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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-21492

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much COVID-19 funding it allocated for the financial year 2023-24, and how much has been spent to date.

The 2023-24 Scottish budget provides over £250 million funding to NHS Boards to support Covid-19 and other services. This funding is used to support the Covid-19 vaccination programme, testing, personal protection equipment and public health measures.

Within monthly financial returns issued to Scottish Government from NHS Boards on their Covid-19 expenditure with over £45 million of reported expenditure as at month 4. Please note, this total is based on the most recent figures reported by NHS Boards.

Question reference: S6W-21491

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings it has had with officials from the other governments of the UK since 1 September 2023 in relation to the latest COVID-19 variants, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S6W-21301

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will receive any Barnett consequential funding as a result of the UK Government's NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, and, if so, whether this will be used to support additional training for medical and nursing staff in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02574

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will carry out a STAG appraisal of the proposed improvements to the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan.

Question reference: S6W-21018

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taking to improve early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

A new Earlier Cancer Diagnosis Vision was developed as part of the new ‘Cancer Strategy for Scotland’ (published June 2023). The vision is to reduce later stage disease by 18 percentage points in 10 years’ time with a focus on reducing the health inequality gap.

As reflected in the Strategy’s accompanying 3 year action plan, following an extensive review of available evidence with key partners, lung, head and neck and colorectal cancers have been identified as initial national priority areas. However, a number of actions will be delivered and have a halo affect across multiple cancer types including delivering Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) campaigns and procuring a new primary care cancer education platform for NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21016

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-17748 and S6W-17799 by Michael Matheson on 18 May 2023, whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taken to address any regional variation in survival and access to surgery for ovarian cancer.

As stated in response to S6W-17748, this analysis predates improvement work that has been undertaken across all cancer regions, but the situation clearly requires continued prioritisation and close attention.

The Deputy National Clinical Director and Scottish Government officials have recently met with the clinical leads for ovarian cancer for the Northern Cancer Alliance and South East Scotland Cancer Network to discuss the survival dataset and a meeting with the West of Scotland Cancer Network is being scheduled.

In terms of access to surgery, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are increasing dedicated theatre capacity at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary site for the gynaecology oncology team.

Question reference: S6W-20618

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been provided to NHS boards in the 2023-24 financial year to staff and deliver chronic pain services, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-21017

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve awareness of ovarian cancer symptoms during Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month in September 2023.

We continue to work with the Scottish Cancer Coalition to mark cancer awareness months, as well as using Detect Cancer Earlier channels to help promote key messages and share case studies which often prompt others to take action.

A new Earlier Cancer Diagnosis Vision was developed as part of the new ‘Cancer Strategy for Scotland’ (published June 2023). The vision is to reduce later stage disease by 18 percentage points in 10 years’ time, a focus on reducing the health inequalities gap, particularly those from areas of deprivation will remain.

Question reference: S6W-20849

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has applied to the Home Office for approval for drug checking services.

It is not for the Scottish Government to apply for Home Office licenses to establish Drug Checking in Scotland.

The application process requires specific information provided by the pilot cities of Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow. Therefore, the organisations must submit applications in order for permission to be granted to establish these facilities in these areas.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering drug checking facilities in Scotland and have highlighted our desire to introduce these facilities to the Home Office and the UK Government has indicated they are open to discussing this.

Question reference: S6W-20850

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to open drug checking services in Scotland.

We are committed to delivering drug checking facilities in Scotland and we are currently waiting for further information from the Home Office around their acceptable criteria for these facilities. This is required to inform the license applications being developed in Scotland.

In the meantime we continue to support local city leads as they produce their plans for implementing drug checking facilities and once the acceptable criteria has been clarified we anticipate license applications, seeking permission from the Home Office for drug-checking facilities in Scotland in Dundee, Aberdeen and Glasgow, to be submitted in the coming months.

If those applications are approved by the Home Office, we would work with those cities who are committed to implementing drug checking facilities to have them established as quickly as possible.