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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: S6W-11305

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in light of reports that Gretna Dental Practice will no longer provide NHS services.

The Scottish Government is responsible for putting a framework in place that is conducive to the encouragement of NHS dental services. Part of that framework includes providing funding, through the emergency support payments, multiplier payments, and bridging payments, to help NHS dental practices to provide NHS dental services.

We understand that there are particular challenges in attracting dentists to work in more remote areas which is why we have recently updated the Recruitment and Retention Allowance. This Golden Hello payment means that dentists providing NHS dental services in qualifying areas, including Gretna, can receive up to £25,000 over a two year period. We are also working closely with NHS Education for Scotland (NES) to develop a mentorship scheme for EU dentists which will allow them to work in Scotland to support areas facing recruitment challenges whilst they work towards their VT equivalence.

NHS Boards make arrangements with dental contractors to provide NHS dental services in their areas as local provision is the responsibility of the Board. However, officials meet regularly with the Board and are working closely with them on suitable contingency arrangements should these be required.

Question reference: S6W-10428

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is researching the introduction of a standardised computer tool for the screening of children to identify risk of reading failure.

Education Scotland are currently learning more about the evidence-based Nuffield Early Language Intervention (NELI) programme and a related screening tool, Language Screen, which assesses four components of oral language skills. However, it is for individual schools and local authorities to decide if specific literacy screening tools and interventions such as NELI and Language Screen meet their strategic aims.

Question reference: S6W-11306

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 18 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the current levels of commission charged on the sale of park homes in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-10708

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 11 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any sites that (a) NatureScot and (b) SEPA have spent public funds on, which are not Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-10706

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 3 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had to date regarding the potential impact on (a) local newspapers and (b) fair work principles of concerns reportedly raised by the National Union of Journalists in relation to Reach PLC.

While the Scottish Government has not been made aware of fair work concerns by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) in relation to Reach PLC, it is keen to ensure fair work practices are adopted across the news publishing industry.

The Scottish Government is pleased that the pay negotiations between the NUJ and Reach resulted in a revised pay offer being accepted by NUJ members at Reach on 26 September.

Employment legislation is reserved to the UK Government, however, the Scottish Government will continue to use its Fair Work policy to improve workers’ rights and protections.

We are clear that all employees must be paid fairly for the work they do. That is why the Scottish Government continues to support payment of, at least, the real Living Wage to build a more resilient economy, a more equal labour market, and to foster inclusive growth.

Question reference: S6W-11183

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 30 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government who is responsible for maintaining telecoms infrastructure in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-10713

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce any reported workforce pressures and unsafe staffing levels in the NHS.

The Scottish Government is taking the necessary steps to support NHS staffing capacity. The Scottish Government is continually in contact with all NHS Health Boards to ensure that services have sufficient support to deal with COVID-19, manage other risks and resume planned services as safely and effectively as possible.

Although Staffing levels across NHS Scotland have increased for ten consecutive years, we are fully aware of the challenges that Boards and frontline staff are experiencing. That is why we announced a £1 billion-backed NHS Recovery Plan and a record £300 million of investment last winter to support Health Boards and their staff.

This includes the 1,000 Health Care Support Workers brought in over the last winter and recent successes that has saw c230 nurses from overseas taken up roles within Boards in Scotland and our commitment to invest a record £11 million in the lifetime of this parliament in further domestic and international recruitment.

We are in the final stages of agreeing a stretching target for international recruitment of nurses, midwives and Allied Health Professionals with NHS Scotland Boards for 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-10714

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any concerns by Unison regarding reports of unsafe working practices in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-10707

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 22 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support local newspapers.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the sustainability of local news publishers as a key part of the public interest news sector in Scotland. We recognise the value that local newspapers bring to their communities, and the important role they play as part of a well-functioning democracy.

In 2021, the Scottish Government set up the Public Interest Journalism Working Group to consider the long-term sustainability of public interest journalism, including local news, in Scotland, and to recommend ways to ensure its ongoing resilience and relevance. We responded to the Group’s recommendations in June 2022. This included a commitment to facilitate a roundtable event this Autumn, to support the creation of a new Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute.

While it is not for Scottish Government to influence the remit of the Institute, it is likely, in line with the Working Group’s recommendations, that part of its role will be to support local news.

Separately, the Scottish Government spent £258,056.00 on local newspaper advertising in the financial year 2021-22.

Question reference: S6O-01410

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what accountability mechanisms are available to communities who believe they are receiving inadequate GP services.