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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-16385

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland requiring a review of the Trunk Road Cycling Initiative with a commitment "to improve cycling and walking infrastructure around trunk roads when the opportunity presents", and a petition calling for legislation in this regard, what action it is taking to ensure that such opportunities are taken in relation to the development of the Sheriffhall roundabout.

Suitable provision for all users, including cyclists and pedestrians, is an important part of our major roads projects in design, including the proposed grade separation of Sheriffhall Roundabout on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass.

The proposed grade separation at Sheriffhall will improve access for pedestrians and cyclists compared to the existing arrangement. By allowing Edinburgh City Bypass traffic to pass over, it will significantly reduce congestion and through the provision of active travel facilities will enhance accessibility and safety for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Provision for non-motorised users, including cyclists and pedestrians, is currently being developed in further detail as we progress the detailed design of the scheme in consultation with local interest groups (including Spokes and Sustrans).

Question reference: S5W-16783

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the number of whole-time equivalent (a) doctors and (b) nurses per head of population in Scotland compares with other OECD countries.

The most recent OECD data available from 2016 (from which Scotland data has been extracted from UK data) shows that the number of doctors in Scotland per 1,000 of population is 3.2; and the number of nurses in Scotland per 1,000 of population is 11.9 (both headcount).

Comparative data for OECD countries can be found at the following link (this link defaults to Health Care Resources and should be tracked through to the sections respectively on Physicians; and on Nurses):

http://stats.oecd.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=SHA .

Question reference: S5W-16386

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 30 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the estimated scheme cost of the preferred option for the new Sheriffhall roundabout of between £73 million and £87 million, what plans it has to use the remainder of the £120 million set aside in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal for improvements to the roundabout.

As part of its £300m commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal, the Scottish Government is committed to investing up to £120m to take forward the design and construction of a new grade separated junction on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass at Sheriffhall.

The cost estimate referred to is from the earlier Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Stage 2 Options Assessment and does not reflect on-going Stage 3 detailed development of the scheme which includes consideration of vital information being obtained from the £1.2m detailed ground investigation contract and development of high quality facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. The preferred option is being developed in consultation with the city region partners and other key stakeholders and the cost estimate is currently being updated as part of this process as we look to publish draft Orders for the scheme in 2019 for formal comment. We have been clear that any financial risk associated with exceeding £120m rests with the Scottish Government. We will consider the financial implications of any potential underspend in due course, once the final costs are understood.

Question reference: S5O-02168

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to enact a Crown Use licence to allow the production of biosimilar versions of the breast cancer treatment, Perjeta, and drugs for other conditions.

Question reference: S5W-15754

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the power to legislate on the matter of road traffic accidents involving (a) domestic cats and (b) other animals is devolved.

Question reference: S5W-15753

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 26 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that drivers who are involved in traffic accidents involving domestic cats report them.

Question reference: S5W-15571

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06622 by Aileen Campbell on 2 March 2017, in light of its commitment to increase "the number of community Links Workers in disadvantaged areas", whether it will provide an update on when it expects all 250 community Links Workers to be recruited to support practices in the most deprived areas.

The Community Links Workers programme is one of the key services that, in future, will be provided to patients in GP practices or clusters of practices under the new GP contract.

Under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding between Integration Authorities, NHS Boards, the BMA and the Scottish Government, published in November 2017, and which supports the new GP contract, Integration Authorities(IA) will deliver this service across Scotland by 2021.

IAs will set out how they will do this in their Primary Care Improvement Plans, the first iteration of which is due by July 2018. 250 links workers will be recruited to work in general practices by 2021. Integration Authorities will commission this service based on assessed local need.

Question reference: S5W-15573

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 24 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Macmillan Cancer Support’s call for banks to have a duty of care for vulnerable customers.

The Scottish Government welcomes Macmillan Cancer Support's 'Banking on Change' campaign, highlighting the financial impact faced by people affected by cancer, and encourages all banks to consider how best to support their customers through diagnosis and treatment.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has committed to issuing a Discussion Paper on a duty of care for financial service providers later this year, and we urge Scotland's banks to engage positively and constructively in that consultation process.

Question reference: S5W-15572

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason funding for the community Links Workers programme will be distributed using the National Resource Allocation Formula, and what consideration it gave to targeting all of the country's most deprived areas on an equal basis.

As set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Integration Authorities (IAs), NHS Boards, the British Medical Association and the Scottish Government, published in November 2017, IAs are responsible for working with GPs, the third sector and other stakeholders to plan community links worker services locally, ensuring the needs of their local population are identified and addressed, and starting with areas of socio-economic deprivation.

The Morbidity and Life Circumstances (MLC) adjustment is a major component of the National Resource Allocation (NRAC) formula. The MLC adjustment captures the additional need for health services arising from deprivation or related factors and is estimated by analysing the way in which the need for health care varies in response to differences in the morbidity and mortality of local populations.

Question reference: S5W-15577

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 18 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to remove the bar on remarried widows receiving support from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme.

Remarried widows have always been able to receive support from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme, in the form of regular income top-up payments, living cost supplements and discretionary grants for a range of purposes so there was never a bar on them receiving support. The annual payments available for widows, widowers, civil partners and long-term partners of some deceased beneficiaries are however restricted to those who have not remarried or entered into another civil partnership or long-term partnership.