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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.

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Question reference: S5W-07824

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 20 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the link between obesity and cancer, in light of research by Cancer Research UK that highlights that obesity significantly increases the risk of developing cancer.

The Scottish Government is committed to consulting widely on the development of our new Diet and Obesity Strategy which will be brought forward in the course of 2017. In developing that strategy we will examine with our stakeholders what further effective actions can be taken, within the powers of this Government, to impact on moving and supporting Scotland's population towards better and healthier lifestyle choices.

We have already introduced a 2034 tobacco-free target as part of a tobacco strategy, reflecting the fact that smoking rates in Scotland are declining, including among young people. Our ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ strategy and the accompanying £100 million investment over five years, serves as a blueprint for the future of cancer services in Scotland, improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, aftercare and ultimately the survival, of people affected by cancer.

Question reference: S5W-08177

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-07789

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report by BBC Scotland on 2 March 2017 suggesting that NHS Ayrshire and Arran spends an average of £3.20 on food and drink per patient each day.

The main focus for Scottish Government is that patients have a right to expect high-quality and nutritious food that meets their specific needs and aids recovery.

NHS Ayrshire and Arran provides patients with high quality and nutritionally balanced meals, based on a wide menu choice. Meals are prepared on site daily, using fresh produce to ensure that good, wholesome meals are provided to their patients. This approach is reflected in the 'Inpatient Experience Survey 2016' results where 81% of patients in NHS Ayrshire and Arran reported that they were happy with the food/meals they received.

To help reduce waste and therefore costs, NHS Ayrshire and Arran ask patients to choose their next meal as close as possible to the meal time, this means that their rate of unserved meals is very low, on average three per cent.

In order to ensure best value, NHS Ayrshire and Arran purchase their food and beverages from national procurement contracts agreed by NHS National Services Scotland (National Procurement), who use the combined buying power of NHS Boards throughout Scotland, to get the best possible deals on supplies and services. By buying through national contracts, NHS Ayrshire and Arran also saves money, to redirect into front line patient care.

Question reference: S5W-07782

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the proposed digitisation of some processes by the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service will be accessible for (a) older people, (b) disabled people and (c) people with limited online access.

Question reference: S5W-07828

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) improve opportunities and (b) promote inclusive participation for disabled people in politics.

Because we are determined to increase representation of disabled people in our democratic institutions, the Scottish Government established the Access to Elected Office Fund (Scotland) to help disabled people put themselves forward as candidates by helping to meet the additional costs disabled people face when seeking election.

The fund was initially established to cover the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections and 2017 local government elections. But in the Disability Delivery Plan I published in December 2016, we included a commitment to extend the fund to cover the Scottish Parliament elections in 2021.

Additionally and building on a pilot programme being delivered by SCVO and Inclusion Scotland in 2016-17, the Disability Delivery Plan included a commitment to deliver a disability internship programme, providing disabled people with 120 employment opportunities in the third and public sectors and in politics, over the period 2017-2021.

Question reference: S5W-07783

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of incidents of lasers being shone at aircraft.

Question reference: S5W-07179

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide copies of any emails or notifications from (a) ministers and (b) special advisers to its officials informing them of the prospect of a second independence referendum and/or instructing them on the readiness of legislation that may enable it; how many of its officials were notified; which departments received such a communication, and what responses it received.

On 24 June 2016, following the result of the EU referendum, the First Minister made it clear that she would respond to the democratic decision taken by the people of Scotland and explore all options to protect Scotland’s vital national interests. This included providing as much immediate reassurance and certainty as possible, taking all possible steps and exploring all options to protect Scotland’s relationship with the EU and place in the single market, and consideration of a further independence referendum if it became clear that was the only or best way of protecting Scotland’s interests.

All staff in the Scottish Government were informed of these commitments through internal communications.

Question reference: S5W-07827

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support (a) the John Muir Award and (b) other initiatives to encourage engagement with wildlife and nature.

The Scottish Government is providing £17,000 in 2016-17 from the Children, Young People & Families Early Intervention Fund to support John Muir Awards. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is also providing £96,000 for delivery of John Muir Awards. The number of awards delivered in Scotland to the end of Quarter 3 of 2016-17 was 16,241.

Scotland’s two National Parks provide support for the John Muir Award. Since August 2013, a total of 4,776 John Muir Awards have been achieved in and around the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park. In the Cairngorms National Park the John Muir Award has been used as a primary education model since 2003 and approximately 3,000 awards are completed each year.

The Scottish Government, SNH and the two National Parks also support a range of initiatives to encourage engagement with wildlife and nature. The 2020 Challenge for Scotland’s Biodiversity published by the Scottish Government in 2013 (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2013/06/5538) sets out our approach to protecting biodiversity and promoting engagement with nature.

SNH are contributing to the development of Our Natural Health Service (http://www.snh.gov.uk/land-and-sea/managing-recreation-and-access/healthier-scotland/natural-health-service/) and the National Walking and Cycling Network (http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/where-to-go/routes-to-explore/walking-and-cycling-network/). SNH also provide information for the public on enjoying the outdoors responsibly (http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/).

Both of Scotland’s National Parks support activities to encourage engagement with wildlife and nature. Details are available on their websites: http://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/park-authority/how-we-can-help/outdoor-learning/ and http://cairngorms.co.uk/caring-future/education-learning/.

Question reference: S5W-07788

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that over half of MSPs have signed the Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) campaign’s pledge to encourage it to introduce inclusive education.

Question reference: S5W-07507

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of reports of an increase in the number of young people being admitted to hospitals in the NHS Ayrshire and Arran area because of alcohol-related conditions.

Data held by Information Services Scotland, for 2012-13 to 2015-16, demonstrates a decrease in the number of young people under 26 years of age admitted to a general acute hospital in NHS Ayrshire and Arran for an alcohol related condition.

The Scottish Government has taken forward a range of actions around children and young people through Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action. This includes improved substance misuse education in schools through Curriculum for Excellence, improved identification of, and support for, children affected by parental substance misuse and support for diversionary activities. We are in the process of refreshing our Framework and will consider what further action to take.

In addition the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Act 2010 imposed a mandatory condition onto licences to have an age verification policy (Challenge 25) to make it harder for under-age drinkers to gain access to alcohol and the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 will make it an offence to give alcohol to children or young people in a public place helping the Police to address the scourge of drinking dens.