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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: S5W-05437

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 20 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the reported number of secondary appliances taken “off the run” due to staffing shortages in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service provides a vital service in keeping communities across Scotland safe. Through the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2016, the Scottish Government sets out its expectations of the SFRS, including prioritising its use of resources to ensure an appropriate response to incidents across Scotland to support improved outcomes for communities.

Decisions on resource allocation, including staff and fire appliances are operational matters for the SFRS.

The SFRS has worked closely with the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) to achieve the right level of staffing across the service to meet the needs of a modern Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S5W-05403

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the Scottish Police Authority and its committees carry out their functions in ways that are proportionate, accountable and transparent and consistent with principles of good governance, as required by the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 (‘the 2012 Act’) requires the SPA to ‘try to carry out its functions in a way which is proportionate, accountable and transparent and which is consistent with any principle of good governance which appears to it to constitute best practice’ (Section 2(2)(3) of the 2012 Act). It is for the SPA regulate its own procedures and to demonstrate compliance with the principles and requirements set out in the 2012 Act.

Question reference: S5O-00478

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Press and Journal campaign, Keep Highlands and Islands Enterprise Local.

Question reference: S5W-04869

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time is for patients leaving brain injury rehabilitation wards to wait for outpatient neuropsychological rehabilitation in each NHS board area in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-04868

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners assessed with brain injury were given release conditional on attending neuropsychological rehabilitation in each of the last five years.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The Parole Unit database for the release of prisoners on compassionate grounds shows that there were no prisoners released on those grounds to attend neuropsychological rehabilitation in the last 5 years.

This information is available on the Scottish Government Website.

Any information on prisoners who attended a neuropsychological rehabilitation service as an out-patient would be held by the individual NHS Health Board.

Question reference: S5W-04870

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners assessed with brain injury were provided with outpatient neuropsychological rehabilitation, and how long they waited for treatment, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5O-00403

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of health services in the Moray area.

Question reference: S5O-00297

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland and Network Rail regarding establishing a safe pedestrian crossing on the A96 between Forres and the rail station.

Question reference: S5O-00222

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Grampian about the current level of ophthalmic care provided at Dr Gray's Hospital in Elgin and what plans it has for the future of this service.

Scottish Government officials meet regularly with the Board to discuss matters of interest to the people of Grampian. This includes discussions with Grampian’s senior management about waiting times performance and associated service delivery across all specialties.

It is for NHS boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to plan and provide services that meet the needs of local people, whilst being consistent with national policies and frameworks established by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-02690

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the average time from caution and charge to verdict for (a) sheriff court and (b) Justice of the Peace court cases has been in each month since April 2014.

Michael Matheson:The average time from caution and charge to verdict for Sheriff Court and Justice of the Peace Court cases for each month since 2014 is in the following table. The last full month’s recorded data currently available is July 2016.

	Sheriff Courts	Justice of the Peace Courts
April 2014	147	175
May 2014	143	176
June 2014	157	188
July 2014	140	177
August 2014	146	183
September 2014	158	194
October 2014	160	192
November 2014	165	203
December 2014	150	183
January 2015	161	192
February 2015	168	207
March 2015	162	212
April 2015	163	222
May 2015	167	218
June 2015	165	223
July 2015	164	210
August 2015	158	210
September 2015	161	211
October 2015	164	209
November 2015	166	209
December 2015	150	199
January 2016	162	218
February 2016	173	240
March 2016	164	220
April 2016	158	216
May 2016	156	199
June 2016	150	218
July 2016	165	225