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 1294 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5O-02585

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will have awarded all of the contracts for the R100 superfast broadband programme.

Question reference: S5W-19767

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 13 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19475 by Jeanne Freeman on 1 November 2018, whether the national planning framework for the provision of thrombectomy treatment has been completed by the advisory group, and, if so, whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S5W-19417

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are in place to allow larger, national-based charities to take on the responsibility of obtaining funding for smaller, community-based ones.

Question reference: S5W-19561

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any additional costs above the tendered price for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and, if so, what they are; whether the contractor in charge of construction has been paid in full, and how much capital must be borrowed to pay for the construction.

As confirmed in my statement to Parliament on 1 November 2018, no additional costs have been incurred by the public purse to date.

As the contracting entity is formed by a joint venture of privately run companies, we do not have access to the contractors costs and consequently cannot comment on them.

As is standard in Non Profit Distributing (NPD) contracts, the contractor receives payment when sections of road become available for use. Consequently, the contractor is receiving the full payments due for the sections of road which have been opened to traffic at Balmedie to Tipperty, Parkhill to Goval and Craibstone Roundabout/Dyce Drive.

An NPD contract by its nature means that the construction is privately funded. As such, a capital value of £530 million was borrowed by Aberdeen Roads Limited.

Question reference: S5W-19562

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to announce the precise opening date of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Sections of this project are already opened to traffic between Craibstone and Dyce junctions , the 7km section of dual carriageway between Blackdog and Parkhill and the 12km section between Balmedie and Tipperty. Drivers are already enjoying significant benefits as a result of these improvements.

I provided a full update in my statement to Parliament on 1 November 2018 ( http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=11746&i=106344 ) . Further updates will be provided in due course as the information becomes available. We will continue to work closely with the contractor and I also committed to providing further updates to parliament in due course.

Question reference: S5W-19475

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) thrombolysis and (b) thrombectomy procedures have been carried out in the last year; what information it has regarding how this compares with the rest of the UK, and what plans it has to increase to the number.

The Scottish Stroke Care Programme (SSCP) report 2018 states that in 2017, 1046 (12%) patients with ischaemic stroke received thrombolysis, the highest annual rate so far, and one which compares favourably with the rest of the UK and other European countries. The Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme indicates that the percentage of all stroke patients given thrombolysis from April 2017 to March 2018 was 11.5% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The SSCP also reports that 13 patients received thrombectomy in Scotland in 2016-17. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2016-17, 537 patients received thrombectomy according to the Sentinel Stroke National Audit Programme. We recognise the benefits of thrombectomy which can significantly improve outcomes and quality of life for some people who have had an ischaemic stroke by reducing their level of disability. That is why the Directors of Planning Thrombectomy Advisory Group are producing a national planning framework for the provision of thrombectomy for Scotland. It is intended that this will be completed by early 2018. It will be the basis for moving forward on implementation and spread of thrombectomy provision in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-19353

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question to S5W-18905 by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 October 2018, what guidance has been issued regarding the use of Rezum as a treatment.

In September 2018, The National Institute for Health and Care <br>Excellence (NICE) published interventional procedures guidance <br>on the use of transurethral water jet ablation for lower urinary tract <br>symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia <br>(link: <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg629"> https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg629 </a> )

The Interventional Procedures (IP) programme aims to protect the
safety of patients and to support doctors. Each piece of guidance
makes recommendations about whether the interventional
procedure is safe enough and works well enough for routine use.
NHS Scotland is part of the IP programme and all IP guidance is
applicable in Scotland
(link: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/
technologies_and_medicines/nice_guidance_and_scotland/
interventional_procedures.aspx )

Question reference: S5O-02506

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to encourage doctors to relocate to rural practices.

Question reference: S5T-01261

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that it has taken all required steps to protect consumers, food safety and the farming industry, following the discovery of BSE on a farm in Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S5W-18905

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the drug, Rezum, for the treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is available in Scotland, and, if not, for what reasons it is not included in SIGN guidelines.

The Scottish Government is aware that Rezum has recently been recommended by NICE and could be considered as an additional treatment for NHS Scotland patients. However, the role of the Scottish Government is to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards to allow them to deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. Within this context, the actual provision of healthcare services, is the responsibility of local Boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.