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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-11672

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the effectiveness of the protein blood test (cMyC) for people who have experienced a suspected heart attack, and whether it is considering rolling this out.

Scotland's approach continues to be to promote best clinical practice based on current evidence as outlined by Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines. SIGN No. 148 Acute Coronary Syndrome makes recommendations on the use of appropriate diagnostic tests for cardiac events.

The cMyC test is currently the subject of research that will contribute to the emerging evidence base, which is in its early stages. Consideration of the introduction of new diagnostic tests is informed by advice and evidence-based recommendations made by the Diagnostic Steering Group, working in partnership with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the Scottish Health Technology Group and Scottish Medicines Consortium.

Question reference: S5W-11666

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many receptionists in each NHS board have been trained in phlebotomy (drawing blood and taking blood samples) in each year since 2007

Question reference: S5W-11698

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take account of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights when it reviews mental health and incapacity legislation.

The Scottish Government is committed to creating a modern, inclusive Scotland which protects, respects and realises internationally recognised human rights, and is working with the whole of Scottish society to deliver a shared vision for a Scotland where everyone can live a life of human dignity. The Scotland Act 1998 requires that all Scottish Parliament legislation and all acts of members of the Scottish Government must be compatible with core ECHR rights (“the Convention rights”). In addition, the Human Rights Act 1998 ensures that every public authority in Scotland is obliged to act compatibly with the Convention rights and enables human rights cases to be taken in domestic courts.

Scottish mental health and incapacity legislation is based on rights and principles. We believe that the 2003 Act is fully compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The 2003 Act has never been found, in part or in whole, by the European Court of Human Rights to be not compliant with ECHR.

During the passage of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015, the Scottish Government committed to undertake a review to determine whether the provisions of the 2003 Act fulfil the needs of people with learning disability and autism. Alongside the review, there is also the ongoing work relating to the Adults With Incapacity legislation and a full formal consultation will launch later in the year. It would therefore be inappropriate to consider wider changes to mental health legislation until these pieces of work have concluded.

Question reference: S5W-11837

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Health Protection Scotland publishes data on laboratory reports of norovirus for the latest four weeks only; whether the information for earlier weeks is publically available and, if not, whether it will publish the information for each week since January 2012.

On 2 October 2017 a new norovirus reporting system recording all ward and bay closures due to norovirus outbreaks in Scotland was launched by Health Protection Scotland (HPS). This will allow closure figures to be selected by date and health board and the ability to view several months’ worth of norovirus data at one time http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/norovirussurveillance.aspx. As this reporting system has only just commenced there is limited data available under the new process, which will be reviewed by HPS after 12 months.

Until 1 October 2017, HPS published a weekly norovirus report on its website. The focus of this report was on the latest four weeks of data to ensure the most relevant information was available. This helped NHS boards with outbreak preparedness and impact assessment, particularly during the winter months when norovirus numbers can increase. Copies of norovirus reports between October 2011 to September 2017 are still available from HPS on request http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/giz/norovirus.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-11669

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much was raised each year by the Public Health Supplement Levy, and what this was spent on.

Question reference: S5O-01351

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more people to carry out voluntary work in their communities.

Question reference: S5W-11518

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its contingency planning for a similar event in Scotland this winter, what assessment it has made of the recent influenza outbreak in Australia.

Whilst the strains of flu circulating in Australia this past winter have led to a significant increase in cases, it is too early to know which strains of flu will dominate in Scotland this coming flu season. The news that the southern hemisphere has experienced its worst flu outbreak in years is a timely reminder that the best way to protect the people of Scotland is by encouraging everyone who is eligible to take up their offer of the flu vaccine.

Health Protection Scotland's weekly updates showing the current epidemiological picture on flu infections across Scotland will be routinely monitored over the winter period to help us detect early warning of imminent surges in activity.

Question reference: S5W-11662

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received screening for genetic cancers in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-11671

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many under-eight-year-olds have had their stomach pumped in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) age.

Question reference: S5W-11520

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase uptake rates for the influenza vaccine in each eligible group.

The Scottish Government runs an annual flu marketing campaign to promote the flu vaccine and increase uptake amongst those who are eligible. This year's national campaign will highlight the importance of the flu vaccine which will both raise awareness and also challenge perceptions of the risks and consequences of flu amongst different eligible groups. The campaign will include television and radio adverts, pharmacy bags, leaflets, engagement with various stakeholder organisations and a range of PR and online activity. National invitation letters have also been sent to everyone over the age of 65 and all children aged 2-5 and primary school aged children inviting them to take up the offer of the flu vaccine.