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-31311

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of industrial incidents requiring post-mortem examinations there have been in Aberdeen in the last year.

Question reference: S6W-31290

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure the (a) timely and (b) accurate completion of post-mortem examinations in Aberdeen.

COPFS work closely with the mortuary team and locum pathologists to ensure that post mortem examinations taking place in Aberdeen are completed within the target turnaround time in the majority of cases. Regular performance updates are provided to COPFS and stakeholders work collaboratively to address any performance issues.

All post mortems are completed by experienced NHS consultant pathologists following the Royal College of Pathologist guidance and standards.

Question reference: S6W-31291

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been allocated to improve pathology services in Aberdeen in the next five years.

The cost of forensic pathology is met from within the COPFS annual budget allocation from the Scottish Government which does not extend to five years.

NHS Grampian and other key stakeholders are working on establishing a forensic pathology service based in Aberdeen and COPFS is supporting that process. In addition, the opening of a new Aberdeen mortuary in 2025 will improve the experience of mortuary staff and bereaved families who engage with pathology services in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31263

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time forensic pathologists are based in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31266

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many part-time forensic pathologists have been based in Aberdeen in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-31292

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many post-mortem examinations have been conducted in Aberdeen in the last year.

Question reference: S6W-31305

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the current staffing levels are for support staff assisting forensic pathologists in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31312

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has been on the (a) availability and (b) scheduling of post-mortem examinations in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31265

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many part-time forensic pathologists are based in Aberdeen.

Question reference: S6W-31264

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 3 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time forensic pathologists have been based in Aberdeen in each of the last 10 years.

Year	Locum Forensic Pathologist	Trainee Forensic Pathologist
2014	0	0
2015	0	0
2016	0	0
2017	0	1
2018	0	1
2019	0	1
2020	0	0
2021	0	0
2022	0	1
2023	1	1

View & Grant Examination	1 Doctor Post Mortem	2 Doctor Post Mortem	Total
57	489	30	576

Year	Full-Time Forensic Pathologists in Aberdeen
2014	2
2015	2
2016	2
2017	2
2018	2
2019	1
2020	2
2021	2
2022	2
2023	0