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-26502

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many pieces of equipment at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh were classified as outdated in July 2019; how many of these items are no longer in use; how much has subsequently been spent on maintaining and prolonging the working-life of the remaining items; how often the condition of these items are reviewed, and what plans it has to replace them.

NHS Lothian has a process for the maintenance and management of medical equipment, which was unchanged by the delayed move of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children (RHSC) in July 2019. Regular planned preventative maintenance and testing in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations continues to take place on all medical equipment. When equipment falls out of manufacturer support or beyond economic repair a risk assessment is carried out with the users and, where necessary, replacement is arranged.

NHS Lothian have confirmed of the approximately 180 items on the medical physics database for RHSC that could be regarded as ‘outdated’ in July 2019, over 90% remains fit for use. Where possible, replacement has been managed through transfer of new items in the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) to the existing site, so there has been no additional purchase cost and no additional maintenance cost as the new items are under warranty. An example of this is the moving and commissioning of new anaesthetic machines from RHCYP in November to replace units for which manufacturer support had expired.

Where new equipment has had to be bought for RHSC since July 2019, this will be utilised elsewhere in NHS Lothian if it is not required for RHSC after migration to the new site.

- Due to the age of the operating theatre lights in RHSC, and the remaining manufacturer maintenance arrangement expiring in 2020, NHS Lothian are replacing these in February 2020. The cost across four theatres is approximately £90k, and once RHSC at Sciennes is decommissioned these lights will be transferred elsewhere in NHS Lothian.

- Rather than transfer x-ray equipment that had already been moved to RHCYP in anticipation of opening back to RHSC again, the manufacturer provided new kit free of charge, with NHS Lothian paying installations costs of £20k. The manufacturer will work with NHS Lothian to relocate and recycle this kit where it is needed in the future, in NHS Lothian or elsewhere.

- Replacement parts for the CT scanner at RHSC, costing £76k, will be returned to the supplier for credit when no longer in use at RHSC.

NHS Lothian have also used equipment bought for the new hospital that has now been put into use in the existing site includes 28 patient trolleys, 3 wheelchairs, 6 drip stands a treadmill and a range of domestic service equipment, e.g. vacuum cleaners and scrubbing machines.

NHS Lothian will continuously assess requirements for new equipment and furniture in RHSC and, where possible, items bought for the new facility will be put into use and then transferred when migration to the new site is complete.

Question reference: S5W-26503

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many houses have been built each year through the (a) Rural and (b) Islands Housing Fund.

Since April 2016 to end of June 2019 the Scottish Government has delivered a total of 40 homes through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund. A detailed breakdown of this, year by year, has been provided in the following table.

Completed Homes

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2020*

Total

Rural

Islands

Total

*Note: 1 April 2019 – 30 June 2019 only

Question reference: S5W-26495

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 3 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many how many homes have been delivered to date as part of its 50,000 affordable homes target, also broken down by how many are new-builds.

From 1 April 2016 to 30 June 2019, a total of 26,581 affordable homes have been delivered as part of the Scottish Government’s five year 50,000 affordable homes target. Of that, 17,561 are new build homes.

While the majority of homes delivered are new build, the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) also includes rehabilitation projects, off-the-shelf purchases and homes for low-cost home ownership from existing housing stock. The following table shows a breakdown:

New Build	17,561
Off the shelf	7,121
Rehabilitation	1,899
Total	26,581

Official statistics for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme are available on the Scottish Government website at https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/HSfS/NewBuild/AHSPtables

The next Housing Statistics Quarterly Update is due to be published on 17 December.

Question reference: S5O-03863

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications from rural areas to the Community Asset Transfer Scheme have been refused following an appeal in the last three years.

Question reference: S5O-03769

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 14 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the review of the fire and electrical systems and medical gas installations at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.

I published the NSS Phase 2 review on 30 October which focuses on fire systems, electrical systems and medical gases. The review identified remedial work required within fire and electrical systems prior to occupation. NHS Lothian has published their response to each recommendation in the report. Risk assessments on the work will be undertaken to clarify the detail necessary and a comprehensive action plan will be published following engagement with contractors. We continue to work to the timeline I announced in September that the Department of Clinical Neurosciences will move to the new site in spring 2020 and children’s services will move in the autumn of 2020.

Question reference: S5T-01879

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reports of people being treated for diphtheria in the NHS Lothian area.

Question reference: S5W-25889

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage people to take out funeral insurance plans.

Our recently reprinted ‘Planning Your Own Funeral’ leaflet encourages people to consider their wishes for their funeral, including how they will pay for them, and to share them with their families. 120,000 of these leaflets have been distributed across Scotland and are available from local authorities, NHS trusts, and Citizens Advice Bureaux. The leaflet is also available online at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/planning-funeral-2/pages/4/ .

Question reference: S5W-25860

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the growth of organisations similar to Dundee's Funeral Link in other local authorities.

On 8 August 2017 the Scottish Government published its ‘Funeral Costs Plan’ which sets out 10 key actions we are taking to help tackle funeral poverty. Scottish Ministers recognise that making progress on these actions requires support from a range of organisations and individuals.

We support a range of charities and third sector organisations across Scotland to provide independent advice. This helps enable people to understand the services available, to compare prices and to make informed choices about what is right for them.

Organisations such as Citizens Advice Scotland and their Bureaux network play a critical role in helping people find their own solutions on issues such as money, debt, social security entitlements, and consumer advice.

Question reference: S5F-03687

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2019

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that attacks on staff at six NHS boards increased in the last year.

Question reference: S5W-25836

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported shortages of the drug following a recall from its producer, what steps it is taking to ensure that people prescribed ranitidine (Zantac) are able to access sufficient, safe supplies.

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland wrote to all NHS Boards, GPs and community pharmacists on 16 October 2019 to advise them about ongoing action being taken to address recent manufacturing issues with Ranitidine (Zantac). The letter also advised clinicians that patients receiving ranitidine tablets, effervescent tablets and oral solutions should be reviewed as repeat prescriptions are requested, and if ongoing treatment is required, be switched to clinical alternatives.