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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-01502

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what measures are in place to protect Scotland from any potential risks to cyber security.

Question reference: S6O-01526

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to deliver relief for residents at risk of poverty during the cost of living crisis and in light of rising energy costs.

Question reference: S6O-01487

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on Prestwick Airport's contribution to the South Ayrshire economy.

Question reference: S6W-10856

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the statistics in Section 9.3.2 of the Review of Children (Scotland) Act 1995 consultation: analysis are accurate.

Yes, the statistics you refer to are accurate. The analysis can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/analysis-consultation-responses-consultation-review-children-scotland-act-1995/pages/9/ . There were 254 responses to the consultation, which asked a number of questions. As noted in the table at section 9.3.1 of the analysis, 124 consultees answered yes to question 31 on amending the Child Abduction Act 1984, with 13 answering no and 117 not answering the question. 124 of 254 is 49%, which is the figure referred to in section 9.3.2 of the analysis.

Question reference: S6W-10857

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether data from the Review of Children (Scotland) Act 1995 consultation: analysis was used to prioritise the work that it committed to undertake as set out in the 2019 Family Justice Modernisation Strategy, and if this is the case, what data was used, and in what ways it informed the 2019 Family Justice Modernisation Strategy.

The Family Justice Modernisation Strategy (available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/family-justice-modernisation-strategy/pages/1/ ), published in September 2019, is a result of the 2018 consultation on potential changes to Part 1 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and related matters. We remain committed to the continued implementation of the Strategy’s actions.

As I stated in my foreword, the Strategy sets out work that was ongoing at the time of publication, work to be implemented through secondary legislation and improved guidance, areas that were subsequently covered by the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, and policy areas that require longer-term development. The Scottish Government is preparing an update to the Strategy, which will outline the actions that have been completed, the actions that have been superseded, and the actions which remain to be taken forward. We will publish this update in due course.

Question reference: S6W-09443

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Ayrshire Council regarding the Station Hotel, and whether it has been informed when South Ayrshire Council will publish an options report.

Question reference: S6O-01310

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with South Ayrshire Council regarding the current situation at Ayr Cemetery.

Question reference: S6W-08434

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to mitigate the reported shortage of (a) the product, Estradot, and (b) other hormone replacement therapy (HRT) products, and what specific measures are in place to help women in the (i) short and (ii) long term.

Supply issues with Estradot® patches in the UK are now resolved, with all strengths available.

Any disruption in the availability of HRT products will be concerning to those who have been prescribed them. We recommend anyone who is affected by the disruption and experiencing difficulties in obtaining their prescribed medication to discuss alternative treatment options with their doctor in the first instance. Shortages of medicines are not an uncommon occurrence and the NHS has robust systems in place to manage them when they arise. The supply and pricing of medicines is reserved to the UK Government and we continue to press them to seek a lasting resolution to HRT supply issues as quickly as possible.

Shortages of medicines are not an uncommon occurrence and the NHS has robust systems in place to manage them when they arise. There is regular monitoring of supply issues, escalating when necessary to a UK Medicine Shortages Response Group, which is clinically-led and provides advice to clinicians on alternative therapeutic options. The Scottish Government issued three UK wide Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) effective from Friday 29 April 2022 and due to expire on 29 July 2022. The SSPs will enable community pharmacists to supply patients with no more than three months’ supply of medicine helping preserve stock holdings and ensure more patients have access to their prescribed medicines. Three products covered by the SSPs are Oestrogel® pump pack; Ovestin® cream; Premique®.

In response to the recent disruptions in the supply of some HRT medicines and the creation of a new HRT Taskforce, The Minister for Public Health, Woman’s Health and Sport wrote to the Maria Caulfield MP, Minister for Patient Safety and Primary Care on 12 May 2022, seeking assurances that the UKG are taking all necessary action to resolve current supply issues and the HRT Task Force formed by DHSC will work constructively with the Scottish Government and other Devolved Administrations.

Question reference: S6W-07897

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether hospital patients are able to get free or reduced cost television to watch during their stay, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-07507

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is possible for hospital patients to access free or reduced cost TV to watch during their stay.

It is recognised that television provides respite to many patients, and that technology plays a critical role in enabling patients to remain connected with the outside world. NHS Scotland’s patient entertainment services currently vary, dependant on location and specialities of the hospital sites and all Boards are expected to assess and adopt a patient-centred approach when considering local provision.

Free-of-charge entertainment services may include television on wards, in day rooms and at the bedside and Wi-Fi to enable access to free, non-subscription media services linked to the terrestrial television channels. Loan devices, such as tablets, may also be available where patients do not have an appropriate device of their own.