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: S5O-00950

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in light of reports that 65% of adults in Scotland are either overweight or obese.

Question reference: S5W-08024

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 21 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make the contact phone number for the Procurator Fiscal’s office in Ayrshire more accessible by ensuring that callers are only charged at local call rates.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has plans underway to migrate to a new 0300 telephone number range. 0300 numbers were introduced by Ofcom specifically for use by public sector bodies and charities to reduce the cost of calls for consumers. The adoption of 0300 numbers will enable COPFS’ callers to benefit from lower call charges, whilst enabling COPFS to continue to offer a single, trusted point of contact across its offices. Calls to 0300 numbers will cost the same or less than calls to 01 and 02 prefixed numbers. This applies to calls from any type of line including mobile, BT and other fixed line or payphone. COPFS aims to introduce the new 0300 telephone number range later in 2017, and precise timescales will be confirmed as part of the on-going transition planning processes.

In the meantime, COPFS has long-standing measures in place for providing geographic (01) number options for its many of its offices and key contacts numbers. This includes the provision of a 01 geographic number for its offices in Ayrshire and for its Enquiry Point service (the primary point of contact for callers to COPFS, including witnesses making enquiries about particular cases). All published numbers on COPFS’ website and official headed paper show the relevant local geographical numbers.

Question reference: S5O-00776

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Ayrshire and Arran’s reported under-recruitment of 30 consultants will adversely impact on its ability to safely operate the Combined Assessment Unit at Ayr Hospital when it opens in May 2017.

Question reference: S5O-00629

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the revised Scottish Wide Area Network project will be completed and delivered in full.

Question reference: S5W-03281

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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 introducing the recycling of crutches, walking sticks and other support aids to help save the NHS money.

The Scottish Government issued Guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations in 2008, which emphasises the importance of recycling community equipment. We have also published a report highlighting the benefits and potential savings to be made through effective recycling.

Decisions around which specific items of equipment are recycled remains a matter for individual health boards and local authorities to determine.

Question reference: S5O-00252

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the role of local authorities and communities directly in public service decision-making.

Question reference: S5W-03163

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether addressing the drop-out rate at universities is part of its Programme for Government.

The programme for government set out a number of measures which aim to support retention.

Since 2006-07 the percentage of UK domiciled full-time first degree entrants not continuing after their first year at a Scottish university has fallen from 10.6% to 8.0%. Although the improvement is welcome, the Scottish Government continues to work with universities and the Scottish Funding Council to secure further progress. This includes a commitment in the Programme for Government to conduct a review of Further Education and Higher Education student support, to ensure that the system is equitable and supports all students throughout their learner journey.

In addition, the Programme for Government highlights the Scottish Government will review the learner journey for 16-24 year olds to ensure that young people are supported to make well-informed choices, have equal opportunities to access the right options for them, and can move more easily through the education system, towards employment. The review will explore options for improving the learner’s experience, and this will include consideration of retention rates.

It also announced that the Scottish Government will conclude a review on what additional support nursing and midwifery students might need to enable wider participation and increased retention.

Question reference: S5W-03164

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it took over summer 2016 to help reduce the drop-out rate of students (a) at the University of the West of Scotland and (b) in other institutions.

The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, published in September 2016, set out measures aimed at improving retention rates across the sector. The Scottish Government has continued to work with universities and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to embed and improve progress made in recent years. This includes the SFC developing refreshed guidance for university Outcome Agreements, which include measures to improve retention.

For academic year 2016-17, the SFC has also strengthened and refocused Regional Coherence funding, renaming it the Widening Access and Retention Fund (WARF). This £15 million fund, is allocated to eight higher education institutions, who are expected to continue to demonstrate and maintain a significant commitment to the support, retention and successful outcomes of students from the most disadvantaged and deprived backgrounds. The University of the West of Scotland (UWS) was allocated £3.6 million from the WARF for 2016-17. UWS has implemented a range of initiatives to improve retention rates with help from this funding. Retention rates at UWS have improved in recent years, increasing from 70.6% in 2010-11 to 84.5% in 2014-15.

In addition, in August 2016, the SFC published its Gender Action Plan, which has as one of its strategic aims to “enhance the retention and completion at a subject level where there is a gap by gender”.

Question reference: S5W-03165

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when its new water rescue policy will be implemented.

Question reference: S5O-00215

Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce waiting times for initial hospital appointments following GP referrals in NHS Ayrshire and Arran.