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-19164

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress that has been made on its commitment to explore implementation of HPV self-sampling, in light of Cervical Screening Awareness Week and an NHS study, undertaken in Dumfries and Galloway, which has shown the potential benefits of self-sampling.

Question reference: S6W-19228

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18369 by Jenni Minto on 12 June 2023, whether it can provide exact numerical figures of how many of the (a) 20 short-term, (b) 29 medium-term and (c) 66 total actions in its Women's Health Plan 2021-2024 have been achieved.

Work has commenced on all 20 of the short term actions in the plan, with 12 now considered to be ‘complete’.

As set out in the Report on Progress, it is the case that a number of the short term actions will necessarily continue beyond their short-term timescales and will be ongoing throughout the life of the plan.

Work continues apace on the final eight actions, where it is considered that work needs to continue to augment the outputs achieved in the one year timeline set out in the Plan.

The Plan’s medium term actions are for delivery within one to three years. Work has commenced on the majority of these actions, with two already completed and the remainder progressing well and on track for completion by August 2024.

Work is ongoing with partners across Scotland to deliver the aims, priorities and actions in the Plan.

Question reference: S6W-18823

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when its ministers last met the CEO of The Promise Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-02299

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on the Scottish Government's commitment to roll out universal free school meals, in light of reported concerns that there will be further delays to the expansion of universal free school meal provision for P6 and P7 pupils, and that no progress has been made on its commitment to establish a secondary school pilot scheme.

Question reference: S6W-19037

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the level of safeguarding in place regarding named persons defined under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, and if so, when this was last carried out.

The Scottish Government has not recently assessed the level of safeguarding in place regarding named persons defined under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

The Act allows the patient to have a right to choose whether to have a named person or not. The purpose of a named person is to allow someone to look after a patient’s interests when they are subject to compulsory care and treatment. However, where there are concerns that a person is not suitable to act as a named person then the Act allows for action to be taken. People, such as a patient’s mental health officer, a welfare attorney, a guardian, relatives or anyone who has an interest in the patients welfare, can apply to the Mental Health Tribunal to have a named person removed from the role if they feel that they are unsuitable.

The Scottish Mental Health Law Review made a number of recommendations regarding the operation of the named person provisions under the Act which the Scottish Government will give further consideration to as part of our response to the Review.

Question reference: S6W-19039

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, what consideration it has given to introducing additional safeguards to protect vulnerable people from (a) coercive control and (b) domestic abuse.

The overarching approach of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 is one of safeguarding to ensure that the law and practice for those who require compulsory care and treatment are driven by core principles, particularly minimum restriction in individual liberty with the maximum benefit for the patient.

The 2003 Act has specific provisions for offences which include wilful neglect and ill-treatment. Any report of harm, ill-treatment or neglect by a person in a position of trust in hospital, or elsewhere, should be acted upon and passed to the relevant local authority’s health and social care services, as well as the police if criminality is suspected.

The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 is intended to protect those adults who are unable to safeguard their own interests, who are at risk of harm and, because they are affected by disability, mental disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity, are more vulnerable to harm than those who are not so affected.

The Code of Practice which accompanies the 2007 Act is clear that coercive control or undue pressure exercised over a vulnerable person may make them unable to make or action decisions that would protect them from harm. The safeguarding provisions of the 2007 Act could be applied in such cases providing they meet all of the 3 point criteria which define an adult at risk.

Question reference: S6W-19242

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that NHS staff do not have to pay for parking at NHS facilities.

Question reference: S6W-19054

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to fund the prevention of fractures as a result of osteoporosis through fracture liaison services.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Fracture Liaison Service audit and, have provided Public Health Scotland with funding to undertake a provisional organisational audit and scoping exercise.

Following completion of this scoping exercise the Scottish Government has advised the Royal Osteoporosis Society that the funding will be made available for a national fracture liaison service audit. The reporting timescale is expected to be finalised soon.

Question reference: S6W-18939

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent NatureScot report that states that the proportion of natural features in favourable condition on protected sites has fallen from 80.4% in 2016 to 76.4% in March 2023.

The statistics are disappointing, and we are working with NatureScot to identify the contributing factors. Key to progress will be tackling negative pressures in areas surrounding protected sites including the proliferation of invasive non-native species and overgrazing. Only through collaborative working at a landscape scale will negative pressures on protected areas be effectively tackled and biodiversity restored.

Later this year we will publish Scotland’s new Biodiversity Strategy. This will set out our vision to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2030 and restore and regenerate biodiversity by 2045. The delivery plan will include a range of actions in support of this vision including actions to drive landscape change and actions to expand, connect and improve our protected areas.

Question reference: S6W-19053

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that NHS boards are taking a preventative approach to tackling osteoporosis.