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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 2401 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-21977

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action is it taking to ensure that NHS boards recruit a sufficient number of consultant ophthalmology posts to meet rising demand, in light of the recent Workforce Census for 2018, published by the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, which showed that NHS boards in Scotland are recruiting or planning to advertise for 11 consultant ophthalmology posts compared with an "ideal" number of 23.

Under this government, the number of Consultants in NHS Scotland has increased by 51.3% to record high levels, with the number of ophthalmology consultants increasing by 45.5% over the same period (Sep-06 to Sep-18). The rate of ophthalmology vacancies has also seen a downward trend over the past two years. The number of Consultants specialising in Ophthalmology who are employed by each Board in NHS Scotland, and the current vacancy picture, is available on the ISD website: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2018-12-04/Medical-and-Dental.asp .

NHSScotland Boards have fully delegated powers in relation to employment issues. They are required to have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of the service and to ensure high quality patient care. It is for individual health boards to make decisions on the creation of posts and filling of vacancies to meet the needs of the service.

To support Boards, the Scottish Government has invested £4 million pound in domestic and international recruitment efforts across NHS Scotland over the next 3 years.

Question reference: S5W-21903

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 13 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial implications of the Damages (Investment Returns and Periodical Payments) (Scotland) Bill and a revised discount rate for NHS compensation budgets, and whether this will be reflected in future adjustments to the NHS budget.

The Financial Memorandum which accompanied the Damages (Investment Returns and Periodical Payments) (Scotland) Bill set out the Scottish Government’s assessment of the financial implications of the Damages (Investment Returns and Periodical Payments) (Scotland) Bill and a revised discount rate for NHS compensation budgets for clinical negligence claims -https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Bills/Damages%20(Investment%20Returns%20and%20Periodical%20Payments)%20(Scotland)%20Bill/SPBill35FMS052018.pdf.

The Discount Rate reviews in Scotland by the Government Actuary and in England and Wales by the Lord Chancellor will be carried out later this year and until they have been completed, it will not be known if they have produced different rates.

The Scottish Government expects that the UK Government will continue to cover the costs arising from the change in the discount rate to the extent that the rate in Scotland is in line with the rate in England and Wales. The Scottish Government will continue to pass this funding to the NHS in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-21848

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has made with the UK Government to ensure the distribution of recombinant clotting factor therapies for the treatment of inherited bleeding disorders if there is a no deal Brexit.

The UK Government has overall responsibility for EU exit contingency planning and for entry and any customs control at the UK Border.

Since August 2018, the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been leading on UK-wide contingency plans to secure supplies of medicines in the event of a ‘no-deal’ exit from the EU. DHSC have been asking pharmaceutical companies to increase their stockpiles of medicines, including recombinant clotting factor therapies, which it is considered may be impacted by delays at the UK Border, with the aim of ensuring that the UK has an additional six weeks supply on top of normal stocks. The Scottish Government has been liaising with the UK Government regularly on this.

Alongside the stockpiling arrangements, DHSC is looking at alternative transportation arrangements which can be used where necessary to bring medicines into the UK, such as additional ferry capacity and also the potential to airfreight medicines that need to be refrigerated during transportation.

In addition, we have checked with the five Scottish haemophilia centres and none have indicated any concerns about supplies of drugs for their patients; they are content that the minimum three months' supply should be sufficient.

Question reference: S5W-21832

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with Tradebe Healthcare to ensure the effective delivery of clinical waste management services.

The new framework agreement commenced on 1 February 2019, and will provide services related to the collection, treatment and disposal of healthcare waste.

As part of the contract there is an implementation period of 26 weeks which is standard and advised for contracts of this type and size. This period between contract signing and commencement of services allows the contractor to make the investment needed and as part of the tender specification was needed to encourage viable bids.

The implementation period will commence immediately and will cover areas including:

Site arrangements – lease agreements; SEPA operating permits; testing and commissioning; office fit-out, etc
Equipment – bins / storage containers, transport, IT and office equipment, etc
Staff – appoint key roles (project / site managers); recruitment and training of new staff; etc
Contracts with NHS Boards – individual Call Of Contracts

National Services Scotland continues to work closely with NHS Boards, contractors, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Scottish Government to ensure effective delivery of clinical waste management services throughout this implementation period.

