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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: S5W-03329

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct a large-scale study on the effectiveness of mindfulness cognitive behavioural therapy in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The Scottish Government does not itself conduct scientific research. However, the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Government funds health research projects directly through a competitive process to assess applications generated by the research community in Scotland. Applications are accepted for research across any health-related discipline or area, including mindfulness cognitive behavioural therapy and inflammatory bowel disease.

CSO also contributes about £10million annually to the Department of Health National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) that allows researchers based in Scotland to apply through a competitive process for funding via the majority of the large NIHR research programmes that together cover a similar wide spectrum of health-related research.

Question reference: S5W-03331

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the remote outpatient care scheme for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that is in place at NHS Highland and NHS Tayside to the other NHS boards.

The Remote Outpatient Care (ROC) scheme has been developed between NHS Highland and third sector organisations, and was trialled in NHS Highland and NHS Tayside areas. Best practice recommendations related to e-health tools are contained within ‘Scotland Leading the Way: a National Blueprint for IBD in Scotland’, published in 2016 by Crohn’s and Colitis UK with support from the Scottish Government. ROC has been highlighted within the Blueprint as an example of an innovative solution which can support people with IBD.

Question reference: S5W-03332

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on increasing the faecal protection testing that is required to differentiate between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

We welcome the publication of ‘Scotland Leading the Way: a National Blueprint for IBD in Scotland’, published in 2016 by Crohn’s and Colitis UK with support from the Scottish Government, which recommends the use of faecal calprotectin testing (FCP) as an option to support clinicians in ensuring timely referral for IBD diagnosis. This recommendation is supported by current clinical evidence of the value of FCP in preventing the need for more invasive investigations for people with a diagnosis of IBS. We will continue to work with C&CUK to engage with NHS boards and encourage improvements as set out in the Blueprint.

Question reference: S5W-02988

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to mitigate the impact of the increase in part-time employment and the use of fractional contracts.

Question reference: S5W-03670

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the funding it provides for scientific research.

The Scottish Government, through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC), has invested in excess of £4 billion in the higher education sector in the last four years. A further £1 billion is being invested in 2016-17, with core research funding maintained at a level of £232 million in 2016-17, representing a continued key investment in Scotland’s future.

We have also established a Strategic Funding Group, consisting of Principals nominated by Universities Scotland, the SFC and Scottish Government officials to consider how increased excellence and equity can be achieved by the higher education sector in future.

Question reference: S5W-03664

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to encourage universities to end the use of fractional contracts.

The terms and conditions of employment of staff is a matter for individual universities as autonomous institutions. However, the Scottish Government would encourage every university to adhere to the principles of fair work, set out in the Fair Work Framework, published in April 2016. Ministers commitment to this was further highlighted in the Interim Letter of Guidance issued to the Scottish Funding Council on 29 September 2016.

Question reference: S5W-03918

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for 16 to 19-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training.

The Scottish Government is ambitious about its plans to increase youth employment and in our youth employment strategy we have set a target to reduce youth unemployment by 40% by 2021. Supporting 16 to 19 year olds who are not in education, employment or training to develop the skills needed to get a job is key to achieving that target and remains a priority.

In delivering the Opportunities for All commitment the Scottish Government supports 16 to 19-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training through a range of provision and funding support including:

Activity Agreements;

Education Maintenance Allowance;

College and university courses;

Employability Fund training programmes;

Community Jobs Scotland;

Modern Apprenticeships; and

Scottish Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI).

Since 2012 we have delivered a reduction of 12,000 in the number of young people not in education, employment or training but we are more ambitious than settling for a return to pre-recession rates. The development of the Participation Measure enables national and local partners to identify young people who are not participating and to support them to take up an Opportunities for All offer of an appropriate place in education or training. The latest Participation Measure Report published in August 2016 shows that, nationally, 90.4% of 16-19 year olds were participating in learning, training or work.

Question reference: S5O-00282

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for local authorities to be given greater fiscal autonomy to raise their own money and manage their local economies.

Question reference: S5W-03380

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government regarding closing tax loopholes created by Scottish limited partnerships.

The Scottish Government recognises that the current governance arrangements around the registration and operation of Scottish Limited Partnerships allows for their inappropriate use by organisations intent on carrying out criminal activity or avoid tax. The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Constitution wrote on 9 August to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and we are currently considering the response. My officials also met recently with officials from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and HM Revenue and Customs to discuss SLPs.

Question reference: S5W-02989

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of large employers that are signed up to the Living Wage accreditation scheme.

The First Minister's Independent Advisor on Poverty and Inequality, Naomi Eisenstadt, published her report, Shifting the Curve, in January 2016. One recommendation in the report was that we build on Living Wage Accreditation. On 12 March 2016 the First Minister set a new target of 1,000 accredited employers by Autumn 2017 and we are supporting this by increasing funding for the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative to £300,000 and we are working with them and their leadership group to support their efforts to target larger employers.