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-19200

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve cancer services in the future.

Today, we have published our 10-year Cancer Strategy for Scotland , with an underpinning three-year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland . Our strategy sets out our long term vision for cancer services in Scotland. It takes a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. The action plan takes stock of the current pressures faced by the NHS and identifies how we can progress to our final vision. In 10 years’ time we see a Scotland where more cancers are prevented, and where our compassionate and consistent cancer service provides excellent treatment and support throughout the cancer journey, and improves outcomes and survival for people with cancer. We will continue to work closely with the NHS to ensure there is appropriate capacity to respond to patients’ needs. Notably, we aim to reduce later stage disease (stages III and IV) by 18 percentage points. This will ensure patients are being diagnosed earlier, which makes cancer easier to treat and ultimately improves outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-18710

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what targets have been set to recruit (a) nurses and (b) medics to meet its commitment of 1,500 new staff for National Treatment Centres, in the period up to and including 2027.

Question reference: S6W-18724

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17484 by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2023, what plans it has to publish the notes and actions of the meeting held on 20 April 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18725

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17484 by Lorna Slater on 11 May 2023, for what reason it made no such publications during May 2023.

Question reference: S6W-18750

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional clinics it has provided to date for the most challenged pathways including urological, colorectal and breast cancers, as set out in its NHS Recovery Plan.

£10 million of funding was directed to support Cancer Waiting Times improvements in our NHS across 2021-22, with a further £10m made available to Boards in 2022-23 to continue to support Cancer Waiting Times. Health Boards across NHS Scotland direct spend towards the most challenged areas, which included additional clinics for new patients and follow-ups.

Funds in 2022-23 were largely directed towards breast, colorectal and urology specialties – three of the most challenged 62 day pathways. Significant funds went towards up-skilling nurses and investment to support extended working days and weekend working to increase capacity.

Question reference: S6W-19203

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the 2022-23 official woodland creation statistics, to be published on 15 June 2023.

The statistics released today show that last year Scotland created 8,190 hectares of new woodland, with England creating 3,130, Wales 1,190 and Northern Ireland 450 hectares respectively. Throughout the whole of the UK, Scotland is outstripping other countries and creating around 63% of all new woodland.

Scotland has by far the most ambitious woodland creation targets in the UK and despite the challenges of Brexit, Covid and winter storms, landowners have created around 51,000 hectares of new woodland in the past five years or around 102 million trees.

The current planting levels are disappointing and the Scottish Government announced an action plan earlier this week designed to speed up the woodland creation application process and encourage more landowners to get trees in the ground.

A Scottish Forestry Summit, with industry leaders and land management bodies, will be held later in the year to secure agreement on getting planting levels back on track.

Woodland creation targets are set in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan and are rising year on year, rising to 18,000 hectares a year by 2024-25.

Question reference: S6O-02418

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the visual recorded interviews pilot, which involves Police Scotland recording the witness statements of adult and 16- and 17-year-old complainers involving allegations of rape and attempted rape, including any learning from the cases involved as they progressed through the courts.

Question reference: S6O-02420

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether childminding development officers have a significant role to play in supporting and assisting childminders in their professional development.

Question reference: S6O-02422

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is promoting and encouraging an increase in employee-owned and co-operative models of businesses as part of the shift to a wellbeing economy.

Question reference: S6O-02417

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has in place to ensure that there is full transparency when it comes to the use of public money.