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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-14948

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the levels and adequacy of short-term mobility aids provision.

This is a matter for individual Integration Authorities, Local Authorities and NHS Boards along with relevant partners. The Scottish Government does not collect information on the specific types of equipment or adaptations provided.

The Scottish Government issued guidance on the Provision of Community Equipment and Adaptation (CCD 5/2009) in 2009. This guidance placed the responsibility for the provision of community equipment with individual Health Boards and their local authority partners.

Question reference: S5W-14489

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many positions that have been offered by hospitals to doctors living outwith the UK in each of the last three years remain unfilled due to visa refusals, broken down by NHS board.

Immigration powers are reserved to the UK Government and visa refusal data is therefore held by the Home Office. The Scottish Government is aware that the visa cap set for Tier 2 (General) visas has recently been reached for the third month in a row. Scottish Ministers have consistently signalled to the UK Government that current immigration policy is detrimental to our ability to attract and retain highly skilled international workers.

NHS Scotland boards have not formally advised that they are currently experiencing significant difficulties as a result of visa caps being reached, though we continue to work with boards in monitoring the situation. We actively support NHS Scotland boards in their efforts to ensure that they have the right staff in place to meet local healthcare needs, this includes recruiting both nationally and internationally to fill vacancies.

Question reference: S5F-02133

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to figures that show black and Asian people in Scotland are more likely to be stopped and searched.

Question reference: S5O-01846

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that people with a violent or threatening past do not work directly with vulnerable patients in health and social care settings.

Question reference: S5W-14553

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of a fast-track crisis grant fund for reunited refugee families.

Question reference: S5W-14317

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the NHS gets best value for new medicines.

Question reference: S5W-13334

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 22 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many asylum seekers accessed antenatal classes in each of the last three years.

This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government have worked with NHS Boards to improve early access to antenatal services and have created a Local Delivery Plan Standard to help drive improvement. The standard states that at least 80% of pregnant women in each deprivation area will have booked for antenatal care by the 12^th week of pregnancy.

Information Services Division (ISD), part of NHS National Services Scotland, published The Births in Scottish Hospitals report on 28 November. This report showed that the Antenatal Access standard had been met at a Scottish level across all deprivation categories.

Scotland’s approach to integration aims to provide a positive experience for refugees and asylum seekers and enable them to rebuild their lives here, through access to the support and services they need, including health care services.

Question reference: S5W-12954

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 7 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average cost per day is of keeping a person in hospital who has been medically cleared for discharge.

Information on the cost of delayed discharge is published in the annual delayed discharge publication. The most recent published figures are for 2013-14 (£214) and are available from last year’s annual publication: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Health-and-Social-Community-Care/Publications/2016-06-28/2016-06-28-DelayedDischarges-Report.pdf.

The latest figures (2014-15 and 2015-16) are due to be released in the forthcoming annual publication, due for publication on Tuesday 5 December 2017.

Question reference: S5O-01492

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on NHS recruitment.

Under this government, NHS staff numbers have risen to historically high levels, with more clinical staff now delivering excellent care for the people of Scotland. Our record investment of over £13 billion has supported a significant increase in staffing levels, up nearly 12,000 in the last decade.

NHSScotland Boards are required to have the correct staff in place to meet the needs of the service and ensure high quality patient care. The Scottish Government works closely with Boards to support their efforts. Our National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan sets out the action we will take, working with partners, to meet service demands and deliver sustainable staffing levels.

Question reference: S5O-01463

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much the integration of British Transport Police in Scotland into Police Scotland will cost.