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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: S4O-00109

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley benefits from the Scottish Government's focus on cities as engines of growth.

Question reference: S4O-00080

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will improve flood risk management in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley.

Question reference: S3W-40258

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 March 2011
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS prescription pre-payment certificates have been purchased in each year since 2007-08, broken down by NHS board area.

Question reference: S3O-12928

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 February 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve complaints handling in the NHS.

The Patient Rights (Scotland) Bill, currently being scrutinised by the Parliament, introduces a legal right to complain. It will give every NHS patient in Scotland the right to give feedback or comments, or raise concerns or complaints about the healthcare they have received.

We will review the complaints handling process as we develop the directions, regulations and guidance associated with the bill to identify areas for improvement and strengthen support available to patients.

Question reference: S3W-39340

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 10 February 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for the Scottish Driving Assessment Service.

Question reference: S3W-37869

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 December 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what alternative services are available to patients with scoliosis who cannot be treated by the national scoliosis service within the 12-week national standard.

There are very few centres in the UK able to undertake specialised scoliosis surgery. The Scottish specialist spinal deformity service has made significant progress in reducing its overall waiting times, but there continue to be extended inpatient waiting times. It is not possible to offer the treatment elsewhere within the United Kingdom within a shorter wait. Average waiting times in specialist centres in England also extend beyond waiting time guarantees, and currently there is no capacity available within English NHS providers to accept referrals for patients from Scotland. We will therefore continue to focus on reducing waiting times in Scotland.

Question reference: S3W-37838

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 8 December 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there have been changes in the number of pupils participating in sport at (a) primary and (b) secondary school.

A new active schools monitoring system, introduced in 2008-09, which records physical activities and sport within individual primary and secondary school plans. Active schools managers are responsible for recording the data. The information collated includes the number of opportunities for children and young people to take part in sport and physical activity but excludes all curricular activity. As a result, it is difficult to compare data collected pre 2008-09 to subsequent collections.

Question reference: S3W-37841

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 8 December 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in providing pupils with access to two hours of physical education per week.

Local authorities report that 1,167 primary schools throughout Scotland (55%) are delivering at least two hours physical education. This is supported by HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) who found year on year improvement in delivery of two hours physical education in primary schools - 32% of 237 schools inspected in 2007-08, 42% of 231 schools inspected in 2008-09 and 59% of 264 primary schools inspected in 2009-10.

85 schools throughout Scotland (23%) are delivering at least two hours physical education across S1 to S4. Seventeen authorities reported that they are either delivering or plan to deliver at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of core physical education across S1 to S4. This is supported by HMIE who found that 60% of 60 schools inspected in 2009/10 are delivering at least 2x50 or 55 minute periods of physical education across S1 to S4. Further information can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/Schools/HLivi/PE.

Question reference: S3W-37839

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 8 December 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it supports schools to enable pupils to move on from physical exercise to participation in sport.

The Active Schools Programme was established in 2004. The programme is designed to increase the number of opportunities for children to get engaged in physical activity and sport and develop links with sports clubs and other community organisations to give pupils a pathway to continue their participation in sport beyond school. This activity is over and above PE.

Active schools managers and coordinators are responsible for developing and supporting an infrastructure for active schools within the school and wider community. They do this by recruiting, supporting and sustaining a network of volunteers coaches, leaders and teachers who in turn deliver physical activity and sport before, during and after school and in the wider community.

sportscotland provided around £13 million to fund this programme in 2009-10 which supports over 450 Active Schools staff overseeing over 2,500 schools in all 32 local authority areas. Last year this delivered just under 5 million sessions (a 5% increase on the previous year) providing opportunities for young people to be physically active beyond PE.

It is vital that physical activity forms part of all young people''s lives and that there are appropriate opportunities to stimulate and develop interest and commitment that will provide a foundation for sustained physical activity throughout their lives. Our investment into sports governing bodies allows them to provide a range of programmes for children to take part in sport. In addition, we have invested into a number of targeted programmes which focus on providing opportunities for children in schools to take part in sport including our clubgolf and top-up swimming investments.

Question reference: S3W-37842

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2010
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 8 December 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures whether there has been progress in increasing the number of schools offering two hours of physical education per week per pupil.

The quality of children and young people''s learning in physical education is evaluated and reported on in every school inspection. In every school inspection report HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) makes comment on whether or not the school is providing pupils with two hours physical education in line with national expectations. HMIE gathers evidence about the quality of experiences for learners and other factors such as staffing, resourcing and timetabling. Where it has concerns about the quantity and quality of pupil experiences in PE, it has further discussion with relevant staff about and around the school''s proposals to make the necessary adjustments.

In addition, through ongoing inspection tasks and ongoing work with education authorities, HMIE maintains a clear overview of progress towards the target and will periodically publish on its website a report on this progress for parents, elected members and the public. This ensures that inspection and reporting look not only at the quantitative aspects of PE but also consider the quality of the provision for children and young people.