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: S5W-24813

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for paediatric surgery at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow.

The average and longest waiting time for inpatient paediatric surgery is 88 and 529 days respectively. For new outpatients it is 30 and 54 days respectively. The longest waiting times provided in the following tables is the 98 th percentile figure in keeping with ISD accepted practice.

Inpatient/Day Case and Outpatients for the Paediatric Surgery Specialty at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Glasgow for quarter ending 30 June 2019.

Table 1: Completed waits for Inpatient or Day Case Admission

Hospital

Specialty

Average (Median) Waiting Time (Days)

98 th Percentile

Royal Hospital for Children

Paediatric Surgery

529

Source: ISD Waiting Times Warehouse

Table 2: Completed waits for New Outpatients

Hospital

Specialty

Average (Median) Waiting Time (Days)

98 th Percentile

Royal Hospital for Children

Paediatric Surgery

Source: ISD Waiting Times Warehouse

Question reference: S5W-24809

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many welfare inspections have been carried out annually since 1 January 2012 on poultry holdings with egg laying hens that contain (a) more and (b) fewer than 1,000 birds.

APHA conducts inspections for welfare non-compliance issues at poultry holdings on behalf of the Scottish Ministers and maintains the records of such inspections. The Scottish Government understands, from figures provided by APHA, that 144 inspections of poultry holdings with egg laying hens has been carried out since 2014 and is not broken down by flock size. Due to the change in systems of recording outcomes by APHA, records are not readily available for 2012 and 2013.

Question reference: S5W-24819

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it sought an independent audit of the cost of legal fees in the judicial review brought by the former First Minister, Alex Salmond.

The Court in this case awarded expenses to the former First Minister, Alex Salmond. Established procedures were followed to agree the sums to be paid. The Scottish Government legal team represented the Scottish Government in this process, and they also engaged law accountants to provide additional external expert advice. There was no need to have the account taxed by the Auditor of Court, and thereby incur additional expense, given that agreement was reached. As is normal in such cases, the detail of these negotiations is confidential. The First Minister was advised after settlement had been reached.

Question reference: S5O-03476

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the value is of Scotch lamb exports to Europe.

Question reference: S5W-24807

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many egg producers have made a commitment to phase out egg production from hens in enriched cages by 2025.

Question reference: S5W-24808

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it uses eggs from enriched cages in any (a) food or meals that it provides and (b) of the catering services that it provides (a) on and (ii) outwith its own premises.

Question reference: S5W-24811

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when the first meeting of the Animal Welfare Commission will be held; what organisations will be represented on it, and what welfare issues it will consider in its first year.

Question reference: S5W-24812

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to prohibiting the use of enriched cages for laying hens on animal welfare grounds.

Question reference: S5W-24806

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many supermarket retailers have made a commitment to phase out eggs from caged hens by 2025, and how many have committed to phase out (a) whole eggs on the shelf, (b) their own branded products that contain such eggs and (c) any other products that contain such eggs.

Question reference: S5W-24463

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the uptake of free personal care for people under 65 (Frank’s Law) in each local authority area.

Scottish Government officials worked closely with the Free Personal Care Implementation Advisory Group to develop a detailed monitoring template that has been distributed to all local authorities. This format asks for information on costs, level, and nature of demand for Free Personal Care since the extension to those under the age of 65. This will allow for a more accurate estimate of the cost of the policy in coming years and allocations to local authorities. We are committed to review on this basis.

We intend to provide regular reports of the impact of the extension of Free Personal Care from early next year. This will enable both central and local governments to closely monitor the impact of the extension over the first three years.