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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-04721

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase support for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

We recognise that more must be done to reduce inequalities in health outcomes for women, to improve information and support for women to manage their health, and to reduce the stigma associated with menstrual health, and conditions such as PCOS.

In August 2021 we published our Women's Health Plan . As part of the Plan’s commitment to improve information and support for women we are working to build a comprehensive women’s health platform on the NHS Inform website. That work began recently with two information campaigns, the first of which included information about periods Women's Health | NHS inform . The next phase will focus on menstrual health and wellbeing and will launch by Spring 2022.

Our aim is for all women to have access to high quality and appropriate information and support throughout all stages of life. This includes raising awareness of women’s health conditions widely, including amongst healthcare practitioners to improve access to information on menstrual health, management options and improve access to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and the best treatment options.

The Woman’s Health Plan further commits to establish a Women’s Health Research Fund with the aim of closing gaps in scientific and medical knowledge in women’s health. The exact cause of PCOS is unknown and applications for research funding for PCOS (including research into the underlying causes, diagnosis, prevention, disease-modifying treatments, care pathways etc.) are welcomed by the Chief Scientist Office.

The Centre for Sustainable Delivery, based at the NHS Golden Jubilee, plans to develop a pelvic pain pathway in 2022 that will improve how women access care and support for conditions such as PCOS in Scotland. This will place importance on equipping GPs with materials and access to specialist advice to inform early diagnosis and intervention, and onward referral to specialist support for physical and psychological symptoms.

In 2021-22, we increased our Primary Care Fund from £195 million to £250 million, which includes support for the new GP contract and for wider Primary Care reform. Our Programme for Government also announced primary care spend will be increased by 25% over the course of this Parliament. Over half of all frontline health spend will be invested in community health services that will ensure more care for people with conditions such as PCOS in a place and way that meets their needs.

Question reference: S6W-04643

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were registered as (a) sight impaired and (b) severely sight impaired in each local authority area from (i) 1 January to 31 December 2020 and (ii) 1 January 2021 to 25 November 2021.

A full and accurate report of numbers of people registered as sight impaired and severely sight impaired cannot be produced at this time, but the latest data received shows a snapshot of people registered across 16 local partnerships. In 2020 (1 January to 31 December), 405 people were registered as sight impaired and 382 people were registered as severely sight impaired. In 2021 (1 January to 25 November), 449 people were registered as sight impaired and 456 people were registered as severely sight impaired.

This information is kept by each local authority, but a number of issues have been experienced, including GDPR problems and under-utilisation of the web platform designed to capture this information.

The Scottish Government remains committed to working with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to provide accurate diagnostic and registration data, in order to enable better access to services, support and care for people with sight loss. The GDPR issues relating to the Certificate of Vision Impairment (CVI) (Scotland) form has been resolved, and we are currently working with PHS on the development of a data collection solution that will replace the current web platform.

Question reference: S6W-04665

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04126 by Ivan McKee on 12 November 2021, whether it will list the members of the Aerospace and Defence Industry Group.

As indicated in the response provided in answer S6W-04126 on 12 November 2021, the Aerospace and Defence Industry Group (ADIG) is the industry-led successor body to the Ministerial-led Aerospace Response Group (ARG) and membership of ADIG was extended to all members of the previous group.

Secretariat to the ADIG is provided by the industry body ADS Scotland, therefore information regarding membership of ADIG is a matter for them.

Question reference: S6O-00514

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its NHS Recovery Plan.

Question reference: S6W-04463

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for approving a revised ScotRail timetable, and what role ministers have in this.

Question reference: S6W-04465

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its response to the consultation regarding the proposed Fit for the Future timetable for ScotRail services.

Question reference: S6W-04460

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the types of rolling stock that are used by ScotRail at present, and what will be available following its transfer to public ownership.

The fleets that are currently leased by Abellio ScotRail are noted within the Franchise Agreement (APPENDIX 1 TO SCHEDULE 1.1 - The Train Fleet - Table 1).

public-register-franchise-variation-east-kilbride-kilmarnock-and-barrhead-capacity-improvements-6-december-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

The new operator, ScotRail Trains Ltd, is currently engaging with fleet owners to secure the rolling stock needed to maintain service provision.

Question reference: S6W-04461

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many seats were available on (a) week day, (b) Saturday and (c) Sunday ScotRail services immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic, and how many will be available under the proposed Fit for the Future timetable.

The proposed May 2022 timetable, which is subject to review of consultation responses, would provide more seats on every day of the week compared to the current timetable.

Figures for December 2019, current capacity and the proposed May 2022 timetable are shown below.

Seat provision	Dec-2019	Current	May-2022
Weekday	643,000	551,000	593,000
Saturday	598,000	507,000	569,000
Sunday	294,000	295,000	315,000

The proposed May 2022 timetable is a change intended to meet the expected post-Covid travel patterns of Scottish passengers. As demand for Scotland’s railway changes over time, the timetable will be adjusted where needed to maintain rail as an attractive choice for transport.

Question reference: S6W-04462

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the proposed Fit for the Future timetable for ScotRail services will impact on (a) carbon emissions, (b) passenger numbers and (c) staffing requirements.

The proposed May 2022 timetable will (a) result in approximately 26,000 tonnes less CO2 emissions from ScotRail’s fleet per year than the pre-pandemic December 2019 timetable, representing a 12.5% reduction.

The proposed timetable will (b) provide around 593,000 seats per weekday and has been designed to accommodate more than 100 million passenger journeys per year. For context, when the current franchise began, the timetable provided 505,000 seats per weekday and 93.8 million passenger journeys were carried.

ScotRail has confirmed that, (c) as a business, it is currently sized to operate the planned Fit for the Future timetable. As with all businesses, it will need to manage the challenges of a post-pandemic economy, and ScotRail will ensure sufficient staff will be available to meet the Fit for the Future timetable, which will see more trains operating than now.

Question reference: S6W-04464

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the final decision regarding whether to introduce the Fit for the Future timetable for ScotRail services will be (a) reached and (b) publicly announced.