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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: S4W-29448

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported fall in cervical screening rates among 25 to 29 and 55 to 59-year-olds.

We fully support the objective of increasing uptake in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme and work is already taking place to help address the fall in cervical screening uptake rates.

Scottish Government officials meet cervical screening coordinators from all NHS boards on a quarterly basis to discuss a range of issues relating to the national screening programme, including increasing uptake of screening. NHS boards have responsibility for publicising screening within their local area and for working closely with their communities to increase screening uptake. Work of this nature is already taking place within NHS boards. Recent local initiatives have included out of hours clinics and sessions specifically designed for regular defaulters.

Our on-going Detect Cancer Early social marketing campaigns aim to raise awareness and encourage participation in the national cancer screening programmes and help people become more confident about recognising and reporting changes in their body.

Question reference: S4W-29451

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions its officials have had about introducing human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening.

Question reference: S4F-03203

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2016

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on discussions on the fiscal framework.

Question reference: S4O-04908

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the reductions in its resource budget from 2016 to 2020 announced in the Autumn Statement and Spending Review will have on public sector jobs and services.

Question reference: S4F-03079

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2015

To ask the First Minister what the impact on Scotland will be of the combined Autumn Statement and Comprehensive Spending Review.

Question reference: S4O-04866

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how the current incidence of knife crime in North Ayrshire compares with 2007.

Question reference: S4W-28262

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve cyber security in the public infrastructure.

The growth of the internet or online technologies has transformed the way we spend our leisure time and do business. It has also transformed how our public services, essential and national infrastructure operates.

Many countries, including the UK, have put in place cyber security strategies aimed at reducing the vulnerabilities we are increasingly faced with. To build on this important foundation, the Scottish Government (SG) made a commitment in the 2015 Programme for Government to publish “Safe, Secure and Prosperous: A Cyber Resilience Strategy for Scotland”, which sets out the actions we need to take to make Scotland a cyber-resilient place to live, work and do business in. The strategy will be launched at the National Economic Forum in November 2015. Its strategic outcomes are:

Our people are informed and prepared to make the most of digital technologies safely;

Our businesses and organisations recognise the risks in the digital world and are well prepared to manage them;

We have confidence in and trust our digital public services;

We have a growing and renowned cyber resilience research community;

We have a global reputation for being a secure place to live and learn, and to set up and invest in business;

We have an innovative cyber security, goods and services industry that helps meet global demand.

Officials have been working collaboratively across the public sector to develop high level actions that are required to deliver the key strategic outcome of “We have confidence in and trust our digital public services”. Such activity is helping to create a unified approach across the sector to support cyber resilience as part of the drive to develop digital public services. SG has also developed a cyber incident management plan to enable us to effectively co-ordinate the government’s response to a significant cyber attack impacting on Scotland.

Question reference: S4F-03053

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2015

To ask the First Minister what the impact would be on the Scottish Government’s budget if the provisional agreement by the Treasury and the UK Government’s environment, local government and transport departments to reduce their budgets by 30% over the next four years is carried out.

Question reference: S4O-04761

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce the spread of sewage sludge.

Question reference: S4O-04727

Current Status: Withdrawn