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-15479

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what reviews have taken place to ensure that the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) action plan for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project, which was undertaken in 2019, has been completed.

The NDAP process does not use the term, or produce an ‘action plan’. The process results in essential and advisory recommendations at the end of each of each Business Case stage which must be developed by the Board. The Board will submit evidence or a commitment to address the recommendations prior to their NDAP report achieving a ‘verified’ status.

NHS Grampian received the supported NDAP report for the Full Business Case stage of the Baird and ANCHOR project on 3 July 2020. This was followed up confirming the commitment from NHS Grampian to complete and close out all required actions. A tracker was developed which included all the required actions and the work to agree and close out the actions was carried out with NDAP and Graham Construction until May 2021. The actions were confirmed as closed by the NDAP team on 18 May 2021.

Question reference: S6W-15529

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support parents in Glasgow and the west of Scotland to find alternative childcare in light of the forthcoming closure of Rising Stars childcare centres on 31 March 2023.

The Scottish Government provides local authorities with funding to allow them to deliver their statutory duty to ensure all eligible children can access 1140 hours of high-quality funded early learning and childcare. Scottish Government officials have spoken to Glasgow City Council regarding the closure of Rising Stars, and the Council's early years team is supporting families with children who attend these settings to discuss suitable alternatives - including through one-to-one support where required.

Question reference: S6W-15481

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the report of the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project, which was undertaken in 2019, will be published.

Question reference: S6W-15496

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address any lower uptake of the HPV vaccination in areas of deprivation in comparison with more affluent areas.

On 1 January 2023, a one dose schedule was introduced in Scotland for all those eligible in the HPV vaccination programme up to their 25th birthday. We envisage that this programme change will increase the amount of people completing their vaccination schedule as it will remove the requirement to be recalled to receive a second dose.

We have outlined to Health Boards that some of the resource freed up due to the reduction in vaccination sessions due to the change to a one dose schedule should be re-directed to interventions that strengthen programme delivery, increase coverage rates and reduce inequalities.

Additionally, we have developed a dashboard which allows us to interrogate deprivation data further which will allow us to work with PHS and Health Boards to support these groups and encourage HPV vaccination and wider vaccination services.

Question reference: S6W-15507

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the latest data showing the retention rate of (a) nurses and (b) doctors in the NHS.

The information requested on providing the latest data showing the retention rate of (a) nurses and (b) doctors in the NHS is not centrally available.

Information on vacancies by the three main staff groups, can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence

The turnover rate for all staff across NHS Scotland in 2021/22 was 8.1%.

Question reference: S6W-15729

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to facilitate discussion between parties involved in collective bargaining, including management and trade unions, which would lead to a planning statement indicating the needs of the college sector, and to discuss any such statement with the Scottish Funding Council in advance of future budgets being set, in light of the recommendations of the Lessons Learned exercise carried out by Strathesk Resolutions throughout 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-15724

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the role that the Scottish Funding Council should play in ensuring that any information used in the negotiation process is accepted by all parties as accurate, in light of the recommendation of the Lessons Learned exercise carried out by Strathesk Resolutions throughout 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-15728

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to re-establish the authority of the national collective bargaining process, in light of the recommendations of the Lessons Learned exercise carried out by Strathesk Resolutions throughout 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-15685

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review its working location policy to consider whether more civil service jobs (a) in general and (b) that impact public services in the Highlands and Islands, can be decentralised.

Workforce numbers and locations are regularly reviewed to ensure that the organisation is delivering for the people of Scotland as efficiently and effectively as possible. We undertake workforce planning in line with Scottish Government priorities.

In addition to considering the location of roles, the Scottish Government is committed to flexible hybrid working for our workforce, enabling staff to work from a range of locations, both within government offices and working from home. Some of these locations are situated within the Highlands and Islands. Managers are asked to establish a flexible hybrid model with their teams that ensure meets business needs are met, which will vary depending on the nature of the roles and requirements.

The Scottish Government website references our ways of working and more information can be found here Ways of working - Work For Scotland (work-for-scotland.org)

Question reference: S6W-15600

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07730 by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022, whether it will provide an update on what date it anticipates that the consultation on the proposed Scottish Exchange Programme will be launched.