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-26035

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting employment opportunities in out-of-hours primary care services to doctors.

NHS Scotland health boards are responsible for resourcing out-of-hours services to meet the needs of their populations. The national review of primary care out-of-hours services, commissioned by the Scottish Government in January 2015, is examining the out-of-hours workforce as part of the workforce and training task group which includes doctors. The review is due to report its findings and recommendations in September 2015.

The Scottish Government is currently funding the Scotland General Practitioners (GPs) Returner Programme, which provides an opportunity for GPs who have previously worked in NHS general practice to safely return to general practice following a career break of at least two years or time spent working abroad. It is envisaged that this scheme will facilitate the increase in take-up of GPs working during the out-of-hours period. The programme offers incentives for participants to contribute to the out-of-hours service.

Question reference: S4W-26029

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the interim two-centre model of out-of-hours primary care in NHS Lanarkshire and whether it supports it becoming permanent.

The design, implementation and management of primary care out-of-hours services is the responsibility of NHS Scotland health boards. The Scottish Government is aware of the interim model in place for primary care out-of-hours in NHS Lanarkshire. All boards will be expected to align their out-of-hours services with recommendations arising out of the national review of primary care out-of-hours services.

Question reference: S4W-26034

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it is recruiting new doctors into general practice.

Recruitment of staff, including doctors, is a matter for each NHSScotland board as an employer. NHSScotland boards are required to have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of the service and ensure high quality patient care. The Scottish Government works closely with boards to support their staff recruitment efforts and our investment in primary care has seen the number of GPs across the country increase by seven per cent under this government.

We are continuing to work with health boards and the medical profession to develop short-term recruitment initiatives as we look to develop more attractive medical career pathways. The British Medical Association is a key partner in this work.

In addition, we are continuously examining steps to boost recruitment and increase retention – including a returners’ package run by NHS National Education Scotland, and by providing additional funding to practices for population growth every year.

Question reference: S4W-26037

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the transition to a seven-day health service will affect out-of-hours primary care services.

Patients in Scotland currently have access to primary medical care 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Health boards and NHS 24 work together to ensure that anyone who requires to see a GP out-of-hours can do so.

The Scottish Government is, however, taking forward work to build on this and improve the care our patients receive at evenings and weekends, within the wider context of supporting a sustainable NHS for the future. This work is being taken forward under the auspices of the Sustainability and Seven Day Services Taskforce. The taskforce published an interim report in March 2015 which set out a number of steps for the next phase of work.

The work of the taskforce is fully linked into the range of national activity supporting the development of sustainable seven day services including contributing to the national review of primary care out of hours services being led by Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie. The review is expected to submit its report in September 2015.

Question reference: S4W-26027

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 16 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when the national review group on out-of-hours primary care is expected to report; how the Scottish Government will communicate its findings to NHS boards, and how it will ensure that boards implement them.

Question reference: S4O-04462

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what representation it has made to the UK Government regarding the Mediterranean refugee crisis.

Question reference: S4O-04319

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4O-04278

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S4O-04238

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Rolls-Royce regarding its presence in East Kilbride.

Question reference: S4O-04059

Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 26 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what role its agencies have in regenerating town centres.

Regenerating our town centres requires collective effort and best use of available resources and our agencies and public bodies work in partnership with individual local authorities and a range of other partners to support efforts to regenerate Scotland’s town centres. This includes providing support to local businesses and promoting the value of the culture and heritage of our town centres.

The Town Centre Action Plan sets out a range of actions we as a government are undertaking to encourage and support the wider public, private and community sectors to regenerate town centres, including our agreement with COSLA to adopt the Town Centre First Principle.

The principle also applies to our agencies and public bodies and asks them to put the health of town centres at the heart of proportionate and best value decision making, and to adopt a collaborative approach which supports the long term plan for each town centre.