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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-22010

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to standardise governance processes across the NHS to improve efficiency, reduce duplication and encourage innovation, and, if so, when it will do so.

The Blueprint for Good Governance in NHS Scotland has been adopted by all NHS Boards. The second edition, published in December 2022, places more emphasis on the delivery mechanisms and the need to apply a continuous improvement approach to reviewing governance arrangements. Support for innovation and the role of NHS Boards in delivering this is a key component of the Blueprint.

To provide assurance on implementation of the Blueprint, all NHS Boards will complete an annual self-assessment, the outcome of which will be used to create Board Governance Development Plans. Plans will be used by NHS Boards to refine and improve their governance processes and the Scottish Government will look at key themes and national lessons to support further development of our approach to governance.

Question reference: S6O-02633

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on implementing the recommendations on the skills delivery landscape in the report, Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation.

Question reference: S6W-22009

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 11 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to appoint an artificial intelligence champion for the NHS to enable its adoption wherever appropriate, and, if so, when it will do so.

The growth and development of AI offers our NHS the opportunity to make use of, and benefit from an exciting range of new and developing data based solutions. Our intention therefore is to empower and support NHS leadership in the use of these new technologies, to help build and share a wider knowledge base, rather than appointing a single AI champion.

By making use of Scotland’s AI Strategy, ICO advice and maintaining a focus on innovation, we will ensure that our health workforce remains at the forefront of essential health, research and care developments.

Question reference: S6W-21385

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in advance of its refreshed tobacco control action plan being published in autumn 2023, whether Public Health Scotland will be commissioned to update analysis on the estimated effects of reduced smoking prevalence on the three outcomes of smoking-attributable deaths, smoking-attributable hospital admissions and smoking-attributable NHS costs.

The Scottish Government recognises that evidence is important in supporting policy design, monitoring progress and evaluation of impact. Our refreshed Tobacco Action Plan will be published in Autumn this year and is based on a wide range of evidence. This has included and will continue to include input from Public Health Scotland and Scottish Government Analysts. In addition, evidence requirements will continue to be considered and updated as plans around refreshed tobacco actions progress. Further detail on evidence will be published later this year.

Current PHS analysis on smoking attributable deaths and smoking attributable admissions can be found on the PHS website - Smoking attributable deaths - ScotPHO and Smoking attributable admissions - ScotPHO

Question reference: S6O-02589

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding support for businesses in the rural economy that provide team accommodation for employees due to a lack of affordable rural housing.

Question reference: S6W-21220

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reopen the Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas for new applications, and, if so, when.

The Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas , launched in February 2022, was the second of two funds designed to support the independent exhibition sector during and in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.

It followed the Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund, which was launched in September 2020 and provided funding until March 2021.

Both these funds were part of exceptional measures instigated by Scottish Government and administered by Screen Scotland in response to the immediate challenges posed by Covid-19. There are no plans to re-open either fund or for the creation of a new Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas.

Question reference: S6W-21281

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 21 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether families should wait more than four months after a post-mortem is carried out on a loved one to receive the post-mortem report.

Bereaved families should not have to wait this time to receive final confirmation of the cause of death of a loved one, and this is not a situation which COPFS endorses. It is imperative that this information is provided as soon as possible, as these delays simply compound distress and anxiety.

The current delays relate to the time taken to receive toxicology analysis to assist pathologists in the preparation of the final post mortem report.

Given previous concerns about toxicology analysis times, the service covering most of Scotland transferred to the Scottish Police Authority on 1 December 2022 following substantial investment by the Scottish Government. Although the initial timescale for a new laboratory being fully operational was the first quarter of 2023, this was impacted by a combination of factors including a water contamination problem that shut the laboratory down for two weeks, as well as the time required for the new equipment in the lab to be calibrated, and testing methods verified. These are matters outwith COPFS control.

There has therefore been a disappointing but unavoidable knock-on effect on the completion of toxicology analysis, and thereafter submission to COPFS of final post mortem reports from pathologists. Additionally, a significant increase in deaths being reported to COPFS compared to pre-pandemic levels has resulted in a corresponding increase in instructed post mortem examinations. This has also impacted on how quickly post mortem reports can be completed.

Every effort is being made by COPFS, the Scottish Police Authority and pathologists working together across Scotland to reduce the time taken to provide final reports to families. I have been assured that the laboratory has been fully operational since the end of May 2023. The analysis backlogs which built up over the course of this year are being addressed as a priority by the toxicologists, who advise that by November 2023 the average time for analysis to be completed and submitted to the pathologist for a non-suspicious death will be 5 weeks.

COPFS has also allocated additional resource internally to process this year's backlog of final post mortem reports as they are received from pathologists, to seek to reduce the lengthy delays being experienced.

Question reference: S6W-20758

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it considers the impact on poverty is of parental smoking, and how many children it estimates are currently affected by this.

Our vision is to have a Tobacco-Free Scotland by lowering smoking rates in our communities to 5% or less by 2034. Our aim is to create a generation of young people who do not want to smoke, with all the health and economic benefits that follow.

The Scottish Health Survey gathers data on children living in accommodation where someone regularly smokes and the number of children exposed to second hand smoke:

In 2021, the proportion of children living in accommodation in which someone regularly smoked indoors was significantly lower than in previous years, from 19% in 2012 to 4% in 2021(Scottish Health Survey - 2021).
In 2021, the proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke in their own home was also significantly lower than in previous years, from 12% in 2012 to 2% in 2021 (Scottish Health Survey - 2021)

We do not hold specific data on the impact on poverty of parental smoking. However, in 2022 ASH Scotland estimated that on average, a smoker in Scotland uses 12 cigarettes a day. This costs around £2500 annually for people smoking pre-rolled cigarette and £1150 for those who roll tobacco. For further information see https://www.ashscotland.org.uk/ .

Question reference: S6W-20755

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Vaping Industry Association’s reported proposal for fines of up to £10,000 to be levied on retailers who sell to under-18s.

The Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010 set outs the fines that can be levied and these are detailed below:

offence of selling an NCP to a person under 18 - level 4 on the standard scale (£2,500)
Offence of purchasing one on behalf of a person under 18 - level 5 on the standard scale (£5,000)
Offence of purchasing an NCP by a person under 18 - level 1 on the standard scale (£200).

We do not currently have plans, at this time, to revise these fines and any revision would require consultation.

Question reference: S6W-20756

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates smoking cost the Scottish economy in the last year for which figures are available.

The Scottish Government is deeply concerned about the health and economic impacts of smoking, that’s why we want to create a tobacco free Scotland by 2034 and will be publishing our refreshed tobacco action plan in autumn this year which will provide a roadmap as to our we will achieve that goal.

Information on the economic impact of smoking is available on the ASH Scotland website https://www.ashscotland.org.uk/ and on ASH website https://ash.org.uk/ .