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: S4W-09027

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make representations to the UK Government regarding updating British Standards BS 8300 on wheelchair size.

Question reference: S4W-09024

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recent action it has taken to promote disability awareness and equality training in the NHS.

The promotion of disability awareness and equality training is the responsibility of individual NHS boards. Scottish Government is committed to promoting equality of opportunity and the Equal Opportunity Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy is currently under review to reflect recent changes in legislation. Scottish Government also sponsors NHS boards’ gold membership of the Employers Forum on Disability that provides advice and guidance on disability issues.

Question reference: S4W-09025

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether electronic note-takers are available at public conferences that it organises.

The Scottish Government actively promotes and encourages inclusive communication, including communication support at public conferences and events, to ensure that disabled people have the same freedom, choice, dignity and control as other citizens.

The Scottish Government endeavours to ensure that appropriate means of communication support including electronic notetakers, if appropriate, are made available at public conferences that it organises, if requested and if identified as a requirement in advance.

Question reference: S4W-09026

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 28 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what recent reviews it has carried out of the accessibility of NHS premises for wheelchair users.

Question reference: S4O-01209

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2012
Current Status: Answered by Linda Fabiani on 27 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide benches in the garden area.

Question reference: S4W-07352

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 June 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

The Minister for Public Health last met with the Cystic Fibrosis Trust on 2 November 2011.

Officials in the Clinical Priorities Team of the Scottish Government maintain regular contact and good relations with the trust.

We welcome any opportunity to work with charities to help improve the lives of people living with cystic fibrosis and would welcome a further invitation to meet with the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Question reference: S4W-07095

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to keep under review the implementation of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS.

The Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS, for use by General Practitioners has been developed as part of the process of ensuring that people living with ME-CFS get better and more consistent standards of care, including quicker and more reliable diagnosis. The Statement provides GPs with an algorithm setting out the generic care pathway.

The Quick Reference Clinical Guide and a Guide for Patients versions of the Good Practice Statement have been distributed widely to GPs, clinicians and the voluntary sector across Scotland to promote good practice. The Statement and its supporting documents can be found at:

http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/GoodPracticeStatementonME-CFSforGeneralPractitioners

It is NHS Boards that are responsible for the design and delivery of services to meet the needs of their local populations. The guidance provided in the good practice statement should not be regarded as prescriptive. Such general advice will always need to be modified by GPs in line with the needs of the individual patient.

There are however some encouraging examples of good practice. For example, NHS Lothian recently held a launch of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on
ME-CFS for local GPs to help raise awareness of the guidance. This event also introduced the new Lothian ME-CFS Patient Pathway and helped put the Scottish Good Practice Statement into a Lothian context.

The Scottish Government has also provided funding to develop and pilot an ME-CFS Service in NHS Lothian. We hope it might encourage other NHS boards to adopt a similar approach should the pilot prove successful.

Question reference: S4O-01046

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with veterans associations and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S4O-00921

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on expanding the involvement of colleges in the renewables sector.

Question reference: S4W-06445

Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2012
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult on simplifying the Carbon Reduction Commitment.

Yes. When introducing the CRC in the Scottish Parliament in February 2010, I said we’d keep it under review and amend if necessary. We have engaged with stakeholders and listened to their concerns. I am pleased to report that in partnership with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations, tomorrow we will launch a consultation on simplification of the CRC. Our proposals will reduce the administrative burdens for participants without undermining the energy efficiency and emissions reduction objectives of the scheme.

We plan to implement the proposals through amended legislation by April 2013.