- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of its work on the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS, in light of the updated statement published in February 2023 stating that “This represents a first step in updating the Scottish Good Practice Statement", and that "Further work will be undertaken to more comprehensively review the guidance”.
Answer
We continue to explore how best to bring together cross-sector ME/CFS stakeholders, to ensure effective collaboration and engagement from all parties is considered in driving forward developments and recommendations regarding ME/CFS in Scotland.
The Health and Social Care Standards set out the expectation that care should be provided by health and social care professionals based on the most relevant evidence, guidance and best practice, as is appropriate to their profession and patient group. In July 2022 we wrote to health boards and GPs to raise awareness of the NICE guidelines and highlight key changes in practice, and these remain the most current national guidelines on the management of ME/CFS.
We are considering the potential to seek further clarity around the status and continued applicability of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS and its relationship to the existing NICE guideline.
In terms of our wider strategic work, a joined-up policy approach to long-term conditions is now being explored as the outcomes we seek are broadly the same regardless of condition including early identification and prevention, effective, safe and person-centred care and improved service delivery.
We are currently engaging with clinicians, patients, those who care for them and the third sector organisations who provide services to find out what matters to them. From this we will then have a full public consultation commencing in January 2025, following which a strategy will be developed and published later in 2025.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how often cabins on sailings of the passenger Northern Isles Ferry Services between Aberdeen-Lerwick have reached full bookable capacity in each of the last five years.
Answer
The number of sailings where all cabins were fully booked on the Aberdeen – Lerwick passenger vessels for each Contract Year is displayed in the following table, which also includes the number of passenger vessel sailings each year.
| | Total Sailings | Sailings With Fully Booked Cabin Capacity | |
| | Northbound | Southbound | Northbound | Southbound | |
Jul 19 - Jun 20 | 306 | 306 | 41 | 41 | Covid Operating Period |
Jul 20 - Jun 21 | 334 | 334 | 0 | 0 | Covid Operating Period |
Jul 21 - Jun 22 | 346 | 346 | 0 | 1 | |
Jul 22 - Jun 23 | 338 | 337 | 72 | 81 | |
Jul 23 - Jun 24 | 332 | 333 | 63 | 75 | |
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will fully implement the 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline, NG206, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30903 on 11 November 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an assessment of how agriculture in Scotland could be impacted by the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s recent announcement of changes to the inheritance tax system for farms from April 2026.
Answer
Our rural economies will be hit by the proposed changes to Inheritance Tax’s Agricultural Property Relief.
It is disappointing that there had been no prior indication of the change or engagement with the Scottish Government. Indeed, ahead of the election a Labour spokesperson had explicitly stated there was no intention of changing APR.
The Scottish Parliament recently debated this matter and agreed to call on the UK Government to reverse the changes –and urgently commit to undertake and publish impact assessments on the cumulative impact of its budget proposals on farmers and crofters in Scotland.
Given the lack of available data on the impact of this decision, there should now be an immediate review of this policy, informed by close engagement with the agricultural sector and devolved governments.
The Scottish Government want to see a tax system that supports – rather than hinders – orderly succession planning and the transfer of land to the next generation of custodians.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on heritage industries like spinning and the wool sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the intrinsic value of traditional skills and practices within heritage industries, and their important role both in local communities and within our wider society.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with New Lanark Mill regarding the reported proposals for it to close.
Answer
There was no formal consultation with Scottish Government or Historic Environment Scotland on the closure of the spinning mill, though Historic Environment Scotland had been aware of an ongoing review of the Trust’s various enterprises as part of its wider vision to create long term sustainability for the World Heritage Site.
The decision to close the New Lanark Spinning Mill is a decision for the owner of the site, New Lanark Trust, to make. New Lanark Trust has the responsibility for these difficult commercial decisions which it needs to consider within the context of the wider implications for the World Heritage Site to ensure its long-term sustainability.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support wool producers that use the services and skills currently available at New Lanark Mill, in light of reports of proposals to close the mill.
Answer
I would advise wool producers to engage with the British Wool Marketing Board, which is a public, non-financial corporation established by the British Wool Marketing Scheme (Approval) Order 1950. As the organisation can collect, grade and sell wool from across the UK on behalf of producer members, it may be able to advise on alternative services.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 15 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Grampian to reduce the waiting list for elective surgery at Woodend Hospital, in light of reports that this is estimated to be around 3,000 people.
Answer
NHS Grampian was allocated funding to support additional orthopaedic activity at Woodend Hospital as part of our £30 million investment in planned care.
Activity levels will increase over the coming months and the Scottish Government will work closely with the Board to support delivery.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 12 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS boards to establish more separate spaces in hospitals with maternity wards for patients experiencing miscarriage or baby loss.
Answer
The Scottish Government expects all women receiving maternity care to be treated with dignity and respect and is developing a Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care, which includes the provision of separate private spaces in hospitals with maternity wards for women experiencing miscarriage or baby loss. Officials are currently working with stakeholders to finalise the content and we expect to publish the Framework by the end of 2024 or early in 2025.
The Scottish Government funded National Bereavement Care Pathways for pregnancy and baby loss and accompanying bereavement care standards are clear that women and families experiencing pregnancy or baby loss should be treated sensitively and compassionately and difficult news should be delivered in a quiet private space. All 14 NHS Boards are signed up to the pathways and at different stages of implementation.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 12 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many maternity wards in hospitals there are, and how many of these have a separate space for patients experiencing miscarriage or baby loss.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. However, the information in this report https://www.gov.scot/publications/miscarriage-care-facilities-scotland-scoping-report-national-overview/ which details the findings of a scoping exercise to enable better understanding of miscarriage care in Scotland nationally may be of interest.
