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: S6F-03519

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03534

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the First Minister what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding reports from BBC Panorama that smart meters in Scotland are experiencing a disproportionate number of operational issues compared with elsewhere in the UK, due to differences in connection type used to send data to energy providers.

Question reference: S6F-03526

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6F-03520

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-30962

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29907 by Dorothy Bain on 26 September 2024, how many contracts and service level agreements for pathology and mortuary services the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has; whether all contracts and service level agreements require pathologists to meet with the nearest relatives if they wish to discuss the post mortem examination findings; what training pathologists are given to ensure that, when they meet with the nearest relatives to discuss the post mortem examination findings, information is provided “in a respectful and sensitive manner”; what checks are in place to ensure that (a) pathology training standards are maintained and (b) practitioners are kept up to date with best practice; which organisation oversees training standards in pathology and their uniformity across Scotland; what the terms of reference are for the Death Investigation Improvement Board, and who the members are; what plans COPFS has to engage with service users, regarding reported experiences of service delivery, to inform the Death Investigation Improvement Board; what the current metrics in Scotland show in relation to the experiences reported in the independent review of the forensic pathology response to the Hillsborough disaster, and what metrics are planned to enable (i) comparable and (ii) more accurate measurement of performance in Scotland compared with (A) that reported in the independent review of the forensic pathology response to the Hillsborough disaster and (B) international best practice.

COPFS has 16 contracts and service level agreements in place for pathology mortuary and toxicology services across Scotland.

All pathology agreements require pathologists to discuss post mortem findings with bereaved relatives if requested. Their assistance is invaluable to relatives seeking to understand the circumstances of their loved one’s death and is greatly appreciated by COPFS.

All doctors receive undergraduate medical school education in patient communication. This continues into forensic pathology training and consultancy when meeting with families to discuss post mortem findings. All doctors are expected to work within the standards set out by the General Medical Council for good medical practice.

The Royal College of Pathologists and NHS Education for Scotland oversee training standards in pathology and their uniformity across Scotland.

The purpose of the Death Investigation Improvement Board is to take forward three key areas for improvement in the death investigation system – (i) raising public awareness of the death investigation service, sharing lessons learned to reduce the incidence of avoidable deaths, (ii) providing bereaved relatives with the timeous provision of information they need to ensure they can effectively participate in the process and (iii) reducing the journey time for concluding death investigations, including FAIs.

The Board is chaired by the Deputy Crown Agent, Specialist Casework and its membership has representatives from each of the specialist death investigation units, Communications and Business Management.

The Board has a number of ongoing workstreams, including the creation of a Lived Experience Advisory Panel to enable participants with experience of the death investigation process to help inform improvements to the process by providing independent advice to the Board on issues such as the provision of information to relatives.

COPFS regularly meets and engages with pathology providers on a range of issues, including communication with bereaved relatives. These also allow discussion on any feedback received. Consideration is being given to the terms of the review and any further appropriate measures to be put in place.

Question reference: S6W-30900

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30385 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2024, what its response is to reports that the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) originally aimed to increase service frequency to six trains per hour, but that Transport Scotland commissioned Jacobs to examine the project for potential savings and it identified that a similar capacity increase could be achieved by increasing train length while maintaining a four-train-per-hour frequency, and what its position is on whether further reducing that frequency to a two-train-per-hour off peak service undermines the (a) EGIP project investment benefits and (b) convenience of a "turn up and go" frequency for passengers.

The decision was made to choose four longer trains per hour rather than six shorter trains per hour between Edinburgh and Glasgow because this was the better value for money option to deliver the necessary peak capacity for passengers.

ScotRail adjusts its services to reflect changing travel patterns over time. The emission free electric train peak capacity delivered by the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvements Project is being used today to the benefit of passengers.

Question reference: S6W-30781

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the document, Guidance on the Provision of Wheelchairs on Short-Term Loan, which was published in March 2021, to consider whether any updates may be required.

In 2023, Scottish Government published revised guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations, which includes actions regarding provision for short-term wheelchair loans. Officials are currently engaging with Health and Social Care Partnerships to better understand how this and the related guidance on the Provision of Wheelchairs for Short-Term Loan is being locally implemented. Throughout the course of their engagement, officials will consider if any updates to this guidance or additional materials are necessary.

Question reference: S6W-30698

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26075 by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024, what the Scottish Expert Advisory Group (SEAG) has identified as specific challenges and opportunities for a Scottish programme, and whether SEAG is exploring examples of the Lung Health Check programmes in places such as Hull, where the Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is reportedly collaborating with Chiesi Ltd to enable early chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) diagnosis and timely initiation of evidence-based pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to improve outcomes for participants of the Hull Lung Health Check programme.

The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) recommendation that the four UK Nations should move towards implementing a programme of targeted lung screening for those between 55-74 with a history of smoking, was based on evidence from the lung health check pilots which continue to inform the Scottish Expert Advisory Group (SEAG) work.

The UK NSC established an expert Lung Task Group to oversee modelling work and explore the issues around implementation, which is attended by all four UK nations. In addition, representatives from the SEAG attend both the NHS England Lung Screening Implementation Group and the Welsh equivalent. Representatives from these groups have in turn attended the SEAG, to share learning and develop evidence-based feasibility advice.

Officials continue to invest in the University of Edinburgh who have been conducting a research study, LungScot, into targeted lung health checks across four health boards. This important work will help to inform the considerations of the SEAG as work progresses towards a business case which will highlight the challenges and opportunities for a Scottish Programme.

Lung cancer remains a national priority, with Scotland's first optimal cancer diagnostic pathway for lung published 12 December 2022. This pathway sets optimal timeframes for each step to enable diagnosis by day twenty one and treatment for most by day forty two. Work continues to develop and share best practice to ensure patients receive faster access to treatment.

Question reference: S6W-30699

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26790 by Jenni Minto on 2 May 2024, when it will provide an update on Public Health Scotland's development of a national respiratory audit programme.

We recognise the importance of having access to meaningful data in relation to improving respiratory services and understanding respiratory care in Scotland. Due to the extremely challenging fiscal position the Scottish Government is facing, we have not been able to progress the development of the national respiratory audit programme this financial year. We aim to do so in the financial year 2025 to 2026.

Question reference: S6W-30983

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its timeline for developing a framework to support shared ownership of renewables, as proposed within the onshore wind sector deal, and whether there will be opportunities for the community sector to meaningfully engage with this process.

We are committed to working with the community sector and other stakeholders to ensure the delivery of renewable energy comes with benefits for people in Scotland. This includes shared ownership, which has a vital role to play in a just transition by giving communities the chance to make an investment in a commercially owned renewable energy project.

Through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) we provide online guidance, resources, and support to access funding and contractors to enable communities to engage with shared ownership opportunities. Building on the progress we have made to date, the Scottish Government is progressing work on the commitment in the Onshore Wind Sector Deal to develop a framework of practical approaches to support and encourage community shared ownership models, to assist communities, and developers and funders to engage in shared ownership opportunities. There will be opportunities for the community sector to engage with this process as work progresses.