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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: 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-04723

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 how much financial support it has provided to GP practices to help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Question reference: S6W-04727

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 improve the quality of healthcare for women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Question reference: S6W-04724

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 assessment it has made of the effect of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) on women.

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-04722

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 (a) facilitate access to financial redress for, (b) increase medical research into and (c) find a cure for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Question reference: S6W-04725

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 assessment it has made of the availability of emotional support for women with hirsutism.

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.