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-21645

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 2 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what COVID-19 surveillance measures it will activate this autumn and winter to protect people with weakened immune systems who remain vulnerable to COVID-19.

In Scotland, respiratory infection levels, including those of COVID-19, and their impact are monitored using various sources of data, including microbiological sampling and laboratory test results from community and hospital settings, NHS 24 calls, primary care consultations, and hospital admissions. The intelligence generated from these different data sources provide a comprehensive picture of current respiratory illness in Scotland. In addition, COVID-19 outbreaks and general trends can be estimated by measuring concentrations of the virus in wastewater.

Surveillance of respiratory infections is a critical part of our approach to monitoring and managing the spread and prevalence of COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses. It helps us to determine the right public health strategies and timing, to manage transmission in the community. Public Health Scotland (PHS) are responsible for delivering Scotland’s National Respiratory Surveillance Plan with the support of the Scottish Government.

Our successful vaccination programme means many people previously considered at highest risk, and the wider population, are now far less likely to become seriously ill from Covid-19. However, people with a weakened immune system might not develop the same level of immunity from the vaccination as others. This means that some people with a weakened immune system may still be at higher risk from COVID-19, although many do get some protection from the vaccine. These people should continue to follow the advice of their GP or specialist clinician, who best know their health condition and circumstances. This may include accessing to antiviral treatment where required. The advice across respiratory diseases remains to get your booster when we invite you for vaccination and if you feel unwell with a respiratory infection to try to stay at home.

Question reference: S6F-02411

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2023

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the use of antidepressants in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20978

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19817 by Elena Whitham on 17 July 2023, what steps the MAT Implementation Support Team (MIST) is taking to work with (a) Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) and (b) local health boards to facilitate the sharing of good practice examples to support Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) implementation across Scotland.

The MAT Implementation Support Team (MIST) was established to work with and support local areas to build improvement-based capacity and capability so that they would be able to implement and sustain the MAT standards locally.

MIST support is provided through networking and regular support visits with a range of stakeholders including ADPs and local Health Boards to facilitate improvement work such as the sharing of good practice. Ministers have commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) to run a national learning system for implementing the standards which is mainly aimed at providing support to ADPs and Health Boards by sharing best practice.

So, MIST and HIS work together on this to support local areas. The HIS learning system includes networking and webinars as well as providing insights and materials such as case studies, resources and news stories which are shared across ADPs and Health Boards.

Local areas report regularly to Ministers on progress towards implementation of the MAT standards. Public Health Scotland publishes progress in an annual National Benchmarking Report each June based on the work of MIST, and in the second annual Report published in June this year included good practice case studies provided through the HIS learning system.

MIST are also holding thematic groups for each of the standards to bring stakeholders together, and there is a planned in person work shop for MAT Standard 3 – Assertive Outreach taking place in the Autumn.

Question reference: S6W-20744

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Corra Foundation for 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-20745

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding the Corra Foundation has distributed to third sector organisations since 1 June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-20977

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 8 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19814 by Elena Whitham on 17 July 2023, whether it will commit to ring-fencing funding for Royal Colleges for training and education programmes to raise awareness of the implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards.

The Scottish Government is keen to raise awareness of the implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards and there could be a role for Royal Colleges in contributing to this.

However, the training and education programmes provided by Royal Colleges are decided on by the Colleges, reflecting the needs and interests of their members and practitioners more widely.

The Scottish Government would certainly consider funding any relevant training and education programmes from the Royal Colleges.

Question reference: S6O-02497

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the number of alcohol-specific deaths in 2022.

Question reference: S6O-02471

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an estimate of the number of households whose council tax bills have risen this year.

Question reference: S6W-19815

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 1 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding will be allocated specifically to provide training on problem drug use for healthcare professionals working in primary care settings.

Healthcare professionals working in primary care settings play a vital role in the delivery of the national mission to reduce drug deaths and improve lives. The Scottish Government encourages these professionals to engage with the range of training opportunities available on drug use.

The Scottish Government provides funding to NHS Health Boards and a proportion of this funding is allocated for education and training. It is the responsibility of each Health Board to decide how this funding is allocated for staff training.

Scottish Government has, in previous years, provided funding to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) to deliver the Management of Problem Drug Use certificate. This is a multi-disciplinary course aimed at professionals working with people who use drugs across primary care settings, and beyond, including General Practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, nurses, prison healthcare staff, and individuals in third-sector.

Scottish Government has agreed to provide further funding, over the next three years, to support continued delivery of the certificate.

Question reference: S6W-19818

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 31 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether third sector organisations are still able to receive funding through the National Drugs Mission.