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: S5W-07349

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take action to ensure that there is no permanent reduction in the opening hours of the out-of-hours GP service at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Question reference: S5W-07342

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the decision to review the opening hours for the out-of-hours GP service at the Vale of Leven Hospital, and what discussions it has had regarding this with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Question reference: S5W-07343

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde closed the out-of-hours GP service at the Vale of Leven Hospital on (a) 5, (b) 12 and (c) 19 February 2017, and what discussions it has had regarding this with the NHS board.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has advised that closure of the Out-of-Hours service at the Vale of Leven Hospital on the 5, 12 and 19 February 2017 was a temporary measure taken to protect patient care due to staff shortage.

The Hospital continued to have medical and nursing staff on site in the minor injuries service. Patients requiring emergency medical attention were treated by this service.

For those who needed to see a primary care service, but it was deemed not to be an emergency, transport was offered so that they could be transferred to an alternative out of hours service.

Question reference: S5W-07341

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether reducing the opening hours for the out-of-hours GP service at the Vale of Leven Hospital would contravene the commitments made in the Vision for the Vale.

The Scottish Government has been consistently clear that we see a bright future for the Vale of Leven hospital, which plays a crucial role in the local healthcare system.

We have sought and received assurances from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde that the continued provision of out of hours primary care services across the Clyde area, including at the Vale, is a key priority for the Health Board.

In November 2015, the Scottish Government published the report “Pulling together: transforming urgent care for the people of Scotland” which highlighted the need to think anew about what is best for both urgent care for the people of Scotland and that this would require transformational change across many sectors.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are undertaking a review of their Out of Hours Primary Care services in line with the report's recommendations and we expect the review to undertake meaningful engagement with the public in the shaping and delivery of locality based services.

Question reference: S5W-06821

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00622 by Jeanne Freeman on 1 February 2017, how many band E to H properties in each constituency will be newly entitled to council tax reduction.

Question reference: S5W-06822

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has provided to low income pensioner households in band E to H properties regarding their entitlement to claim council tax reduction since 31 December 2016.

COSLA has provided an agreed text for local authorities to send to all households, including low income pensioner households, in advance of the 2017-18 Council Tax year detailing the changes to Council Tax and the Council Tax Reduction scheme. This specifically highlights the extension of the Council Tax Reduction scheme to provide relief to low income households in properties in Council Tax Bands E to H.

Question reference: S5W-06815

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00622 by Jeanne Freeman on 1 February 2017, whether the Financial Health Check Service will assist low-income pensioner households to ensure that they claim council tax reduction.

In the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, Scottish Government committed to helping older people claim the financial support they are entitled to, as we know that if every person eligible for Pension Credit and Council Tax Reduction received their entitlement, this would help lower poverty levels among older people.

We will work with partners to develop a Financial Health Check, ensuring that advice on income maximisation for older people makes reference to their entitlements, including Council Tax Reduction where applicable. We will also explore with partners whether more needs to be done to raise awareness of entitlements for older people.

Question reference: S5W-06823

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the time limit is to claim a backdated council tax reduction.

Question reference: S5W-06820

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-00622 by Jeanne Freeman on 1 February 2017, how many low income pensioner households in band E to H properties in each constituency will be newly entitled to council tax reduction, and what the take-up target is.

It is estimated that up to 54,000 households across Scotland, more than one third of which are pensioner households, will be newly entitled to a Council Tax Reduction as a consequence of the scheme being extended to provide relief for low income households in properties in Council Tax bands E to H.

Estimates disaggregating this figure by constituency are not available.

As entitlement depends on individual household circumstances, including assessed income and savings, the Scottish Government does not have a formal target for the number of households who go on to receive such a reduction.

Question reference: S5O-00756

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s review of GP out-of-hours services.