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-05109

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its review of concessionary travel schemes.

The under 26’s review has been undertaken during a period of time where there has been considerable changes in the policy landscape within which concessionary travel rests, and there currently remains a level of uncertainty as the long term impacts of COVID-19 on public transport are not yet known.

During the review process a commitment was made to introduce free bus travel to under 19s, which was then extended to under 22s which is due to be introduced on 31 January 2022. The impact of the under 22s scheme will provide useful real-world evidence for examining further cost-benefit analysis and determining the value of any future extensions of free bus travel (or other modes) for targeted age ranges or groups of society.

The under 26’s review is being finalised for publication and will be published following the introduction of the under 22s scheme.

Question reference: S6W-05011

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of rising rates of skin cancer, and what its position is on the urgency of this issue, in light of there reportedly being more deaths in Scotland of young adults from melanoma than any other cancer.

The most recently published ten year percentage change tables show some upward incidence trends and downward mortality trends. This reflects improved survival.

We are committed to finding cancer early when the chance of survival and even cure is higher – this is reflected in our £44 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme. Melanoma was added to the Programme in 2016 following a robust options appraisal exercise (this included reviewing a wealth of data from incidence and survival to mortality and staging).

Since then, over £400,000 has been invested across NHS Scotland to support skin cancer CNS workforce, enhance image capturing and sharing, provision of equipment for GPs/ANPs i.e. dermoscopes and the development and delivery of lesion training programmes.

Question reference: S6W-04985

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have currently been referred for orthopaedic treatment in (a) NHS Highland and (b) Scotland but have not yet been given a treatment date.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes quarterly statistics relating to the waits patients experience for new outpatient appointments and inpatient or day case admission at specialty and health board level using the links below.

https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/healthcare-resources/waiting-times/

The latest statistics were published on 30 th November 2021 and the following tables will be of interest.

New outpatient appointments (tab: 1.4 Table):

https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/10563/newop_nov21.xlsx

Inpatient or day case admission (tab: 2.4 Table):

https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/10487/ipdc_nov21.xlsx

The statistics published in the tables above include additions to the waiting list and not referrals as the national data captures only those referrals that lead to a patient being added to the waiting list for an appointment or admission.

Question reference: S6W-05003

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure there is a clear pathway and access to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care that is fully funded across NHS Scotland.

The NHS Centre for Integrative Care (CIC) is a facility that all NHS Boards across Scotland have the option of referring patients to for services not available locally.

The Scottish Government is providing £12.4 billion for frontline NHS boards, which is a £327 million (3.2%) increase. This is the first step to ensuring that frontline funding - which directly supports patient services - increases by at least £2.5 billion by 2026-27.

Over 50% of frontline spend will go towards community health services, delivering on our commitment to increase primary care funding by 25% over this Parliament, providing more care for people in a place and way that meets their needs.

Question reference: S6W-04914

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position in relation to introducing an equal right of appeal in the planning system.

Question reference: S6W-05078

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS Scotland spends annually on the (a) diagnosis of, (b) treatment of, (c) management of and (d) rehabilitation services for (i) idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and (ii) interstitial lung disease.

The Scottish Government provides baseline funding to NHS Boards and it is for Boards to determine how to use this funding to meet the healthcare needs of their resident population.

In 2021-22, Health funding exceeds £16 billion with £11.6 billion allocated to our frontline Health Boards. Our latest Budget takes funding for Health and Social Care to £18 billion for the first time, with £12.4 billion investment in our frontline health boards, representing additional investment of £387m (3.2%).

We continue to ensure that our health and care services receive the support that they need to address additional financial pressures resulting from Covid, including £862m provided to date in 2021-22.

Detail on how funding has been used specifically for diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease would require to be requested from NHS Boards.

Question reference: S6W-05046

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the locations of the high-rise buildings that have been found to have cladding that requires (a) remediation or (b) replacement.

Question reference: S6W-05045

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects remediation work on high-rise buildings with cladding that does not meet safety standards to be completed, to bring the buildings in line with safety standards.

Question reference: S6W-05102

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much Highlands and Islands Airports Limited's (HIAL) Air Traffic Management System project has cost to date.

Question reference: S6W-05068

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 5 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to upgrade the energy efficiency standards of older and historic buildings.

The Scottish Government provides support for energy efficiency measures and zero emissions heating in Scotland’s homes and businesses, including for traditional and heritage buildings. Home Energy Scotland (HES) is funded by the Scottish Government to offer free, impartial, bespoke information and advice on the installation of energy efficiency and renewables measures, and to act as a gateway to all our domestic energy efficiency funding schemes. For businesses, the Scottish Government offer free, impartial advice and support to Scottish SMEs through the Energy Efficiency Business Support Service, delivered by Zero Waste Scotland. Through this service, businesses can access the SME loan scheme which provides funding support for energy efficiency measures and zero emissions heating installations.

In order to meet our net zero ambitions, we will continue to invest in our advice services to increase their reach and support. We recognise that improving the energy efficiency of traditional and heritage buildings in Scotland may require a bespoke approach and we will work with stakeholders, such as Historic Environment Scotland, to understand the future support necessary to upgrade these buildings.