Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-29755

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, following a review of existing facilities at St Brendan’s Hospital in Castlebay by NHS Assure, "heating systems, electrical wiring, and water systems have been identified as requiring upgrade in the very near future".

As a result of significant increases in construction costs due to inflation, and a lower than expected capital grant from the UK Government, a capital review is currently underway.

Alongside this, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29754

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Western Isles has identified £4.5 million of high-priority and high-cost works, "but has received a grant of just £1.29 million from the Scottish Government" for the works in 2024-25.

As a result of significant increases in construction costs due to inflation, and a lower than expected capital grant from the UK Government, a capital review is currently underway.

Alongside this, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29744

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Pre-Budget Fiscal Update proposal to reprofile the timing of project spend on the Hydrogen Emerging Energies Technology Fund will impact on the ability of the selected projects to develop and demonstrate renewable hydrogen technologies by the end of the funding period in 2026.

The Hydrogen Action Plan, published in December 2022, set out a clear commitment to support renewable hydrogen production.

The UK Government’s 10% cut on the Scottish Government capital budget has impacted Scottish government funding ability. However, on 16 September we launched a £7m funding call to enable companies to develop renewable green hydrogen production projects and support the development of the hydrogen supply chain in Scotland.

More details on the call can be found on the website of our delivery partner, Scottish Enterprise; Funding for development of hydrogen projects | Scottish Enterprise (scottish-enterprise.com)

Earlier this summer, on 14 August, I announced the £3.1m match-funding grant award to the Storegga Speyside Hydrogen Project in Moray. This will help to support the development stage of the construction of a new regional hydrogen production hub which will produce green hydrogen for operations across distilleries and other businesses in Moray.

Allocations from the first tranche of the Emerging Energy Technology Fund hydrogen investment programme, the Hydrogen Innovation Scheme, totalled nearly £7m to 31 projects, and were announced in May 2023. These projects will all conclude by 2025.

Question reference: S6W-29758

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Western Isles has designated the refurbishment of Medical Ward 2 at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway as high priority, but that this work is reportedly unaffordable in the current financial year.

As a result of significant increases in construction costs due to inflation, and a lower than expected capital grant from the UK Government, a capital review is currently underway.

Alongside this, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29756

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its decision to pause the replacement of St Brendan’s hospital in Castlebay; whether it has held any recent meetings with NHS Western Isles, and, if so, whether it can provide details of what was discussed.

In December 2023, given the extremely challenging capital funding position, NHS Boards were instructed to stop any project development spend and instead direct capital budgets towards maintenance of the existing estate and essential equipment and digital replacement. Boards were notified that the Scottish Government does not anticipate starting construction of any new project over the next two years at least.

We are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29757

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the air flow cleansing canopy in an NHS Western Isles operating theatre is showing signs of failure, but that this work is reportedly unaffordable in the current financial year.

As a result of significant increases in construction costs due to inflation, and a lower than expected capital grant from the UK Government, a capital review is currently underway.

Alongside this, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29753

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that NHS Western Isles has designated the acquisition of automated medicine cabinets as high priority, but that this is reportedly unaffordable in the current financial year.

As a result of significant increases in construction costs due to inflation, and a lower than expected capital grant from the UK Government, a capital review is currently underway.

Alongside this, we are working with all health boards to develop a whole-system infrastructure plan which reflects on the needs for the whole of Scotland and will support continued safe operation of existing facilities and well as determination of longer-term investment priorities.

Question reference: S6W-29684

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards prescribe ocrelizumab (Ocrevus) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS); how many patients in each NHS board are receiving this disease modifying therapy, and what its position is on whether it should be prescribed to appropriate patients.

Question reference: S6W-29629

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment in advance of the reported end of grant funding agreements for advice services in the Western Isles on 31 March 2024, and, if this is not the case, for what reason.

An Island Communities Impact Assessment has been carried out and will be published on the Scottish Government’s website The Scottish Government - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) by the end of September 2024. The current grant funding provision for the Western Isles Advice Project which is part of the Scottish Legal Aid Board’s Early Resolution and Advice Programme, will continue under the existing criteria for funding until 30 September 2024.

Question reference: S6W-29681

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards prescribe fingolimod (Gilenya) to treat multiple sclerosis (MS); how many patients in each NHS board are receiving this disease modifying therapy, and what its position is on whether it should be prescribed to appropriate patients.

Chamber and committees