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-03331

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the remote outpatient care scheme for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is in place at NHS Highland and NHS Tayside to the other NHS boards.

The Remote Outpatient Care (ROC) scheme has been developed between NHS Highland and third sector organisations, and was trialled in NHS Highland and NHS Tayside areas. Best practice recommendations related to e-health tools are contained within ‘Scotland Leading the Way: a National Blueprint for IBD in Scotland’, published in 2016 by Crohn’s and Colitis UK with support from the Scottish Government. ROC has been highlighted within the Blueprint as an example of an innovative solution which can support people with IBD.

Question reference: S5W-03332

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on increasing the faecal protection testing that is required to differentiate between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

We welcome the publication of ‘Scotland Leading the Way: a National Blueprint for IBD in Scotland’, published in 2016 by Crohn’s and Colitis UK with support from the Scottish Government, which recommends the use of faecal calprotectin testing (FCP) as an option to support clinicians in ensuring timely referral for IBD diagnosis. This recommendation is supported by current clinical evidence of the value of FCP in preventing the need for more invasive investigations for people with a diagnosis of IBS. We will continue to work with C&CUK to engage with NHS boards and encourage improvements as set out in the Blueprint.

Question reference: S5W-03330

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the capacity of the NHS to deal with the psychological aspects of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The Scottish Government expects NHS boards to respond to the clinical and mental health needs of their population. To assist in providing effective, evidence-based treatments, the Scottish Government provides funding to NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to host the ‘The Matrix: A Guide to Delivering Evidence-based Psychological Therapies in Scotland’, an evidence-based guide for NHS boards on effective psychological treatments for a range of mental health issues, including depression and anxiety, which people with effects from inflammatory bowel disease may experience.

If there is an absence of strong evidence for the treatment of a particular condition, the Matrix advises that clinical judgment should be used if considering interventions which have been shown to be effective for similar problems in other adult populations.

Crohn’s and Colitis UK’s report ‘Scotland Leading The Way: a National Blueprint for Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Scotland’, launched with the support of the Scottish Government in June 2016, also contains best practice recommendations related to improving psychological support for IBD patients.

Question reference: S5W-02988

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to mitigate the impact of the increase in part-time employment and the use of fractional contracts.

Question reference: S5W-03670

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the funding it provides for scientific research.

The Scottish Government, through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), has invested in excess of £4 billion in the higher education sector in the last four years. A further £1 billion is being invested in 2016-17, with core research funding maintained at a level of £232 million in 2016-17, representing a continued key investment in Scotland’s future.

We have also established a Strategic Funding Group, consisting of Principals nominated by Universities Scotland, the SFC and Scottish Government officials to consider how increased excellence and equity can be achieved by the higher education sector in future.

Question reference: S5W-03664

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to encourage universities to end the use of fractional contracts.

The terms and conditions of employment of staff is a matter for individual universities as autonomous institutions. However, the Scottish Government would encourage every university to adhere to the principles of fair work, set out in the Fair Work Framework, published in April 2016. Ministers commitment to this was further highlighted in the Interim Letter of Guidance issued to the Scottish Funding Council on 29 September 2016.

Question reference: S5O-00282

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for local authorities to be given greater fiscal autonomy to raise their own money and manage their local economies.

Question reference: S5W-03380

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government regarding closing tax loopholes created by Scottish limited partnerships.

The Scottish Government recognises that the current governance arrangements around the registration and operation of Scottish Limited Partnerships allows for their inappropriate use by organisations intent on carrying out criminal activity or avoid tax. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Constitution wrote on 9 August to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and we are currently considering the response. My officials also met recently with officials from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and HM Revenue and Customs to discuss SLPs.

Question reference: S5W-02989

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of large employers that are signed up to the Living Wage accreditation scheme.

The First Minister's Independent Advisor on Poverty and Inequality, Naomi Eisenstadt, published her report, Shifting the Curve, in January 2016. One recommendation in the report was that we build on Living Wage Accreditation. On 12 March 2016 the First Minister set a new target of 1,000 accredited employers by Autumn 2017 and we are supporting this by increasing funding for the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative to £300,000 and we are working with them and their leadership group to support their efforts to target larger employers.

Question reference: S5W-02987

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve conditions for people in poverty who are in paid employment.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01646 on 23 August 2016. Since then the Fairer Scotland Action Plan was published on 5 October 2016, with 50 government actions for this parliamentary term and a call for everyone to get involved in delivering a fairer and more prosperous country. As well as responding to the Fairer Scotland discussions, the Plan sets out progress to date on meeting the recommendations of the report of Naomi Eisenstadt the Independent Adviser on Poverty and Inequality.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx