made.

Our approach is focused on creating safe and nurturing schools, prioritising prevention and de-escalation of distressed behaviour.

Teachers and pupil support staff should be supported through their school’s relationships and behaviour policy. Arrangements for de-escalation and support should be provided to them where situations do escalate.

This is a view shared by some of our teaching unions, including NASUWT and the SSTA.

Question reference: S6W-35233

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland have (a) transfusion dependent thalassaemia and (b) sickle cell disease, also broken down by how many might be eligible for treatment with exagamglogene autotemcel, a gene-edited therapy manufactured in Scotland, if this was made available.

Question reference: S6W-35234

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, following the treatment, exagamglogene autotemcel, which is a gene-edited therapy manufactured in Scotland, being approved for use in England to treat (a) transfusion dependent thalassaemia and (b) sickle cell disease, what engagement it is having with the NHS and suppliers toward making this available in Scotland, also broken down by what date it will be made available to people eligible for it, if approved.

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has received a submission through the Ultra-Orphan Pathway from the marketing authorisation holder, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, for exagamglogene autotemcel (Casgevy®) for the treatment of transfusion-dependent ß-thalassaemia in patients 12 years of age and older. A decision on whether Casgevy® is accepted on to the Ultra-Orphan Pathway for this indication will be published on the SMC website in due course.

The SMC has not yet received a submission from Vertex Pharmaceuticals for Casgevy® for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34796 on 25 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6O-04441

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress with the cladding remediation programme.

Question reference: S6O-04289

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support and grow the night-time economy in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6O-04263

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the replacement of HMP Barlinnie, including in relation to the delivery date and cost.

Question reference: S6W-32257

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for which conditions policy will be developed as a result of the additional funding for long-term conditions outlined in its draft Budget 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-32367

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that contracts with pharmacies in NHS Lothian to receive and replace used sharps bins for patients requiring to take injectable medicines have ended due to lack of funds.

The Scottish Government is aware that currently some individuals across NHS Lothian are experiencing difficulties disposing of their sharps waste.

While the provision of NHS pharmaceutical services is the responsibility of the Scottish Government, the responsibility for providing arrangements for individuals to safely dispose of prescribed needles and other associated sharps waste is the responsibility of local Health Boards. In NHS Lothian this is delivered by community pharmacies through a local enhanced service for prescribed medicines and sharps waste disposal.

The Scottish Government is in close contact with NHS Lothian, and the Board is actively working with their four Health and Social Care Partnerships and Community Pharmacy Lothian to address the situation.

Question reference: S6W-32366

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the recommended protocol is for (a) disposing of and (b) obtaining replacement sharps bins.

Question reference: S6W-32258

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that primary care clinical teams can provide the best (a) prevention, (b) diagnosis and (c) treatment of chronic kidney disease.

General Practitioners are experienced in preventing, diagnosing, and treating chronic kidney disease and follow established professional guidelines, including those by NICE, in supporting patients through this chronic condition.

Professional clinical management decisions about how best to prevent, diagnose and treat chronic kidney disease by primary care teams are the responsibility of NHS boards and primary care clinicians.