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-11357

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the 2018 General Medical Services (GMS) Contract in Scotland, particularly in regards to rural GPs.

The Scottish Government published a summary of progress towards implementation of the 2018 GMS Contract and its associated Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in June 2022:

Primary care improvement plans: summary of implementation progress - March 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

As the publication sets out, there are now 3,220 whole time equivalent (WTE) healthcare professionals, such as pharmacists, mental health workers and physiotherapists, recruited into multi-disciplinary teams supporting general practice teams. Of this total, nearly 700 are working in areas with remote and rural communities.

It should, however, be noted that it is not expected that all GP practices in Scotland will take up these NHS Board provided services. As service delivery models are designed specifically according to local population needs, there are variations in approach across the country.

The next progress update will be published in summer 2023.

We are also actively incentivising remote and rural General Practice in several ways. The Golden Hello scheme offers a one-off bursary of £10,000 to every GP taking up an eligible post in a remote and rural area.

Furthermore, ScotGEM is a four-year graduate-entry medical degree which began in 2018, with a focus on rural medicine and healthcare improvement, supporting graduates to choose careers in general practice. Students on the ScotGEM course are offered a 'return of service' bursary, a grant worth up to £16,000 in total, in exchange for working in NHS Scotland for up to four years. 70 places will be offered on the course from 2022-23 onwards, following an increase of 15 places in line with the recent PfG commitment.

The Scottish Government is also working closely with partners including the Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative (SRMC) to find solutions for remote and rural GP recruitment. The four rural boards in the north of Scotland have piloted an innovative recruitment campaign called Rediscover The Joy (RTJ). RTJ aims to recruit experienced GPs to provide support for remote and rural practices and, to date, this has been an initiative run in NHS Shetland, Orkney, Highland and Western Isles.

Question reference: S6O-01459

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the steps it is taking to tackle violence against women.

Question reference: S6W-10802

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether Kinloch Castle, Isle of Rum, (a) has been sold, (b) is in the process of being sold and (c) has been offered to the community.

NatureScot, as custodians of the castle are in the process of negotiating a private sale and the castle estate is under offer. Private sale comes on the back of previous attempts to secure a sustainable future via other routes, including Community Asset Transfer under the provisions of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. NatureScot are actively engaged with the Isle of Rum Community Trust (IRCT), as part of sale process.

Question reference: S6W-11184

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10424 by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2022, whether it will provide an indication of in which year this review will take place.

Question reference: S6W-11123

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any changes to the A83 Task Force, including (a) to its (i) attendees and (ii) meeting frequency and (b) whether it will be independently chaired.

With the exception of two additional MSPs being invited to the Taskforce meeting on 29 September 2022, there has been no changes to the recent core attendee list.

I agreed at the last Taskforce meeting on 29 September to increase the frequency of meetings to three times per year, the next Taskforce meeting will be held January 2023, after the medium term proposals have been announced. In relation to the suggestion to appoint an independent chair I put it to the Taskforce members for discussion and it was agreed at the meeting I would chair the Taskforce meetings going forward.

Question reference: S6W-11121

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when in 2022 the medium-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will be selected and published.

Question reference: S6W-11120

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial preparations have been put in place ahead of the selection of the medium-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.

Question reference: S6W-11122

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the preliminary ground investigations at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will be completed.

Question reference: S6W-10728

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 29 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Marine Services, a division of Orkney Islands Council, regarding the framework on the transformation plan for harbour development to assist in developing the infrastructure needed for the renewables sector.

I met with Orkney Islands Council Harbour Authority on 11 April 2022, during my visit to Orkney. The purpose of that meeting was to provide an update, following previous meetings, on the progress of the Orkney Harbours Masterplan. During the discussion, we specifically focussed on the work underway to develop and enhance the Scapa Deep Water Quay and Halston Pier, both of which will provide new opportunities for use by the Offshore Wind sector.

Question reference: S6W-10726

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is proactively working with the UK Government to secure funding opportunities for the renewables sector in Scotland.

The Scottish Government works with the UK Government, and with local government and the wider public sector, to maximise investment in Scotland’s renewables sector. Notably, through the £75m Energy Transition Fund, the Scottish Government is match funding UK Government funding in two key energy transition projects:

(1) £26.3m to the Energy Transition Zone. The zone will transform North East Scotland into a globally integrated energy cluster focussed on accelerating net zero. It aims to generate 2,500 new jobs in Aberdeen and realise as much as £400m GVA.

(2) £6.5m to the Global Underwater Hub (GUH). The GUH will support the globally competitive underwater sector in the UK to accelerate the transition to net zero, drive innovation and growth and make a step change in the development and internationalisation of technology and services.

The Energy Transition Fund will protect existing jobs and create new jobs in the North East, and across Scotland by opening up opportunities through energy transition and harnessing private sector funding.

The investment will also benefit the wider Scottish energy sector and broader supply chain, working with local businesses to maximise the economic benefits, create and support sustainable jobs and contribute to inclusive economic growth across the country.