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-08446

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any financial implications, including pension liabilities, of its decision to take HMP Kilmarnock into public ownership.

The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations (TUPE) apply when a service is transferred from one employer to another, in this case ‘insourcing’. It provides those who are carrying out work which will be provided by a new employer with protection by transferring them to the employment of the new provider. Staff transferring to SPS employment will be consulted on the changes that will be made when SPS are managing the prison. Exact costs will become clear at the conclusion of the consultation exercise and the running costs are likely to be aligned to an existing public prison of a similar size.

Question reference: S6W-08444

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 20 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the reported proposal by Serco to meet the cost of building an extension to HMP Kilmarnock, which would have created an additional 265 prisoner places, was rejected.

Question reference: S6W-08406

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is providing additional funding to Breathing Space in order to support people experiencing mental health impacts as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

In 2021-22, the Scottish Government funded NHS 24 £2,372,209 to support the delivery of Breathing Space, a free, confidential phone and web based service for people in Scotland experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.

The Scottish Government recognise that demand for mental health support from NHS 24 continues to be high, that is why a significant investment of nearly £5 million was made from the Recovery and Renewal fund in 2021-22 to support the NHS 24 Mental Health Hub.

The Mental Health Hub is available for any individual calling the 111 service seeking support for their wellbeing and mental health, or if they are in distress, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Breathing Space and the Mental Health Hub will continue to support people experiencing mental health impacts as a result of the cost-of-living crisis as spending plans are developed and agreed with NHS Boards through the usual channels.

Question reference: S6O-01109

Asked by: Natalie Don-Innes, MSP for Renfrewshire North and West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest assessment is of the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Scotland’s agricultural sector.

The illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia impacts everyone in the food industry, from farmers to hauliers, processors to retailers.

We have established a short-life Food Security and Supply Taskforce, together with industry. The Taskforce met for the first time on 18 March and continues to do so.

It will seek to recommend, any short, medium and longer-term actions that can be taken to mitigate impacts, resolve supply issues and strengthen food security and supply in Scotland. It will report in due course.

Scottish Ministers remain clear in their commitment to support farmers and crofters.

Question reference: S6W-08404

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many training places it will provide for (a) psychiatrists and (b) mental health nurses in the next five years, and how this compares with the number in the last five years.

(a) Psychiatry

Table 1 sets out the number of established training places in each of the various psychiatric specialties. This data reflects trainee establishment levels from August 2016 – August 2022.

Table 1	Trainee Establishment
Training Programme	Trainee Establishment
Training Programme	Aug-16	Aug-17	Aug-18	Aug-19	Aug-20	Aug-21	Feb-22	Aug-22

Child and adolescent psychiatry	28	28	28	28	28	28	28	28
Core Psychiatry	163	163	161	161	161	166	171	176
Forensic psychiatry	15	15	15	15	15	15	15	15
General psychiatry	59	59	59	59	59	59	59	59
Intellectual Disability Psychiatry	13	13	13	13	13	13	13	13
Medical psychotherapy	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8
Old age psychiatry	25	25	25	25	25	25	25	25
Grand Total	311	311	309*	309	309	314	319	324

* Two fewer posts were advertised in 2018 than in 2017 due to the allocation of Core Psychiatry posts to the Broad Based Training programme, which includes psychiatry as one of the four rotations.

Table 2 shows the number of psychiatric training posts advertised in each year from 2016 – 2021. The number of posts which are advertised varies year-on-year depending on how many trainees completed their training and achieved their Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in the year prior. Please note that comparative figures for 2022 are not yet available.

Table 2	Post Type*	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Specialty	Post Type*	Posts	Posts	Posts	Posts	Posts	Posts
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry	ST4	9	10	14	8	9	13
Core Psychiatry Training	CT1	59	58	65	63	68	59
Forensic Psychiatry	ST4	7	4	6	5	4	6
Forensic Psychiatry and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry	ST4	0	0	0	0	0	0
Forensic Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy	ST4	1	0	0	0	0	0
General Psychiatry	ST4	32	20	19	18	14	27
General Psychiatry and Medical Psychotherapy	ST4	1	0	0	0	1	3
General Psychiatry and Old Age Psychiatry	ST4	0	1	1	1	1	1
Medical Psychotherapy	ST4	0	3	3	1	2	2
Old Age Psychiatry	ST4	13	15	10	10	9	12
Psychiatry of Learning Disability	ST	1	3	7	8	6	4
Psychiatry of Learning Disability and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry	ST	0	0	0	0	1	1
		123	114	125	114	115	128

* CT = Core Training

*ST = Specialty Training

The number of psychiatry training places to be advertised beyond 2022 has not yet been determined. The number of training places is determined annually by Scottish Ministers, following the recommendations of the Shape of Training Transition Group (SSoTTG). The SSoTTG make its recommendations based on a number of factors, including: retiral rate of consultants, attrition rates, current and future service demand, assumed demographic changes, and training capacity within NHS Scotland amongst others. The Group receives input from Specialty Training Boards, Medical Royal Colleges, NHS Education Scotland, the British Medical Association, Medical Directors, Regional Medical Workforce Planners and other relevant parties.

The Scottish Government (SG) has been increasing the number of Core Psychiatry training places, following the recommendations of the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group (SSoTTG). Since 2014, the Scottish Ministers have created 474 additional places in a wide range of medical specialties, following the recommendations of the group. 139 of those were agreed in 2021 – the largest annual expansion to date – and are being recruited to in 2022. This includes 10 additional Core Psychiatry places. The SSoTTG continues to review the number of established training places in line with patient and service needs. All additional training places are funded by the Scottish Government.

SG officials are also currently working with NHS Education for Scotland and the Royal College of Psychiatrists Scotland to better understand and address the challenges associated with recruitment and retention in Psychiatry; an issue that is common across all four UK nations.

(b) Mental Health Nurses

In terms of training places for Mental Health nurses, student nurses entering Scottish Government funded degree programmes will increase by 20% in 2022-23, to a total recommended intake of 888 students. The mental health nursing intake has nearly doubled in the past 5 years, from 465 places in 2017.

Every year, the Scottish Government undertakes a robust nursing student intake planning process to determine the target number of pre-registration students to which Scottish universities should recruit to in the following academic year to meet estimated future nursing workforce demands.

Question reference: S6W-08424

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) trade unions representing drivers and (b) ScotRail regarding drivers’ pay, and what action is being taken to avoid any further disputes.

Question reference: S6W-08524

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the earliest year is for which it is technically possible to separate incineration plant emissions data from wider energy sector emissions data.

Official Statistics on Scottish greenhouse gas emissions are published annually ( Scottish Greenhouse Gas statistics: 1990-2019 ) and are used to monitor progress to Scotland’s statutory emissions reduction targets. These statistics are based on a disaggregation of the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory, which is overseen by the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and compiled in line with international scientific guidance.

At the time of writing, the UK Inventory does not allow for the isolation of data for emissions from waste incineration plants as opposed to other energy sector emissions. Decisions around the UK Inventory are a matter for BEIS and are informed by the UK National Inventory Steering Committee, which includes representation from Scottish Government officials.

Question reference: S6W-08503

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) grants and (b) loans it has provided to Petroineos during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what the value of any such grants and loans was.

Question reference: S6W-08505

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) grants and (b) loans it has provided to Ineos during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what the value of any such grants and loans was.

Question reference: S6W-08513

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will undertake research into the impacts of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Compound (NMVOC) emissions from Scotch whisky maturation, as indicated by the Environment and Forestry Directorate.