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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-30550

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding reported comments from NHS National Services Scotland that "Over 85 per cent of Scotland’s clinical waste is processed in Scotland by [its] contractor", what evidence it can provide that this is the case, in light of reports suggesting that a higher volume of clinical waste is transported to England and Wales from Scotland for incineration.

Question reference: S6W-30555

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that NHS Scotland is paying too much for clinical disposal needs, and when the contract for this was last tendered.

Information regarding contracts tendered by NSS is publicly available and can be viewed on the Public Contracts Scotland website - Home - Public Contracts Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03968

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what further policy changes it plans to bring forward to address reported concerns regarding the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6W-30867

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all young people with cancer have access to specialist psychological support from the point of diagnosis to a minimum of two years post treatment.

The duration of access to psychological support for children and young people with cancer is led by clinical need.

In December 2022 Scottish Government committed to making recurring funding available to the existing specialist psychological support services for young people with cancer across Scotland. This commitment was successfully met in 2023-24 and continues to provide more certainty to these specialist roles.

The psychological support considerations regarding specialist workforce for children and young people with cancer is currently being reviewed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) as part of a wider workforce review. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the MSN as their review continues.

Question reference: S6W-30866

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 5 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to fulfil the commitment made in the Children's and Young People's Cancer Plan to expand access to specialist psychological support.

The psychological support considerations regarding specialist workforce for children and young people with cancer are currently being reviewed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) as part of a wider workforce review.

This review includes making clear how the current workforce could be upskilled, as well as how the MSN will prioritise various roles across the entirety of the patient pathway to support psychological needs. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the MSN as their review continues.

Question reference: S6W-30552

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps NHS Scotland took to ensure that Tradebe had sufficient insurance cover in the event of any disruption in the fulfilment of its contract.

Question reference: S6W-30556

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been provided to Tradebe for clinical waste removal in each year since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-30551

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that none of Scotland’s "yellow bag" clinical waste is currently being processed in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-30554

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether Hassockrigg Ecopark in Shotts is lying dormant with no licence to operate.

Question reference: S6W-30548

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether allowing the trucking of clinical waste to disposal plants in England and Wales, reportedly amounting to an estimated 25,000 tonnes of waste travelling in 2,500 lorry journeys and over a distance of one million miles, aligns with its (a) sustainability strategy and (b) net zero targets.

Management of the NHS clinical waste contract is a matter for Health Boards, and management of the NHS’s relationship with the clinical waste contractor is a matter for NHS National Services Scotland’s National Procurement and Logistics Service. According to information published by NHS National Services Scotland, around 3000 to 4000 tonnes of clinical waste were shipped to England / Wales annually between 2018-19 and 2021-22. This publication is available at: https://www.nss.nhs.scot/publications/foi-000270-clinical-medical-waste-shipped-to-england-and-europe/foi-000270-clinical-medical-waste-shipped-to-england-and-europe-html/

In 2023/24, Health Boards reported 7,833 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e) of greenhouse gas emissions from waste disposal (both general and clinical waste). This made up 1.4% of total NHS reported emissions. This information is published through the Annual NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Report - Annual NHS Scotland Climate Emergency & Sustainability Report 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-2026 sets out the Scottish Government’s plans to help reduce carbon emissions from clinical waste in NHS Scotland. This publication is available at: NHS Scotland climate emergency and sustainability strategy: 2022-2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Specifically, the strategy sets out that each Health Board should set appropriate targets for reducing the volume of clinical waste it produces through measures including; greater use of reusable items, improvements to waste segregation and increased recycling of recyclable materials. The Scottish Government will review the need for a national target for clinical waste reduction.

In addition, the strategy requires that Health Board waste management officers ensure that arrangements are in place for the safe treatment and disposal of all waste streams. The Scottish Government supports Health Boards with their net zero commitments and monitors progress towards these targets.