Question reference: S5O-02976

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it will receive the report of the one-year review of the operation of the Queensferry Crossing.

Question reference: S5W-21768

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of The Queen's Nursing Institute of Scotland's project, Three Bridges-Promoting Blood Borne Virus (BBV) wellness within Police Custody Suites, what its position is on (a) including BBV-testing as part of a package of care and (b) implementing an opt-out testing model to help to reduce some of the stigma and inequalities surrounding hepatitis C care and treatment.

The Scottish Government is committed to eliminating hepatitis C as a public health concern, and is supporting work to improve opt-out testing in prisons as we recognise that this population is at particular risk. We are providing funding of over £2m between 2018 and 2021 to organisations tackling poor sexual health and blood borne viruses, including to Hepatitis Scotland and Waverley Care for their work to support people living with or at risk of hepatitis C and HIV.

The Scottish Government supports the integration of blood borne virus (BBV) testing into treatment as part of the care available to those in police custody. As part of nationwide efforts to increase testing for BBV, a number of NHS Boards have elected to develop BBV testing in police custody for those populations most at risk. Lessons learned from these service developments are being shared with services across Scotland to support our commitment to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health concern.

Question reference: S5W-21831

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to (a) minimise waste and (b) maximise recycling in healthcare.

NHS Boards are required to develop and implement plans to reduce waste and increase recycling to meet the targets set out in the NHSScotland Waste Management Action Plan 2016–2020.

The key waste regulatory requirements are outlined in the following table:

Year	Requirement	Source
2017	Reduce waste arisings by 7% against a 2011 baseline	Making Things Last strategy
2020	Landfill ban on biodegradable municipal waste	Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012
2025	Maximum 5% of waste to landfill	Making Things Last strategy
2025	Reduce waste arisings by 15% against a 2011 baseline	Making Things Last strategy
2025	70% recycling rate	Making Things Last strategy
2025	Reduce food waste arisings by 33% against a 2011 baseline	Making Things Last strategy

Each Board, in partnership with NHS National Procurement, must develop a single overarching plan covering the prevention and re-use of waste that details the specific opportunities that will be taken forward in order to achieve the waste prevention targets.

In addition, each NHS Board is required to work with their domestic waste management contractor to develop a single overarching plan covering the recycling and recovery of domestic waste in order to achieve recycling targets.

Question reference: S5W-21830

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the components in the home screening kit for bowel cancer kit are recyclable.

The bowel cancer screening kit comprises of an outer envelope, a letter with instructions, an information booklet, a return postage-paid envelope and a test kit.

The outer envelope, the letter with instructions, and the information booklet are all paper and can be recycled. Until 11th February 2019, the programme used a foil return envelope which was not recyclable, however the programme now uses a different type of envelope which is recyclable.

After being analysed at the lab the used test kits are disposed of in clinical waste bags (i.e. treated in the same way as blood tubes), and are not recycled.

Question reference: S5W-21367

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 28 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of hospitals produce their food (a) in-house and (b) through private contractors, broken down by NHS board.

Of 168 healthcare sites across Scotland that receive a catering service, 33 receive their catering provision from an outsourced provider. The remaining sites receive catering provision from an outsourced provider.

NHS Board	Sites with Outsourced Provision
Ayrshire and Arran	1 (out of 10)
Forth Valley	7 (out of 7)
Greater Glasgow & Clyde	1 (out of 16)
Highland	4 (out of 23)
Lanarkshire	13 (out of 14)
Lothian	5 (out of 19)
Tayside	1 (out of 18)
Western Isles	1 (out of 1)

Question reference: S5W-21630

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 28 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what enforcement powers exist to ensure that family contact judgements are upheld.

Currently, if someone believes an order under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (the 1995 Act) has been breached the person can go back to court and seek a further order (such as a variation of the order or a switch in residence), and/or ask the court to hold the person breaching the contact order in contempt of court. The Scottish Government’s understanding is that the penalties for contempt of court are laid down in section 15 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981. They include a prison sentence or a fine.

We have recently consulted on the review of Part 1 of the 1995 Act. The consultation sought views on how contact orders should be enforced. We are now considering next steps. The Programme for Government for 2018-19 announced that there will be a Family Law Bill.