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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: S5O-03148

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent hospital acquired infections.

Question reference: S5W-22051

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its hepatitis C elimination strategy, in light of the publication of the short-life working group report, Recommendations on Hepatitis C Virus Case Finding and Access to Care.

Question reference: S5W-22013

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the ratio of haematologists to patients is in each NHS board.

It is the responsibility of Boards to determine appropriate numbers for each medical speciality in their Board, based on local priorities.

However the most up to date published data to December 2018, which is held centrally, on the number of WTE haematology staff against the most up to date published data on the estimated total population in each Board has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, bib number 60528.

Question reference: S5T-01562

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide reassurance to communities in the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attack.

Question reference: S5W-22014

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve early diagnosis of blood cancer.

The Scottish Government is committed to early detection – this is reflected in our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme. DCE’s latest social marketing campaign – Survivors – ran on TV, radio and digital channels across Scotland late 2018 to highlight that more people are surviving cancer than ever before and early detection plays a big part.

The Scottish Cancer Coalition – which includes representation from blood cancer charities - was consulted on the campaign’s development and human interest stories secured through the forum, to encourage individual early action.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer were clinically refreshed and published in January 2019, to support primary care clinicians in referring patients with symptoms suspicious of cancer. Work is ongoing, with support from Macmillan Cancer Support Scotland and Cancer Research UK, to ensure the revised Guidelines are fully disseminated and adopted across NHSScotland.

Question reference: S5W-22012

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many children are diagnosed with blood cancer, on average, each year.

NHS National Services Scotland’s Information Services Division (ISD) supported by Scottish Government funding, collates this information.

Number of Children Diagnosed with Blood Cancer in Scotland

Year	Under 5	5-9	10-14
1992	26	10	5
1993	22	14	8
1994	32	6	12
1995	20	12	5
1996	20	4	9
1997	32	13	13
1998	24	8	11
1999	19	8	9
2000	17	15	7
2001	25	6	6
2002	30	17	11
2003	18	18	11
2004	17	18	13
2005	19	4	12
2006	26	9	5
2007	19	7	4
2008	30	15	9
2009	22	8	7
2010	15	5	7
2011	17	13	7
2012	24	16	6
2013	24	11	6
2014	18	13	6
2015	21	14	8
2016	22	15	9

Average	22	11	8

Further information is available at the following link: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Cancer/Cancer-Statistics/Leukaemias/

Question reference: S5O-03023

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the ongoing dispute between lecturers and management at the City of Glasgow College.

Question reference: S5W-21795

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 5 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which three reviews were approved by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the week beginning 18 February 2019 in relation to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children.

In a paper submitted to the board of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC), the Health Board set out the three main elements of the work that they are undertaking to assess the overall position at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) and the Royal Hospital for Children (RHC):

NHS GGC Workstreams – a GGC commissioned review of the facilities and environmental issues in respect of the QEUH and RHC.
A review of capacity and flow to assess the position now, against the original model and planning assumptions.
A review of clinical outcomes over the period to provide assurance.

Further detail on the reviews is included in the board paper which has been published online at: https://www.nhsggc.org.uk/media/252955/item-9-paper-19_03-board-paper-qeuhrhc-evsg.pdf

This local board’s work will feed into the Independent Expert Lead Review I have commissioned but it will of course, and rightly, be for the Chair(s) of the Independent Review to determine the degree to which the outcome of this Board led work meets their requirements and to take further steps to secure additional information and evidence if they wish to do so.

It is essential that all relevant information is available to the Independent Review to ensure that a robust, evidence-based assessment can be provided. It is expected that individuals involved in the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of the hospital, along those providing healthcare (staff) and relevant expertise will input into the review. Patients and families will also have an opportunity to have their views heard. It will be for those undertaking the review to establish where and how the required information is collected.

The Review will fully address and investigate all matters it considers relevant. The review’s recommendations will be made public and the Scottish Government will inform Parliament of its response to the review recommendations. We must all understand what the issues are, why they have arisen and the recommendations will be taken forward and learning applied across NHS Scotland to ensure our healthcare facilities – existing and future – are fit for purpose and support the delivery of world class health care.

Question reference: S5W-21205

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 1 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of 5G mobile communication on public health.

The Scottish Government receives evidence based advice on the health effects of 5G networks from Public Health England (PHE). PHE has the expertise to assess the scientific literature available on this topic. The current evidence suggests that overall exposure to radio waves when 5G is added to the existing network or in a new area, is expected to remain low relative to guidelines and as such there should be no consequence for public health.

Question reference: S5O-02832

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Airbnb, and what issues were discussed.