Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 534 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5F-00777

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the comment by the Chair of BMA Scotland that the NHS is "stretched pretty much to breaking point".

Question reference: S5W-05507

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 16 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have accessed acute assessment units in each NHS board in each year since 2010, also broken down by hospital.

Question reference: S5W-05757

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) terms of reference and (b) parameters are of the health and social care targets review; whether the review will consider the key performance indicators of the integrated health boards; what its timeline is; who the members of the review team are; by what date the findings will be published; whether it will publish the review in full, and when it will be in a position to implement the recommendations.

The review will look at how targets and indicators support the Government's strategies for the improvement of health, the future of the NHS and social care services, and support best use of public resources to ensure that we have a clearly understood and improved national measurement framework across the whole health and social care system and a focus on the outcomes to be achieved. The review will consider the 20 Local Delivery Plan Standards for the NHS in Scotland and the core suite of indicators for Health and Social Care.

The Scottish Government has asked the chair of the national review of health and social care targets and indicators to provide initial recommendations to Ministers by the end of March 2017 and will publish the report along with its response once it has had an opportunity to consider the recommendations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-04778 on 30 November 2016 which sets out a list of the organisations invited to nominate a representative to join the Expert Group. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-05316

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider repealing section 242 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 on the grounds that it may deprive an adult with capacity the right to refuse treatment.

The Scottish Government is not currently considering repealing section 242 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 (‘the 2003 Act’).

Section 242 sets out the circumstances and safeguards for the giving of certain treatment to a person where the giving of medical treatment is authorised by virtue of other sections of the 2003 Act or by the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. The section sets out the giving of relevant treatment both to persons who are capable of consenting (including where the person consents) and those who are not capable of consenting.

Whilst not the only criterion, significant impairment of decision-making ability because of mental disorder (as defined by the 2003 Act) is taken into account when treatment is authorised by the 2003 Act. Significantly-impaired decision making ability is used rather than incapacity as it was recommended as one of the criteria in Chapter 2 of the 2001 report by the Millan Committee which forms the basis of the 2003 Act.

Alongside the requirements and safeguards in section 242 for the giving of treatment, any function carried out under the 2003 Act must be in line with the principles set out in section 1, including the present and past wishes and feelings of the patient; the importance of the patient participating as fully as possible; and the importance of providing maximum benefit to the patient.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring Scotland's mental health law continues to build on the 2003 Act. The recent Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015 was the outcome of the McManus review and strengthened measures in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003 that promote support for decision making. The 2015 Act is currently being implemented and we are looking at ways to further promote rights-based practice under the 2003 Act in areas such as treatment, including when updating the statutory guidance in the Code of Practice.

An upcoming review which will consider whether the provisions in the 2003 Act fulfil the needs of people with learning disabilities and autism, which may include the giving of treatment under the Act to persons with learning disabilities and autism.

Question reference: S5W-05727

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether statistics on the performance of G4S regarding the Scottish Prison Service escort/transport contact are kept centrally and, if so, whether these will be published.

Question reference: S5W-05729

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland currently procures any pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics, from Aurobindo's UK subsidiary, Milpharm Ltd, and, if so, what the value of these is.

Central procurement of drugs and medicines on behalf of NHS Scotland is the responsibility of National Services Scotland National Procurement.

MilPharm Ltd (the UK subsidiary of Aurobindo) supply a number of medicines to NHS Scotland under the NHS Scotland Antibiotics and Genito Urinary medicines framework and the NHS Scotland HIV Generic Medicines framework. These were tendered through formal public procurement processes, in compliance with EU public procurement law.

The total value of MilPharm medicines under these frameworks is approximately £460,000 per annum.

Question reference: S5W-05725

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what key performance indicators are stipulated in the escort/transport contract with G4S and the Scottish Prison Service.

Question reference: S5W-05513

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of A&E (a) admissions and (b) waiting times in 2016, broken down by (i) age profile and (ii) NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-05726

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any sanctions for non-performance stipulated in the escort/transport contract between G4S and the Scottish Prison Service and, if so, what they are.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

I would advise that the information which answers the member’s question is accessible on the SPS website in Schedule D of the Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services (CCPES) contract and Section 14 of the Minute of Agreement, held at:

http://www.sps.gov.uk/Corporate/Publications/Contracts7.aspx

Question reference: S5T-00307

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of an increase in the number of people dying in hospital while waiting to be discharged because their care package had yet to be finalised.