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-25106

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to minimise waste across NHS Scotland, including to encourage the return of used crutches, wheelchairs and walking frames.

The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 contains a number of actions linked to resource use, including management and reduction of waste, in line with Scottish Targets. Walking aids are included within this, and a number of Boards have trialled and put systems in place to take-back, test and re-use items subject to warranty and liability.

Scottish Government’s guidance on the provision of equipment and adaptations states “partnerships and their equipment and adaptation service providers should ensure they maximise the potential benefits from recycling of all equipment”. In line with this guidance, we are currently engaging with Health Boards to gather a national picture of what action is being taken on this matter, and to ensure the timely provision of equipment to support people to live safely within their own home and community.

Question reference: S6W-25480

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what specific actions it is taking to reduce waiting times for ear, nose and throat treatment.

The Scottish Government commissioned Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) is playing a central role in working with Health Boards to ensure that they are able to continually identify new ways to increase capacity, and to respond to demand through service innovation and redesign.

CfSD programmes have developed strong clinically-led Specialty Delivery Groups (SDG), including one for Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), which promote multidisciplinary team working, and support local adoption of service improvement programmes. These groups are now well established and have supported several new and innovative pathway developments to free-up additional capacity in the NHS system, many of which are now being successfully scaled up across Scotland. For ENT this includes Active Clinical Referral Triage (ACRT), Discharge Patient Initiated Review (PIR) and Opt-In Pathways.

We know there is more to do but we are making progress; since the introduction of our long wait targets in July 2022, ENT waits over two years have reduced by 93% for new outpatient appointments and by 54% for inpatient and day-case patients.

Question reference: S6W-24936

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support schools to use the correct digital infrastructure and technologies.

Digital technology is an important aspect of any modern education system. To support continued development and use of digital technology to enhance teaching and learning, the Scottish Government is developing a new digital strategy for education.

This new digital strategy will outline the role we believe digital tools and services can play in the future of Scottish Education, and will outline central actions being undertaken to support planning and delivery in this space. Work with partners on development of this strategy is ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-25105

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the Office of the Public Guardian is sufficiently supported to perform its public duties.

In recognition of the ongoing pressures on the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, including the Office of the Public Guardian, additional funding for SCTS in 2024-25 was prioritised. The 2024-25 budget provides an additional £9.7 million resource and £3.9 million additional capital budget . As a non-Ministerial public body, d ecisions on the allocation of these additional resources are for the judicially-led SCTS Board.

Question reference: S6W-24923

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what measures it is taking to improve the take-up of languages in education.

Since 2013 the Scottish Government has provided local authorities and third sector partners with funding of over £50m in support of the implementation of the 1+2 languages approach in schools.

A 2021 survey of local authorities confirmed that pupils across Scotland are now learning languages from primary one and continuing throughout their broad general education, up to the point when they make their subject choices.

We remain committed to language learning in the broad general education and the senior phase. We continue to work with Education Scotland which provides national guidance, resources and professional learning programmes for teachers. We also continue to fund third sector partners such as Strathclyde University who host Scotland’s National Centre for Languages (SCILT). SCILT provides professional development, classroom resources and undertakes activity to promote language learning. We are also happy to meet with other partners and interested parties to discuss further ways of supporting languages in schools.

In terms of post-school education, universities and colleges are responsible for their own course provision. In line with our Purpose and Principles for the post-school education and skills system, the Scottish Government will continue to work with both sectors to ensure that they deliver the best outcomes and impact for learners, the economy and society.

Question reference: S6W-25104

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to reduce the average processing times for power of attorney applications.

The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is part of the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service (SCTS). As such, operational decisions regarding power of attorney applications are the responsibility of SCTS under the leadership of its independent board headed by the Lord President.

The Scottish Government has provided SCTS with additional funding since 2021 to support OPG recovery and further additional funding last year to support the replacement of the Office of the Public Guardian IT system.

Work on the new OPG IT system, which is expected to reduce processing times for power of attorney applications, is progressing as planned and it is expected that the first phase of the work will be completed this year.

The Scottish Government typically meets OPG once every 3-6 months to discuss ongoing business matters, including registration of powers of attorney.

Question reference: S6W-25191

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is sufficiently equipped to respond to any hazards arising from battery storage facilities.

Question reference: S6W-25190

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to equip and support the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to better respond to any hazards arising from battery storage facilities.

Question reference: S6W-25189

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding any risks associated with an increasing number of battery storage facilities.

Question reference: S6O-03095

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling NHS waiting times for conditions affecting children, adolescents and young adults.