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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-28043

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the latest round of negotiations between the college sector and trade unions.

A pay deal between the college employers and support staff trade unions was agreed on 31 May 2024.

Negotiations between the employers and EIS-FELA in regards to a pay deal for lecturers remains ongoing. The National Joint Negotiating Committee will meet again on 21 June 2024. I continue to urge the employers and EIS-FELA to work collaboratively to agree a fair and affordable settlement, in order to bring an end to this dispute as a matter of priority.

Question reference: S6W-28073

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which emerging medical technologies it considers to have the most potential to improve the treatment of glaucoma over the next five years.

The Scottish Government is investing £250,000 including VAT, in a Small Business Research Initiative focused on Home Glaucoma Monitoring. The innovation challenge is to develop and validate the tools needed for home (or near-patient) glaucoma assessment, including home tonometry and home assessment of visual function, and potentially even optic disc imaging.

Priority areas:

? Development and validation of an affordable tool for home perimetry for monitoring glaucoma.

? Development and validation of an affordable tool for home perimetry for detecting glaucoma.

? Development of method of secure data storage, analysis, and transfer (or integration) with NHS electronic patient records.

? Development of tools for home tonometry and /or home optic disc / retinal imaging, in addition to methods for integrating results from these tests with NHS electronic patient records.

The challenge was launched in 2022 and attracted a high number of applications. Three companies successfully completed 4-month Phase One feasibility projects in June 2023. Following a competitive application, two companies have embarked on their Phase 2 prototyping and validation projects.

Question reference: S6W-28074

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current deployment of combined cataract and glaucoma procedures.

Question reference: S6W-28075

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any benefits to (a) public expenditure and (b) patients’ wellbeing of an increase in the deployment of combined cataract and glaucoma procedures.

The Scottish Government is committed to fully harnessing the potential of research-proven technological and scientific innovations through their rapid national adoption. The Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) pathway, led by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery and drawing on the expertise of NHS National Services Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Public Health Scotland, and NHS Education for Scotland, has been established to provide a once for Scotland approach to:

• identifying innovations the Scottish Government should consider for national adoption within the NHS through a quarterly horizon scan report

• producing robust value cases around clinical and financial impact

• their national adoption at pace, if approved

The ANIA pathway is governed by an Innovation Design Authority (IDA). This brings together senior Scottish Government and NHS leadership to support improved partnership working, provide system leadership and take joint decisions on the progression of innovations through ANIA stage gates.

Combined cataract and glaucoma procedures will be considered through the ANIA pathway. Scottish Ministers would then consider investment in this programme following any recommendation by the IDA.

Question reference: S6T-02048

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding dental provision in the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

Question reference: S6W-28089

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to replace the fishery protection vessel, MPV Minna, which came into service in 2003.

MPV Minna was commissioned in 2003 with an expected service life of 25 years. Concept designs for the vessels replacement have been developed and we are currently looking at funding options for a replacement in the near future. To ensure service continuity, upgrades and replacement of machinery and equipment have been scoped so we can safely extend the service life of the vessel should that be required.

Question reference: S6O-03576

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Communication Workers Union's call for housing standards to be updated to ensure that letterboxes are positioned at a suitably accessible height.

Question reference: S6W-27961

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for the award of the next Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

While good progress has been made on the due diligence related to a Teckal compliant direct award to CalMac and we have clarity on the remaining issues to be finalised, it is clear that we cannot conclude these by 30 September 2024, which is the end date of the current contract. We therefore propose to implement a contract extension of up to 12 months to enable this work and the assurance processes, to be concluded prior to a final decision. I will provide a further update to Parliament later this year.

Question reference: S6O-03532

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with senior management of West College Scotland to discuss the college's Greenock campus.

Question reference: S6W-27909

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received the pre-election propriety advice from the permanent secretary, which was referred to during First Minister’s Questions on 23 May 2024.

Pre-election guidance, informed by UK general election guidance and consistent with the devolved administrations, was published on the Scottish Government Website on 24 May: UK General Election 2024: guidance for civil servants - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

In addition, the Permanent Secretary wrote to me on 27 May outlining the impact of this guidance on the Scottish Government’s planned business: https://www.gov.scot/publications/pre-election-period-advice-letter-to-the-first-minister

This advice means that during the restricted period which extends until 4 July, strategic policies due for publication, including the Programme for Government, the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the Scottish Government’s draft tax strategy and the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, should be deferred.