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-19103

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18309 by Angela Constance on 9 June 2023, when it anticipates a decision on the long-term solutions for buildings will be taken.

Police Scotland updated the Scottish Police Authority Resources Committee on 9 May 2023, that it is working with structural engineers and business areas to identify longer term solutions for the areas where reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has been found. While these solutions will be considered in the context of the delivery of the Police Scotland Estate Strategy, Police Scotland will continue to closely monitor the condition of the RAAC in the affected buildings.

Question reference: S6W-19098

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of consultants working on the National Care Service has been to date.

Question reference: S6W-19145

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many times since January 2019 train services between North Berwick and Edinburgh Waverley have been cancelled for (a) all and (b) part of their journey due to (i) track problems, including signalling and flooding, and (ii) track congestion.

ScotRail advised that between 6 January 2019 [the start of 2018-19: reporting period 11] and 27 May 2023 [the end of 2023-24: reporting period 2], there were 444 full cancellations and 122 part-cancellations on the North Berwick line as a result of infrastructure issues. This is out of 68,274 trains planned for that route during this time (0.82 percent).

While full- or part-cancellations as a result of track congestion are not reported separately, ScotRail also advise that there were a further 46 full cancellations and 39 part-cancellations to ScotRail services as a result of the actions of other train operating companies. This is out of 68,274 trains planned for that route during this time (0.12 percent).

Question reference: S6W-19138

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

The Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening programme is commissioned by National Services Scotland (NSS) and operates out of eight centres across Scotland. Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally as this is a matter for Regional Screening Centres. However, Public Health Scotland publish programme statistics on an annual basis and the latest report can be viewed at : https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-aaa-screening-programme-statistics/scottish-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-aaa-screening-programme-statistics-year-ending-31-march-2022/

Question reference: S6W-19022

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18315 by Shona Robison on 7 June 2023, by what date its appointed specialist will have developed the scope for inspection surveys.

Question reference: S6W-19021

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18315 by Shona Robison on 7 June 2023, when it anticipates that inspection surveys will (a) begin and (b) finish.

Scottish Government has recently appointed an external professional advisor to provide guidance on the scope of building condition surveys required for Scottish Government buildings. It anticipates receiving details of the scope within approximately 8-10 weeks, surveys will be instructed immediately thereafter and in line with Scottish Government Procurement guidelines. The time to complete the surveys will be dependent on the scope provided, number of buildings and procurement guidance.

Question reference: S6W-19135

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for dementia research in each year since 2007.

The following table provides a breakdown of CSO funding in dementia research through project/fellowship funding and the annual funding provided to the NRS Dementia and Neuroprogressive Disease research network. Project and fellowship funding is allocated to the year in which the funding commitment was made. Data was extracted from the CSO database and covers research on Alzheimer’s Disease, other cause dementia and studies on cognitive ageing / decline. CSO’s research project funding panels were paused during 2020 due to COVID-19 related pressures but have since reopened.

Breakdown :

Year	Project / fellowship funding	NRS Network	Total
2022-23	£592,437	£566,000	£1,158,437
2021-22	£260,978	£527,000	£787,978
2020-21	£62,461	£506,000	£568,461
2019-20	£123,394	£506,000	£629,394
2018-19	£543,351	£506,000	£1,049,351
2017-18	£595,219	£496,000	£1,091,219
2016-17	£25,876	£491,000	£516,876
2015-16	£59,834	£486,000	£545,834
2014-15	£136,950	£486,000	£622,950
2013-14	£443,424	£481,000	£924,424
2012-13	£224,536	£481,000	£705,536
2011-12	£183,011	£475,754	£658,765
2010-11	£48,085	£395,661	£443,746
2009-10	£44,134	£340,330	£384,464
2008-09	0	£170,455	£170,455
2007-08	£156,248	N/A	£156,248

Question reference: S6W-19020

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what body or organisation has jurisdiction over the funding for the provision of services for deaf children, including for access to Auditory Verbal therapy.

NHS Health Boards and local authorities are responsible for the provision of, and funding for, services for deaf children. This includes the provision of specific therapeutic approaches.

The Scottish Government also funds the Scottish Sensory Centre and CALL Scotland to provide advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive technology, for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs.

Question reference: S6W-19019

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that every deaf child has the opportunity to access a specialist Auditory Verbal programme, as part of its commitment to deliver equal opportunities for every child.

NHS Health Boards and local authorities are responsible for the provision of, and funding for, services for deaf children. This includes the provision of specific therapeutic approaches.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Sensory Centre and CALL Scotland to provide advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive technology, for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs.

Question reference: S6W-19023

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18306 by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023, whether it (a) has provided and (b) plans to provide financial support to local authorities to undertake inspections of buildings for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

The Scottish Government has not provided financial support to local authorities to undertake inspections of buildings for reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete. It is the responsibility of building owners to undertake such inspections. The Health & Safety Executive is the UK-wide regulator for health and safety in workplaces. This legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government. The HSE, instructed by the UK Government, are developing a research methodology to assist with identification, assessment and remediation of RAAC and we will consider any recommendations appropriately.