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: S6W-30037

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the position is of NatureScot regarding the policy intention to establish deer management nature restoration orders under the proposed Natural Environment Bill, and whether it will publish all of the correspondence and advice, including the minutes of any meetings, that it has received from NatureScot regarding these orders.

As set out in the 2024-25 Programme for Government, the Natural Environment Bill will include provisions to modernise the way in which deer are managed in Scotland.

In January the Scottish Government consulted on a range of potential reforms to deer management, including the introduction of new powers designed to secure effective deer management that supports Scottish Government nature and climate objectives (Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders). The 'Managing Deer for Climate and Nature: consultation' closed on 29 March 2024. We received around 1600 responses and the full analysis report of the responses was published on 9 September 2024.

The Scottish Government is currently giving careful consideration to all of the consultation responses, which will inform the development of the provisions to be included in the future Natural Environment Bill.

We have no plans to publish all correspondence and advice on the development of planned legislation. The minutes of the Strategic Deer Board relevant to the legislation are published on the Scottish Government website.

Question reference: S6W-30039

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of them currently delivering a reported 80% of the annual deer cull, how it will ensure that the policy intention to establish deer management nature restoration orders under the proposed Natural Environment Bill will not adversely affect private deer managers, and what impact assessment it will carry out.

We recognise the key role that private deer managers play in managing deer across Scotland. We expect to continue to work in collaboration with private deer managers in our objectives to modernise deer management across Scotland and want to work collaboratively with them.

As stated in the answer to S6W-30037 on 1 October 2024, we have consulted on a range of potential reforms to deer management. Alongside our public consultation we will also continue to speak with stakeholders to help inform any new legislation.

In addition to this we will be undertaking a number of impact assessments in relation to any provisions included in the Natural Environment Bill, including a Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA).

BRIAs are used to assess the costs, benefits and risks of any proposed or policy changes that may have an impact on the public, private, third sector or regulators. These impact assessments will be an integral and necessary part of evidenced-based policy development in relation to deer management.

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-30035

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding developing further regional specialist endometriosis centres across the country.

There are three specialist endometriosis centres which accept patients from across Scotland when specialist surgery for complex endometriosis is required.

This was recommended as the optimal approach for effective treatment by a specialist working group of clinicians and representatives from patient groups and Endometriosis UK. There are no plans to establish a specialist centre within every NHS Board.

Question reference: S6W-30036

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on implementing a nationwide endometriosis-friendly employer scheme.

Within the Women’s Health Plan we committed to develop a menopause and menstrual health workplace policy for NHSScotland, and to promote best practice across the public, private and third sector.

The NHSScotland Menopause and Menstrual Health Policy was launched on 31 October 2023 and supports employees to experience good menstrual health and menopause at work.

Supporting resources, including line managers, workplace adjustment guides, and signposting to more information on symptoms and conditions including endometriosis, are intended for use more widely across a variety of employment sectors and are available on the National Wellbeing Hub, which is accessible to the public.

Question reference: S6W-30033

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the waiting time for an endometriosis diagnosis.

Question reference: S6W-30031

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a replacement for the Fruit and Vegetable Aid scheme to help provide clarity to growers.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the valuable fruit and vegetable sector in Scotland. We recognise the many benefits of the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme and Producer Organisations operating in this sector.

We have no plans to change the existing scheme model for Scotland. Farmers and crofters must not lose out from Brexit, a multi-year programme funding settlement from the UK Government is needed to reflect the essential role of Scottish agriculture to sustain high quality food production while delivering towards climate and nature outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-30032

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on gynaecology waiting lists.

Our investment of £30 million is supporting significant targeted action across a number of specialities, including gynaecology, with around 3,500 additional New Outpatient appointments planned for the longest waiting patients.

NHS Scotland’s Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) also continues to work with Health Boards to accelerate implementation of high impact changes, including Active Clinical Referral Treatment (ACRT) and Patient Initiated Review (PIR), freeing up additional capacity in the NHS system and providing sustainable solutions for the future.

CfSD programmes have developed strong clinically-led Specialty Delivery Groups (SDG), including one for gynaecology, which was established to support, innovate and develop high quality gynaecology services across Scotland, reducing unwarranted variation, promoting a best-in-class and - where appropriate - a once-for-Scotland approach.

This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the CfSD. Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience and deliver reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.

Question reference: S6O-03796

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of locums in local mental health services.

Question reference: S6O-03760

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments of Professor Graeme Roy, Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission, that Scotland's net position in 2022-23 was around £624 million lower than it would have been had Scottish economic performance matched that of the rest of the UK.

Question reference: S6F-03340

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to recent reports regarding Police Scotland’s policy on gender self-identification for individuals charged with or convicted of serious sexual assaults.