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: S6T-00222

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken in response to reports of recent increases in drink spiking and spiking by injection in nightclubs and bars.

Question reference: S6T-00225

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of NHS Lanarkshire moving to the highest risk level, black, and cancelling elective care, including some cancer procedures.

Question reference: S6W-02501

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to dementia research in each year since 2007, broken down by NHS board area.

Scottish Government funding for dementia research is not allocated to NHS Boards.

The following table shows Chief Scientist Office (CSO) funding for dementia research from 2007/8 through academic project/fellowship funding and the annual funding provided to the Dementia and Neuroprogressive Disease research network. CSO’s research project funding panels were paused during 2020 due to COVID-19 related pressures but have since reopened.

Breakdown:

Year	Project / fellowship funding	NRS Network	Total
2020-21	£62,461	£506,000	£568,461
2019-20	£123,394	£506,000	£629,394
2018-19	£543,351	£506,000	£1,049,351
2017-18	£595,219	£496,000	£1,091,219
2016-17	£25,876	£491,000	£516,876
2015-16	£59,834	£486,000	£545,834
2014-15	£136,950	£486,000	£622,950
2013-14	£443,424	£481,000	£924,424
2012-13	£224,536	£481,000	£705,536
2011-12	£183,011	£475,754	£658,765
2010-11	£48,085	£395,661	£443,746
2009-10	£44,134	£340,330	£384,464
2008-9	0	£170,455	£170,455
2007-8	£156,248	N-A	£156,248

Question reference: S6W-03376

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has expressed a position to the British Medical Association regarding the return to face-to-face appointments in GP surgeries, and, if so, what this position was.

The Scottish Government’s position is expressed in the joint statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and the BMA, published on 5 October.

For many years now, in person face-to-face appointments form part of a hybrid model of options that are offered to patients including video consultations, telephone consultations and in person face-to-face appointments. The pandemic changed the balance between these appointment types. We are clear that our expectation is that face to face appointments will increase, however we also recognise that for a number of patients they will wish to continue with telephone or video consultations. Changes to physical distancing guidance will assist practices to safely increase more face to face appointments.

Importantly the type of appointment offered should be agreed through shared decision making, balancing patient choice and autonomy, and practice circumstances/capacity and clinical judgement.

Question reference: S6W-03366

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what targeted support it is offering to businesses to ensure that they are prepared for the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with Zero Waste Scotland, SEPA and Circularity Scotland Ltd, are engaging with businesses to address their queries and concerns regarding Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme. SEPA is also in the process of developing guidance for producers, retailers and return point operators to help them meet their obligations under The Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations.

Question reference: S6W-03476

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive answer to question S6W-02293, which received a holding response on 13 September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03374

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the implementation timetable is for the roll-out of the new Scottish Carer's Assistance payment.

We are continuing to make good progress towards delivery of Scottish Carer’s Assistance. We are currently undertaking joint feasibility work with the Department for Work and Pensions on the complex interactions Carer’s Allowance has, and Scottish Carer’s Assistance will have, with benefits such as Income Support and Universal Credit which will remain reserved. This will give us a better understanding of what can be delivered and when so that we can confirm our new delivery timetable for Scottish Carer’s Assistance.

Our aim is to begin building Scottish Carer’s Assistance next year, and we anticipate that it will take a minimum of 18 months, given the complex links with reserved systems. We plan to consult on proposals for the future of Scottish Carer’s Assistance this winter.

Question reference: S6W-03429

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with Optometry Scotland regarding its request for a fee uplift and regular yearly review of fees; when it anticipates making an announcement on this, and whether any increase will be backdated to the start of the financial year.

Question reference: S6W-03423

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland (OPG) is experiencing a backlog of power of attorney applications, and, if so, what support it is offering the OPG to ease this backlog.

Question reference: S6W-03365

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of businesses are currently on track to be able to fully comply with the Deposit Return Scheme at launch.