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-33474

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the chemicals firm, Scotmas, was awarded a £460,000 contract for supplying chlorine tablets to the NHS; whether the contract was competitively tendered, and, if not, for what reason.

Scottish Government does not hold the details of the tendering of this contract because NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) are responsible for national procurement contracts on behalf of NHSScotland and they have a stringent and robust procurement system, including all appropriate due diligence prior to the award of any contract.

The direct award of contracts was an essential measure to secure and safeguard Scotland’s PPE and other supplies during a global pandemic that led to unprecedented global demand for these goods. In such circumstances direct awards are allowed under Procurement law.

Question reference: S5O-04858

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase democratic engagement.

Question reference: S5W-33484

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason degree courses at West Lothian College offered in partnership with Edinburgh Napier University have ended, and how the end of such collaborative working will impact on its widening access agenda.

Edinburgh Napier University's decision to withdraw the BA Business Management Course at West Lothian College is a matter for the university. However, increasing articulation routes remains a key priority for the Scottish Government as we work with institutions to widen access to higher education. We have been assured by Edinburgh Napier University that they remain committed to growing articulation and have plans in place to develop their close partnership working with West Lothian College. The College and University are in active dialogue working to progress these plans for the benefit of learners. We will continue to monitor progress on articulation through the Outcome Agreement process.

Question reference: S5W-33482

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to widen access to degree courses at colleges.

Increasing articulation routes remains a key priority for the Scottish Government as we work with institutions to widen access to higher education.

Articulation from college to university is a key route into degree level study for many learners from disadvantaged backgrounds however students can also study for a degree within some colleges who are affiliated with a university.

We have invested in additional places for students progressing from college further or higher education courses to degree level courses.

Through our work on the Learner Journey - we continue to work with colleges and universities to improve the opportunities for college students to articulate to degree course whether that be in college or into all our universities.

Question reference: S5W-33483

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that degree courses offered at West Lothian College continue.

Edinburgh Napier University remains committed to delivering and growing its articulation routes and partnership working in line with previous Outcome Agreements with Scottish Funding Council. The University continues to work with West Lothian College to expand articulation routes within the Business School, including Business Management, Accounting, Tourism and Festival and Events. In addition to their existing arrangements through the Programme Leaders, Articulation Support Tutors and Widening Participation Team, they have committed to extending their outreach activities to support the student experience and reduce anxiety that may arise over the transition from College to University.

Question reference: S5T-02571

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that safe care home visiting can take place.

Question reference: S5W-33418

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve needle and syringe provision to help meet its commitment to eliminate hepatitis C by 2024.

Injecting Equipment Provision Services (IEPs) are a crucial harm reduction measure for those who use drugs, and are a fundamental part of providing low threshold support services for those most at risk. It is the responsibility of Health Boards and local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to ensure that they provide a range of services, including IEPs, that meet the needs of their resident population.

It is important that we do all we can to encourage people to access these important services, and our 2018 alcohol and drug strategy, and its accompanying action plan (2019-21), include a number of actions focused on improving access to services, including IEP services, and removing barriers to those who want to access them. Stigma in particular can act as a significant barrier, and the Drug Death Taskforce has recently published a stigma strategy, a strategic plan that will help direct future work in order to reduce stigma.

We are also encouraging innovative approaches to help improve provision of these services and to maximise engagement with them. For example, the Drug Deaths Taskforce recently provided funding of £18,531 to provide a needle exchange van in Glasgow, and we are also examining the sustainability of measures introduced during the course of the pandemic, such as posting IEP equipment to people or arranging for home delivery.

NHS Tayside announced on 28 July that it has become the first region in the world effectively eliminate Hepatitis C through its pioneering approach to treating the disease.

The NHS Tayside project provides early intervention treatment and targets people who inject drugs without waiting until they go on to recovery programmes or stop using drugs. Testing and treatment is offered in nurse-led community clinics, as well as in more than 60 community pharmacies, in prisons and drug treatment services, including third sector drug services. Offering different pathways to access testing and treatment, as done in NHS Tayside, can prevent people passing the virus on to others and helps stop the spread of Hepatitis C among the population.

All of this will be important as we work towards elimination of Hepatitis C by 2024. For more information on our efforts to achieve this, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33375 on 2 December 2020.

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 .

Question reference: S5W-33626

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 4 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the most up-to-date figures are for suicide rates.

Question reference: S5W-33417

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 3 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on its commitment to eliminate hepatitis C by 2024.

Question reference: S5W-32758

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Dr Veronikis's evidence to the Public Petitions Committee on 22 October 2020.

The Scottish Government was grateful to Dr Veronikis for his offer to come to Scotland and I am, of course, disappointed that he appears to have decided against this option now. The Government has remained ready to welcome him here for an observational visit, as he discussed with the Chief Medical Officer in February 2020.

The reasons for an observational visit of this kind, and the actions subsequently taken by the Scottish Government, are as set out in response to S5W-29934, on 12 August 2020. It was envisaged that Dr Veronikis's further engagement with NHS Scotland would be discussed during that visit, including the possibility of a contract.

It is therefore unfortunate that Dr Veronikis did not feel able to agree to that visit. However, the action taken by the Scottish Government indicates a clear intent to welcome him here, and to engage purposefully and constructively with him.

Meanwhile work continues to deliver a clear and accessible "out of area" pathway; the independent case note review delayed by the Covid-19 initial response; and the expert service in Scotland with involvement of women in it's design.

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 .