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-10513

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to urgently ensure that repair work is carried out at (a) Campbeltown Sheriff Court, (b) Lochgilphead JP Court and (c) Oban Sheriff Court, in light of recent media reports on this.

Question reference: S6W-10492

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been (a) provided and (b) committed to Glasgow City Council to assist it with its bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, in light of the announcement from the BBC and European Broadcasting Union that Glasgow made the shortlist.

Question reference: S6W-10494

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government in order to support Glasgow’s bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

While it is for local authorities across the UK to make their bids to the BBC to host Eurovision, Scottish Government officials have been in regular contact with UK Government counterparts regarding the selection of the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest host city. We understand that Glasgow City Council, together with Glasgow Life and the SEC, are working closely to develop a bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest.

Question reference: S6W-10212

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle human trafficking, in light of the findings of the US State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report July 2022.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015, passed unanimously by the Scottish Parliament, gives police and prosecutors greater powers to detect and bring to justice those responsible for trafficking as well as strengthening protections for survivors.

Scotland’s first Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy was published in 2017, focusing on the identification of and support for victims; disruption of perpetrators and addressing the underlying conditions which foster human trafficking and exploitation.

Working in partnership, significant action has taken place and continues to be delivered across each of these strands and this is set out in more detail in the published annual progress reports, with the most recent published in January 2022 - Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy – Fourth Annual Progress Report (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-10113

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any impact on patients in NHS (a) Tayside and (b) Fife, in light of the reported rising number of unscheduled closures of community pharmacies.

While pharmacy closures can occur, this on the whole represents a small proportion of the network and is often limited to a small proportion of the required model hours. The Scottish Government continue to work with all Health Boards and community pharmacies representatives who are responsible for the provision of local pharmaceutical care services to ensure that any challenges faced by community pharmacies in providing the safe and effective dispensing of treatments are discussed with the local Health Board to minimise impact and risk to patients. Health boards can take a range of actions in response to any breach of terms by a pharmacy contractor.

Question reference: S6W-10150

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has made to ensure that Ukrainian refugees have access to local dental treatment and GP practices.

Question reference: S6W-10155

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) assessments it has undertaken and (b) preparations it has made to ensure adequate capacity for (i) Ukrainian children to be educated and (ii) Ukrainian-speaking translators to be made available in Scottish schools.

The Scottish Government is actively working with local authorities, Education Scotland and other partners to understand and support the needs of Ukrainian children and ensure they can access appropriate education. This work is being co-ordinated through a joint Scottish Government and COSLA working group. In addition, Councillor Buchanan and I have recently written to all local authorities on this issue to ensure a joined-up approach and consistency of understanding.

Local authorities are responsible for the delivery of education and are best placed to consider the educational needs of children arriving into Scotland from Ukraine. These needs are potentially complex and dependent on the age and stage of the child, including any additional support needs such as learning English as an additional language (EAL). I have asked Education Scotland to contact all local authorities to discuss current plans, and to understand where ongoing support can best be provided.

The Scottish Government is pressing the UK Government for more clarity on the method and timing of education tariff payments to local authorities for those arriving from Ukraine. This tariff, which is to be available for 2022-23, pro rata to the time the child or young person is receiving education, can help meet specific needs that arise in relation to accessing education, including having English as an Additional Language. This is in addition to the funding the Scottish Government provides to local authorities for additional support for learning as part of their block grant.

Question reference: S6W-10115

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported unscheduled closures of community pharmacies, what discussions it has had with (a) pharmacists and (b) pharmacy associations since 1 January 2022 regarding any concerns expressed by pharmacists on this issue.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with stakeholders who are responsible for the provision of community pharmaceutical care including Health Boards, Community Pharmacy Scotland (the recognised representative body of pharmacy owners) as set out in Regulations. Scottish Government officials have also met with representatives of the Guild of Healthcare Professionals and The Pharmacists Defence Association to discuss a number of topics including workforce related pressures.

Question reference: S6W-10106

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many category (a) purple, (b) red, (c) amber and (d) yellow ambulance call-outs took more than (i) 8, (ii) 10, (iii) 15, (iv) 20, (v) 30, (vi) 60 and (vii)120 minutes to arrive at the incident in each NHS board area in each (A) of the last three calendar years and (B) month in 2022 to date.

Question reference: S6W-10086

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 29 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) First Minister and (b) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has had discussions with the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation regarding the monkeypox outbreak.

Each Health Department in the UK and across Devolved Nations is made aware of all JCVI advice though their designated observers. The Scottish Government’s Senior Medical Officer (SMO) is a member, and attends JCVI and Sub-Committee meetings and receives all Committee papers and recommendations. Through the SMO and policy officials, Ministers are kept abreast of all JCVI recommendations. As Cabinet Secretary I have had regular discussions with my senior clinicians in relation to our response to Monkeypox, as well as raising it with Health Ministers across the UK.