Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34858

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that the Scottish Prison Service improves the educational opportunities available to prisoners at HMP Dumfries by increasing the range of subjects on offer and improving attendance rates and the number of qualifications offered or taken up, in light of the recent report, HMP Dumfries, Full Inspection, 26 to 30 August 2024, by HM Inspectorate of Prisons.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

SPS are pleased that His Majesties Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland, recognised that HMP Dumfries is a well-run prison and performs well against their standards.

In 2022 work started on the new SPS development and learning strategy, now called "Learning for a Better Future”. The strategy will be implemented across all SPS sites on 1 August 2025 and aims to utilise an enhanced screening process, to support and identify the specific needs of learners, and allow establishments to design Annual Learning Plans (ALP) which deliver a range of qualifications and opportunities appropriate to their specific needs.

The strategy and individual ALPs will help to identify ways for establishments to enhance engagement and participation in learning opportunities both in and out with the traditional classroom setting.

Question reference: S6O-04438

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls from Independent Age for a pensioner poverty strategy for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34925

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to reduce waiting times for people with (a) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (b) interstitial lung disease since the publication of its Respiratory Care Action Plan.

We are committed to ensuring that people living with respiratory conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease can access clinically appropriate, safe and effective care.

The Scottish Government’s budget for the coming year has now been passed by Parliament and will invest a record £21.7 billion in Scotland’s health and social care services, including £200 million to reduce waiting lists and improve capacity.

By March 2026, we expect no-one to wait longer than 12 months for a new outpatient appointment, inpatient treatment or day case treatment with more than 150,000 extra patients seen as a result.

We have already provided £30 million additional funding this year which will deliver around 24,000 additional new outpatient and inpatient/day-case appointments and over 40,000 diagnostic tests.

Question reference: S6W-34926

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve diagnosis for (a) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (b) interstitial lung disease.

Our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland (RCAP) sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people affected by respiratory conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease.

There is also a significant respiratory work programme managed by the Respiratory Speciality Delivery Group within NHS Golden Jubilee. They have pathways under development for severe asthma, COPD and sleep apnoea. ILD will continue to be considered within any new respiratory programmes.

Our new Prescribing Guideline set out our ambitions for better access to respiratory care and we also have national workstreams focusing on access to pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation.

Question reference: S6W-34927

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve care for people with (a) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (b) interstitial lung disease.

I refer the member to answer to question S6W-34926 on 4 March 2025. Our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland (RCAP) sets out our vision for driving improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people affected by respiratory conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease.

There is also a significant respiratory work programme managed by the Respiratory Speciality Delivery Group within NHS Golden Jubilee. They have pathways under development for severe asthma, COPD and sleep apnoea. ILD will continue to be considered within any new respiratory programmes.

Our new Prescribing Guideline set out our ambitions for better access to respiratory care and we also have national workstreams focusing on access to pulmonary rehabilitation and smoking cessation.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-34857

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to prisons to protect staff from being exposed to toxic fumes when any incidents involving the illicit use of drugs occur.

The health and wellbeing of those who live and work in our prisons is a key priority for the SPS.

By working closely with partners such as Police Scotland we remain vigilant to the continuously evolving nature of drug use, ensuring that our technology and tactical measures remain current, adaptable, and capable of detecting and preventing drugs from entering our prisons.

We continue to advise staff on safety and risk assessment processes in conducting their duties to minimise the impact and risk of exposure to any unknown hazardous substance. At this time, we do not have any plans to introduce respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to prisons.

Question reference: S6W-34856

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of plans in England and Wales to implement a phased removal of wet-shave razors from adult male prisons, what plans it has to replicate such a proposal in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-34960

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a policy of cancelling the student loans of newly qualified doctors if they commit to working in the NHS for a period of five years.

Question reference: S6W-34322

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will end the practice, highlighted in its 2018 report, Coming Home, of adults being inappropriately detained in hospital or living out of their own area.

The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering the changes that are required for people with Learning Disabilities as detailed in the Coming Home report and subsequent implementation report in 2022.

Change in this area cannot be delivered by the Scottish Government alone. We will continue to work closely with COSLA, Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to deliver the change required to ensure peoples human rights are upheld.

We are providing enhanced focus on Coming Home in partnership with COSLA and local partners to ensure people are able to access the care they need, and live within their own communities. This is why we provided additional support and investment to health and social care partnerships to deliver improvements.

Although progress has been made, it is clear that further work and strong local leadership is required.

Question reference: S6O-04379

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the calls in public petition PE1979 for gaps in the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry to be addressed and for an independent whistleblowing officer for education and children's services to be established.

Chamber and committees