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: S4W-18763

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 06 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it will make of whether each stage of the upgrade of the A9 will result in a modal shift of use of the (a) A82 and (b) Highland mainline.

Question reference: S4W-18760

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 06 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 18 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the A82 will be subject to further upgrading following the completion of the Crianlarich bypass and, if so, (a) where and (b) when.

The £500,000 package of environmental and engineering surveys between Tarbet and Inverarnan as announced in June 2011 is now complete. A £2 million feasibility study of the 17km section of the A82 from Tarbet to Inverarnan started this summer and is programmed to take around two years to complete. The Crianlarich Bypass itself is programmed to open by late Summer 2014.

Further measures between Glasgow and Fort William including climbing lanes; overtaking lay-bys and junction improvements are identified in the Strategic Transport Projects Review. The detail of these will be delivered as funding allows.

Transport Scotland will also continue to work closely with The Highland Council on the Inverness West Link Road where it joins the A82 at Tomnahurich Bridge.

Question reference: S4O-02664

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the review of wild fisheries management that it announced during the passage of the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18112

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with the pharmaceutical sector regarding the cost of drugs.

The Scottish Government has regular engagement with the pharmaceutical industry on a range of issues. In the context of the on-going work around the Health and Sport Committee’s Inquiry on access to new medicines the Scottish Government has engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including the pharmaceutical industry, about how the cost effectiveness of new medicines is evaluated in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-18113

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with other organisations that purchase pharmaceutical supplies.

The Scottish Government engages on an on-going basis with NHS National Services Scotland National Procurement, health boards, and Community Pharmacy Scotland.

NHS National Services Scotland National Procurement negotiates purchasing contracts for pharmaceutical supplies on behalf of health boards for pharmaceutical supplies used within NHS Scotland hospitals. Community pharmacy Scotland is the body the Scottish Government recognises as representative of community pharmacies, who purchase pharmaceutical supplies dispensed in the community in Scotland on NHS prescriptions.

Question reference: S4W-18106

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it last acquired stocks of Tamiflu; on whose advice this was purchased; how much it cost to purchase; whether the purchase was subject to a tendering process; what assessment it has made of the benefits of the purchase; what remaining stock of the drug it has, and whether it has an expiry date.

The Scottish Government, along with the other UK administrations, maintains a stockpile of Tamiflu, sufficient for 35% of the population in the event of an influenza pandemic, the highest priority risk on the National Risk Register. This stockpile is maintained on an ongoing basis. The cost of purchasing this level of stockpile at the manufacturer’s full cost price is £22.1 million at current exchange rates. However, in reprocuring new stock to replace that which has expired, the Scottish Government benefits from a significant reduction in that cost price. The level of that reduction is commercially confidential.

The contract for Tamiflu was competitively tendered by the UK Government Department of Health acting on its own behalf and as agent for the Scottish Government. The competition was carried out in accordance with the EU procurement rules as set out in the Public Contracts Regulations 2006.

In terms of the benefits of stockpiling Tamiflu, it is a licensed product and evidence reviews continue to support the view that it can reduce the length of time that people are ill and reduce the potential for serious complication. Modelling indicates that the stockpiling of antivirals is expected to be cost beneficial given the range of future challenges which are possible from influenza pandemics.

Decisions on stockpiling Tamiflu taken by the UK administrations are based on reviews of the scientific evidence base, expert analysis and modelling work, all carried out by the UK Government’s scientific advisory groups, which contain representation from internationally renowned independent academics, as well as governmental expertise. Maintaining a stockpile of Tamiflu is also in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance.

Question reference: S4W-18103

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on flu vaccinations in 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18104

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government on whose advice the 2013-14 flu vaccine was chosen.

Flu viruses change continuously and the World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the epidemiology of flu viruses throughout the world. Each year it makes recommendations about the strains to be included in vaccines for the forthcoming winter.

With regard to the choice of influenza Trivalent Inactivated Vaccines, there is a free market, with GPs and others ordering directly from flu vaccine suppliers.

Advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) indicated that the Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine was more effective than inactivated vaccines for use in children. Following this advice, the Department of Health and Public Health England conducted a procurement exercise on behalf of the UK Health Departments for the new childhood influenza vaccination programme, which resulted in supplies of Fluenz being made available to vaccinate some children across the UK this flu season as part of a phased rollout of that programme. There is currently no licensed alternative available in the UK.

Question reference: S4W-18105

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the tendering process is for supplying flu vaccine.

There is no tendering process for the influenza trivalent inactivated vaccines. There is a free market, with GPs and others ordering directly from flu vaccine suppliers.

In relation to the live attenuated influenza vaccine, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation issued a statement on 25 July 2012 advising that research indicated that live attenuated influenza vaccine (Fluenz) was more effective than inactivated vaccines for use in children.

It was agreed that the Department of Health and Public Health England would conduct a procurement exercise on behalf of the UK Health Departments for the new childhood influenza vaccination programme.

Question reference: S4W-18101

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons an emergency timetable extending journey times for railway services on the Far North and Kyle line was introduced on 28 October 2013.

A modified timetable has been introduced for services between Inverness and Thurso/Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh to improve the punctuality and reliability of the timetable and ensure connection times are met with other public transport services.

Not all services on these routes have been adversely affected with the introduction of this new timetable. Of those services that have been affected, journey times have been extended by a maximum of two minutes.

Network Rail and First ScotRail are working closely together to produce an improved and more resilient timetable for Far North and Kyle services, which is expected to be introduced for the May 2014 timetable change.