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-19509

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its acceptance of the recommendations in the report, Clinical Review of the Impacts of Hepatitis C: Short Life Working Group Report for the Scottish Government, when it expects to provide payments to people affected by contaminated blood-borne viruses, including hepatitis C and HIV, and how much each claimant will be entitled to.

The Scottish Government already provides a range of payments to those infected with hepatitis c and/or HIV and their widows, widowers or partners through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), as recommended by the Financial Review Group in 2015. Details of payments are as follows:

Individuals with advanced hepatitis c (HCV) or HIV – annual payments of £27,000 per year plus a £70,000 lump sum payment for new applicants.
Individuals infected with both HCV and HIV – annual payments of £37,000 per year plus a £70,000 lump sum payment for new applicants.
Widows, widowers, civil partners and other long-term cohabiting partners of those who had advanced HCV and/or HIV who have died – annual payments of 100% of the amount their spouse or partner would have been eligible to receive if they were still alive for the first twelve months after the death of the infected person and then 75% in subsequent years.
Individuals with chronic HCV receive a lump sum of £50,000 for new applicants. In light of the recommendations of the Clinical Review, they will also be eligible for an annual payment if they self-assess themselves as either severely or moderately affected by HCV. The levels of these new annual payments will be confirmed following the initial deadline of 5 November for individuals to return their application forms.

In addition, there are also Support and Assistance grants payments available to those who are infected and their widows, widowers and partners, particularly for those on lower incomes.

Question reference: S5O-02519

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment it has undertaken of the long-term effect on the economy of stockpiling goods and commodities.

Question reference: S5F-02725

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2018

To ask the First Minister what recent discussions the Scottish Government has had with the European Commission regarding the Highlands and Islands exemption from the Air Departure Tax.

Question reference: S5O-02477

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ACAS about it becoming involved in investigating allegations of bullying and harassment at NHS Highland.

The Scottish Government has offered external, independent support, to help NHS Highland understand and address the substance of the allegations and we are working to progress this.

Paul Gray, NHS Scotland Chief Executive has offered to meet the clinicians who made the allegations, to discuss their concerns. We have also offered to meet the GMB and other local trade unions, so they can share their views on the issues, in their role as staff representatives.

ACAS provide conciliation and arbitration services rather than the investigation of bullying and harassment concerns.

Question reference: S5W-18482

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark the centenary of the Forestry Commission in 2019.

Question reference: S5W-18676

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the first stage of recruitment of 400 locally-based jobs in Social Security Scotland, how many will be based in the Highlands and Islands, broken down by local authority area.

Nineteen Local Delivery Relationship Leads have been recruited to date, with two of these people to be based in the Highlands and Islands. One will be located in the Highlands and one in Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. While some Local Authorities, including Orkney and Shetland, will not have a Local Delivery Relationship Lead based in their area they will have a designated Lead. The Leads will meet regularly and work closely with Local Authorities and other public and third sector organisations to develop a service that is appropriate to the needs of the community.

The Local Delivery Relationship Leads will also build on the existing relationships Social Security Scotland officials have established, including those in the Highlands and Islands. Their role will be to plan for the local presence for frontline services ahead of the recruitment of further staff who will provide pre-claims advice and support as more benefits are delivered. In the interim where a person wants face-to-face support, arrangements will be made to meet this need.

Question reference: S5W-18771

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what restrictions are applied to people with implantable cardiovascular defibrillators that prevent them from having magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Almost all modern implantable devices such as implantable cardiovascular defibrillators (ICDs) and pacemakers are magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compatible so that the patient would be able to receive an MRI.

For patients with older devices which are not MRI compatible, decisions on care will be on an individual case basis. We would expect NHS Boards to have the appropriate local protocols in place.

Question reference: S5O-02353

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its assessment of the anticipated security of supply of medical isotopes after the UK leaves the EU.

Question reference: S5W-17688

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 6 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to place restrictions on the culling of mountain hares.

The Scottish Government opposes large-scale culls of mountain hares.

It may be necessary to control mountain hare numbers in specific circumstances, such as to protect native woodlands or commercial forestry.

The independently-led Grouse Moor Management Group, which was set up to examine how to ensure grouse moor management is sustainable and legally compliant, is also looking at mountain hare management. The group will report to the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in Spring 2019.

Currently, we are considering whether any measures in the interim may be appropriate, decisions on which will be informed by any firm, scientific evidence of significant population declines.

Question reference: S5W-17544

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for a new public health supplement to ensure transparency regarding contributions to public health spending as a result of the implementation of minimum unit pricing of alcohol and the consequent increase in revenue for retailers.

Modelling undertaken by the University of Sheffield in 2016 estimates that a 50 pence minimum unit price is estimated to result in an increase in revenue for the alcohol industry as a whole of around £34 million each year. This is a high level estimate of revenue, not profit.

NHS Health Scotland are leading a wide ranging evaluation programme which includes exploring the impact minimum unit pricing has on the alcohol market.

We do not consider that the current economic circumstances are suitable to introduce a public health supplement and have no plans to do so at this time. We will keep this under review.