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-26204

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on how many patients have been diagnosed with a blood cancer through Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.

The recently published University of Strathclyde evaluation report https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/88280/7/Maguire-etal-2024-Final-report-of-the-evaluation-of-rapid-cancer-diagnostic-services.pdf showed that 13.5% of cancers diagnosed through the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) were blood cancers.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on exact numbers but work is underway with Public Health Scotland to create a national RCDS data-set.

Question reference: S6W-26206

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NHS Scotland and (b) the relevant NHS boards regarding the provision of recurrent funding for (i) existing and (ii) future Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.

Question reference: S6W-26390

Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer will be completed.

Question reference: S6W-26373

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03226 by Siobhian Brown on 20 March 2024, in relation to the offences under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022, how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged, (c) prosecuted and (d) convicted, also broken down by the (i) offence and (ii) court disposal.

Figures on arrests or charges related to particular offences are not held centrally by the Scottish Government, the most recent figures shared by Police Scotland were provided in the answer to question S6W-21328 on 27 September 2023. 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 .

Up until the end of February 2024, 40 charges under the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022 were reported to the Procurator Fiscal. Of those 40 charges, 20 charges have thus far been prosecuted. There have been 4 convictions, 2 charges did not result in a conviction, and the other 14 charges are part of ongoing prosecutions. A breakdown of prosecutions by offence are set out below:

Section 21 (Prohibition on providing fireworks or pyrotechnic articles to children): T here have been a total of 5 prosecutions. These are all ongoing at present.
Section 35 (Prohibition of pyrotechnic articles in public places): There have been a total of 7 prosecutions. There has been 1 conviction while the other 6 are ongoing at present.
Section 36 (Prohibition of pyrotechnic articles at designated venues or events): T here have been a total of 8 prosecutions. There has been 3 convictions and 2 acquittals, while a further 3 are ongoing at present. One of the cases which is still ongoing under this section is also aggravated as per Section 44 of the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Act 2022.
Section 44 (Aggravation of offences against emergency workers): 77 aggravations have been recorded. Thus far, there have been 8 prosecutions, and 1 conviction.

Question reference: S6W-26258

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider establishing a short-life working group with representation from local authorities, private developers and community representatives to undertake a comprehensive review of the repowering process.

Repowering existing and operational wind generating stations will, in most cases, involve the full or partial replacement of a constructed generating station. This requires extensive construction works, such that a new development consent will be required. The process to consider these applications is already well established.

The recently signed Onshore Wind Sector Deal has a number of commitments that support the streamlining and speeding up of the consents process, as well as commitments from industry to collaborate with communities, engage at all stages of the project life cycle and offer impactful community benefits. These commitments all apply to repowering applications.

Question reference: S6W-26391

Asked by: John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration is being given, as part of the review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, to risk factors such as family history and ethnicity in improving the early detection of prostate cancer.

A wealth of evidence is being collated and analysed as part of the 2024 Clinical Review of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, including from key partners Cancer Research UK and Healthcare Improvement Scotland. All factors that are relevant in the context of symptoms suspicious of cancer based on available evidence, that could support primary care decision-making, will be considered in the Guideline review. The prostate peer review session (PRS), as part of the Review, is scheduled for May 2024.

Question reference: S6W-26279

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when all GP surgeries across Scotland will be able to use electronic signatures to authorise prescriptions.

Question reference: S6W-26675

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-26190

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 4 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work to support the enhancement of Channel 4's operations in Scotland, what its position is on Channel 4’s reported proposals to Ofcom for it to retain its 91% production quota for England and introduce a 65% London quota, and what representation it has made to (a) Channel 4 and (b) Ofcom regarding these proposals.

While the Scottish Government welcomes Channel 4’s progress to enhance its operations in Scotland, in particular with the creation of a creative hub in Glasgow in 2019, it has been our long-held view that Channel 4 should have a higher quota for network production commissioned from Scotland and our position remains that the quota should be based on population share, in terms of both hours and spend.

The Scottish Government’s view is that Ofcom’s current proposals to retain Channel 4’s 91% production quota for England and introduce a 65% London quota are unacceptable and we have made that clear in our response to Ofcom’s consultation. At a recent meeting with Ofcom’s Chief Executive, I restated that view and strongly urged a rethink of the current proposals. I also intend to meet with Channel 4 Chief Executive in the coming weeks to set out our expectation that Channel 4 makes considerable progress towards increasing its level of network production outside of London and from the nations, on a fairer basis.

The Scottish Government considers it vital that more productions are devised and produced in Scotland to support the creative economy and so that Scotland’s diverse communities see themselves reflected in its output. We strongly believe that broadcasting media should deliver for each part of the UK, with fair investment in our creative industries, and an appropriately authentic representation for Scottish audiences, and we will continue to make those views clear in our engagement with broadcasters, Ofcom and the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-26202

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 4 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25890 by Siobhian Brown on 11 March 2024, when it will report back to the Parliament on its discussions with Police Scotland, local authorities and animal welfare organisations regarding the identification of XL Bully-type dogs.

I provided an update to the Scottish Parliament on this issue when I appeared before the Parliament’s Criminal Justice Committee on 27 March 2024 to give evidence to the Committee on The Dangerous Dogs (Compensation and Exemption Schemes) (Scotland) Order 2024 .

The Scottish Government is continuing to engage with Police Scotland, local authorities and animal welfare organisations in relation to the new safeguards and this includes in relation to how XL Bully dogs can be identified.

The conformation standard guidance document XL Bully dogs: applying the conformation standard - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) on the Scottish Government website is intended to be used to assist all those involved in the operation of the safeguards relating to XL Bully dogs in Scotland. This includes law enforcement, local authorities, animal welfare organisations and owners of dogs that may be XL Bully dogs.

The conformation standard guidance document also includes a video from ‘Blue Cross UK’ to show how to measure a dogs height.