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-29930

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make changes to the ways in which it collects data, in light of the Scottish Health Equity Research Unit's 2024 Inequality Landscape report, which reportedly states that important information necessary to assess the effectiveness of policies aimed at tackling poverty and health inequalities are either missing or not detailed enough.

The Scottish Government is committed to improved data collection and analysis to accurately assess the impact of policies to ensure greatest impact can be achieved.

Data collection methodologies and approaches are kept under constant review to ensure not only the relevance of the data being collected but also to ensure efficiencies in how this is done.

The Scottish Government is committed to the use of evidence in developing and evaluating policies to understand what works. The Scottish Government regularly undertakes evaluation activity across a wide range of policy areas. Final reports are routinely published on the Scottish Government website.

The Scottish Government published its Evaluation Action Plan in August 2024. One of the key pillars of the Plan is to make better use of evaluation evidence, at the right times when developing policy and to enhance value for money. To deliver the Action Plan the Scottish Government is setting up an internal Centre of Expertise in Appraisal and Evaluation. This will make better use of in-house expertise to further improve the standards of appraisal and evaluation planning.

Question reference: S6W-29924

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to reduce waiting times at A&E.

We remain determined to deliver improved A&E performance and are working with Health Boards to reduce delays by enhancing patient flow at our acute sites. Through our Urgent and Unscheduled Care Collaborative Programme, work is underway to strengthen arrangements to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions by utilising services such as Same Day Emergency Care and Hospital at Home.

To release capacity within the system, NHS Boards are enhancing the discharge process – ensuring that every patient has an effective discharge date, agreed through multidisciplinary working, to avoid being delayed in hospital once clinically fit for discharge.

Boards are also supporting the public to access the right care in the right place by optimising Flow Navigation Centres and have been increasing capacity at NHS 24 which now has the highest level of call handlers on record.

Having the right, basic principles in place in the acute hospital will improve flow, reduce long waits due to exit block and ultimately benefit A&E performance.

Question reference: S6W-29809

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering the introduction of a centralised and up-to-date data collection system for school absences.

The legal responsibility for ongoing data collection on attendance and absence from schools rests with education authorities. This information is collected on behalf of education authorities by the SEEMiS system, managed by the SEEMiS Group.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes Accredited Official Statistics on the attendance and absence of pupils from schools. These statistics include analysis of attendance rates by pupil characteristics, reason for absence and rates of persistent absence. Beginning with the 2024-25 school year these statistics will be collected and published on an annual basis.

Question reference: S6W-29799

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it remains committed to dualling the A96.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the A96. This is despite stark challenges we face due to severe budgetary restrictions, as a result of the UK Government’s cut to our capital funding of almost 9% over five years.

The current plan is to fully dual the route and as part of this process we are undertaking a transparent, evidence-based review of the programme, which includes a climate compatibility assessment and other statutory assessments.

The significant interest in the review’s initial consultation, with nearly 4,600 responses, generated 11,000 options to improve the corridor. It is only right that appropriate time has been taken in order to properly examine and fully appraise these.

It is expected that the draft outcomes from the Review, including the climate compatibility assessment, will be consulted on this Autumn, before a final decision can be reached.

Question reference: S6W-29896

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to address the reportedly increased number of cancelled operations in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde since March 2020.

During the pandemic, and beginning in March 2020, routine planned operations were paused to allow our NHS to focus on patients with COVID-19 and to minimise transmission of the virus.

As services have remobilised, the number of patients listed for surgery has increased, therefore the number of cancelled operations increased in parallel.

The latest data for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde shows that in July 2024, of all cancelled planned operations, just 1.6% were cancelled for capacity reasons, down from 2.1% in July 2021, while 5.7% were cancelled either by the patient or for clinical reasons.

We have also seen planned activity in NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde rise from 4,238 in July 2021 to 4,798 in July 2024 – a 13.2% increase.

When a patient’s operation is cancelled, I expect NHS Boards to liaise with patients to find a suitable date as quickly as possible in order to ensure disruption to the patient is kept the minimum.

Question reference: S6W-29813

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ending of the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot, what alternative incentives it is considering to encourage the use of public transport over car travel.

I have instructed ScotRail to offer a 12 month 20% reduction on the price of weekly, monthly and annual season tickets also to amend the Flexipass terms so it offers 12 return journeys for the same price as 10.

Passengers will be able to make significant savings with these discounted products.

For example, in the Member’s constituency, if someone travels between Ayr and Glasgow at least 4 days a week, the equivalent of the daily return with an annual season pass would be £11.48, and £9.18, if they commute 5 days a week, which in both cases is lower than the off peak fare of £13.40 or £20.10 - the new all day fare. For those traveling less regularly, flexipass could be an option to consider, with this pass a return journey would cost an equivalent of £13.62.

It would be most welcome if the Member could help promote these discounts to her constituents.

Question reference: S6W-29807

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs could potentially be lost as a result of its recently announced decision to reduce funding for public health information marketing campaigns.

Question reference: S6W-28026

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has over mineral mining activity in Scotland, in light of written answer HL3093 in the House of Lords on 20 March 2024, in which the Minister of State in the Department for Business and Trade states that “mineral planning policy is also a devolved matter”.

The Scottish Government is responsible for overseeing Scotland’s statutory planning system which manages the development and use of land in the long-term public interest. Applications for planning permission for the extraction of minerals in Scotland must be made to the relevant local planning authority and Scottish Ministers only rarely intervene. Our Fourth National Planning Framework, published and adopted by Scottish Ministers in 2023 guides spatial development, sets out national planning policies, designates national developments and highlights regional spatial priorities. It is part of the development plan, and so influences planning decisions across Scotland.

Where any mineral extraction takes place, relevant environmental authorisation requirements will apply ensuring continuing environmental protection.

Question reference: S6W-29306

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with sports governing bodies that may be affected by the decision of sportscotland to dispose of its headquarters at Caledonia House, Edinburgh.

In 2009, sportscotland’s headquarters moved to Doges, Templeton on the Green, Glasgow and Caledonian House was retained as a “House of Sport”. A full cost-benefit analysis of Caledonian House was conducted in March 2023, and it was concluded the building was not a good use of public money. All existing tenants, including relevant Scottish Governing Bodies of sport, were part of a sportscotland consultation process, have been kept up to date with the process throughout, and were provided ample time to consider their future office needs and find alternative office space.

sportscotland continue to support tenants with information and guidance on alternative accommodation and where possible, have facilitated introductions to wider partners where there is potential to co-locate.

Question reference: S6O-03808

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on public services of an increased population in areas such as Midlothian.