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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-28228

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 9 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to the managing agent of the Warmer Homes Scotland programme, Warmworks, in light of reports that applicants in island areas, where levels of fuel poverty can be highest, are being advised that they may have to wait up to 12 weeks, increased from six weeks, for their assessment.

The Scottish Government monitors Warmworks' delivery across Scotland against key performance indicators including 'referral to completion' split by region. There had been delays in providing assessments due to high demand following launch of the scheme’s new phase in October 2023. Warmworks have now significantly increased their assessor capacity and the current expected wait time for a Warmer Homes Scotland assessment for a customer in the Islands is now six weeks.

Question reference: S6W-26216

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on what the (a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average duration was in the academic year 2022-23 that (i) a teacher and (ii) an educational worker was suspended from their duties following allegations made against them and pending investigation.

Question reference: S6W-25984

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on rural GP training of the reported decision by NHS Education for Scotland to withdraw funding for face-to-face GP Educator Supervisors’ workshops and conferences in the north of Scotland.

In November 2023, the NHS Scotland Chief Executive wrote to all Health Boards, requesting that they review their financial forecast for the remainder of the 2023-24 financial year and minimise any discretionary spend.

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) play a critical role in supporting the education, training and wider development of the NHS Scotland workforce and is responsible for ensuring best use of available resources to support delivery of services and strategic objectives.

NES will continue to provide training and education, taking a flexible approach to its delivery across Scotland, while ensuring quality is maintained.

Question reference: S6W-25931

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the results of the Seabirds Count census in 2023, whether it can provide an update on the progress of the Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy.

The results of the latest seabird census, Seabird Count, show that many of Scotland’s intentionally important seabird populations are suffering from a range of pressures, including climate change.

The Scottish Government is committed to the development of a Scottish Seabird Conservation Strategy in partnership with stakeholders, to drive forward and prioritise action aimed at improving the conservation prospects of our internationally important seabird populations. Work on the strategy is moving at pace, with targeted stakeholder engagement planned for spring/summer 2024, followed by consultation later in the year.

Question reference: S6W-25294

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 26 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the medical provision that is available to those living with renal vascular compression, what treatments are available; how many consultants there are in Scotland who can treat this condition, and what the average timescale for treatment is.

The treatments available for those living with renal vascular compression depend on the underlying cause. There are many potential causes of renal vascular compression which all have specific treatment options. Treatments available range from surveillance (in less severe cases), medication such as ACE inhibitors and aspirin, and various types of surgery.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on consultant specialties.

Waiting time information is available from Public Health Scotland and is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. However, as treatment pathways vary, specific information is not available on the timescales for treatment for those living with renal vascular compression.

Question reference: S6O-03138

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on nursery-age childcare funding provision.

Question reference: S6O-03060

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the reduction in funding for Highlands and Islands Enterprise on women in business.

Question reference: S6W-24524

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the Disabled Persons (Badges for Motor Vehicles) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2007, which give local authorities the discretion to charge a fee for the issue or re-issue of Blue Badges.

Question reference: S6W-24364

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to create specific funding schemes for brain tumour research.

The Scottish Government has no plans to create specific funding schemes for Brain Tumour research.

Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and the Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.

https://www.cso.sc ot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/. Applications on Brain Tumour research are welcomed.

CSO provides funding support through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) for infrastructure to support the running of clinical trials in the NHS here. this includes the NRS Cancer Research Network whose role is to increase, support and sustain clinical trial activity in cancer care in Scotland https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/cancer

The NRS Cancer Research Network is currently supporting 13 Brain Tumour Clinical studies with over 190 patients recruited.

Through UK-wide funding agreements, researchers based in Scotland are able to access research funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR). Within their individual remits, these programmes can consider applications for research in Brain Tumours. CSO is working with the health research community in Scotland to ensure awareness of these opportunities and to maximise the number of high quality applications from Scotland to the NIHR research funding programmes going forward.

Question reference: S6W-24366

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent steps it has taken to improve care for people with a brain tumour diagnosis.

In our cancer strategy published in June last year, the Scottish Government committed to focus on cancer types that are the largest burden and have worse outcomes. These include brain and the other cancers categorised as less-survivable such as oesophagus, pancreas, and stomach.

We are continuing to invest in 12 pilot single point of contact (SPOC) sites and will evaluate the impact of the programme and expand its reach. We are also rolling out our final Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service, in partnership with Macmillan, giving everyone diagnosed with cancer in Scotland access to a key support worker.