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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: S6F-01626

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2022

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the roll-out of the Child Disability Payment.

Question reference: S6W-12265

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to (a) launching an inquiry to assess the potential value of retrofit over demolition and (b) the introduction of a demolition levy, in light of the Chartered Institute of Building’s report, Levelling the playing field, not Scotland’s built environment: a case for retrofit over demolition, which states that introducing a demolition levy could catalyse a shift in priority to favour retrofit projects and fund green initiatives.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of retrofitting existing buildings, as noted in our Town Centre Action Plan review and Housing to 2040 Strategy. We are aware that current VAT rules may incentivise demolition over retrofitting. However, VAT policy is currently reserved to the UK Government. As such, we have called on the UK Government to address this issue, but to no avail. We called on the UK Government to issue changes in a letter of 19 March 2021, but this request was declined in a response received in May 2021.

The Scottish Government will, of course, continue to consider what it can do to address the current imbalance, including through the promotion and facilitation of retrofitting within our policies. However, it is clear that the key powers lie with the UK Government.

The Scottish Government welcomes the report from the Chartered Institute of Building. We too have been clear that coordinated action is needed to tackle the challenge of building decarbonisation. We will carefully consider the report, including the recommendation of introducing a demolition levy in Scotland. However, a change to the VAT structure remains the preferred solution. As the imbalance is caused by the design of the VAT system, this would be most efficiently and effectively resolved through VAT reform.

The Scottish Government will continue to call on the UK Government to address the current imbalance.

Question reference: S6W-12777

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards the National Strategy for Economic Transformation commitment to establish an investor panel, chaired by the First Minister.

The First Minister will chair the Investor Panel and has appointed Angus Macpherson, CEO, Noble & Co as co-Chair. Ministers and officials have been working closely with Mr Macpherson to identify suitable Panel members with the knowledge, experience and expertise in global capital investment markets and green finance to drive this work forward. The first meeting of the Panel will take place on‎ 12 December.

The Panel’s primary focus will be on attracting capital investment to the physical infrastructure required for a just transition and to provide advice on how we can create the right conditions to attract private investment to support policy objectives.

Question reference: S6W-11921

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to monitor the number of patients diagnosed with leukaemia in an emergency hospital admission.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on emergency presentations.

We are committed to reducing emergency diagnoses for cancer and have established three Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (RCDS) across NHS Scotland, with a further two sites announced by the First Minister on 10 October 2022.

RCDS provide primary care with access to a new referral pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer. The Clinical Leads for two of the Services are Haematologists, reflecting the role that this new model can play in diagnosing blood cancers including leukaemia earlier.

In addition, the Scottish Government will continue to work closely with primary care clinicians, including the Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group, to identify possible symptoms as early as possible and support appropriate referral via the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer.

Work is underway to develop a new earlier diagnosis vision in Scotland - this will form part of the new cancer strategy, due to publish Spring 2023. Measurements such as emergency presentation data, to track progress and improvements, are being considered.

Question reference: S6W-11923

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is available data regarding the rate of emergency diagnosis of leukaemia in each NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-11922

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what data it currently has regarding the rate of emergency diagnosis of leukaemia.

The Scottish Government does not hold data on emergency presentations of cancer.

We are committed to diagnosing cancer as early and as quickly as possible which is why we continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme and are rolling out Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services. Work is underway to develop a new earlier diagnosis vision in Scotland - this will form part of the new cancer strategy, due to publish Spring 2023.

Question reference: S6W-11924

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that all patients who present to their GP with symptoms of leukaemia receive a blood test as soon as possible, in light of this reportedly not being specifically covered in the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer.

A clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer was completed in 2018 with revised clinical guidance published January 2019. The guidelines support primary care clinicians in ensuring those with symptoms suspicious of cancer are put on the right pathway at the right time.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with primary care clinicians across NHS Scotland, including the Scottish Primary Care Cancer Group, to raise awareness of symptoms and best referral practice for all cancer types.

Scotland’s first three Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services are live, providing primary care with a new referral pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms i.e. fatigue, nausea, weight loss – this can often include patients with Haematological cancers. A suite of tests, including blood tests, are undertaken in primary care at the point of referral. The Scottish Government is committed to working towards equitable access to a RCDS across Scotland, for eligible patients.

Question reference: S6W-12189

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the expert research that was commissioned to advise on the establishment of a Peace Institute.

Question reference: S6W-11944

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the licensing of grouse moor management, as recommended in the Werritty review, will include a proactive monitoring regime to ensure that licences are revoked should breaches occur.

Question reference: S6W-11945

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the recommendations in the Werritty review will be implemented, particularly the licensing of grouse moor management.

As we set out in our 2022 Programme for Government we will introduce a Wildlife Management (Grouse) Bill which will: ‘ implement the recommendations of the “Werritty Review” and introduce licensing for grouse moor management to ensure that the management of driven grouse moors and related activities is undertaken in an environmentally sustainable manner. The Bill will also include provisions to ban glue traps.’

We have been working with NatureScot to develop proposals for a licensing scheme for grouse moor businesses and launched a public consultation on those proposals on 26 October 2022. The consultation will run until 14 December 2022 and can be found here: Wildlife management: consultation - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .