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-24761

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24372 by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 August 2019, what the outcome was of the visit to (a) the Brownlee clinic and (b) Waverley Care's street support team.

I found the visits to the Brownlee clinic and Waverley Care’s street support team informative and was impressed by the collaborative working taking place between the NHS and 3 rd sector organisations. I continue to take a close interest in measures to tackle the HIV outbreak in Glasgow. My officials are in contact with the Incident Management Team and clinicians leading on the response in Glasgow in order to understand what more can be done to tackle the ongoing transmissions of HIV in this vulnerable population.

Question reference: S5W-24834

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review regulations relating to the marketing of vaping products in supermarkets and other retail outlets.

The Scottish Government is committed to consult and legislate on restricting the advertising and promotion of e-cigarettes. This will make Scotland the first country in Europe to do so. The proposed restrictions will not apply to any public health campaigns or adverts, and the proposal is to allow advertising at point of sale provided it is not seen from outside the premises.

The Scottish Government will launch this consultation around the end of 2019. The restrictions proposed will cover domestic advertising of e-cigarettes – on bill boards, on leaflets, on bus shelters etc. Advertising on TV, on the radio, on-line and in newspapers and magazines is already banned.

Question reference: S5W-24823

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of a UK Government Bill to restrict the serving of foods high in fat, salt or sugar in schools by 2022, whether it has considered introducing a similar target.

Our school meal uptake is higher now than when current Scottish school food regulations were first introduced in 2008 and we are leading the way by becoming the first part of the UK to set a maximum amount of sugar and processed red meat that can be made available during the course of the school day.

The current regulations already include strict upper limits in relation to sugar and school caterers must plan their menus in a manner which prevents children and young people from consuming excessive amounts of sugar, fat, or salt over the course of the school week.

We will be amending the regulations further to make school meals even healthier and more closely aligned with the Scottish Dietary Goals.

The improvements to school food and drink are a key part of our commitment to strengthening children and young people’s healthy eating habits and halving childhood obesity by 2030.

Question reference: S5W-24689

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the provisional levels of spending for the Tackling Child Poverty Fund set out in the report, Every Child, Every Chance: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: First year Progress Report 2018-19, to what areas or projects the remaining £18 million of the Fund will be allocated.

Question reference: S5T-01752

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh will open.

Question reference: S5W-24653

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government who independently certified and signed off the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People on 22 February 2019 when it was handed over to NHS Lothian; who appointed the independent certifier; how long the assessment took; what it involved, and whether (a) it and (b) NHS Lothian agreed with the findings.

Question reference: S5W-24652

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01841 by Shona Robison on 5 September 2016, which states that completion of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People was expected in 2017, what other dates it has previously given for its opening.

Question reference: S5W-24641

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the ventilation issue at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People involves, and what percentage of the site’s footprint was found to have ventilation that did not meet the required standards.

Question reference: S5W-24639

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) drainage and (b) water issues at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People involve; what percentage of the site’s footprint is affected, and how accessible the areas that require remedial work are.

Question reference: S5W-24643

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the air rate change per hour was found to be in critical care wards at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and how this compares to that required in regulations.