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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: S6O-01259

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the international transfer of prisoners to Scotland with the UK Government.

Question reference: S6F-01223

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022

To ask the First Minister, in light of summer officially commencing next week on 21 June, what action the Scottish Government is taking to promote responsible access to Scotland’s countryside.

Question reference: S6W-08085

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that (a) children and (b) adults diagnosed with cystic fibrosis have the clinical psychologist and social worker resourcing available in their multidisciplinary team, as set out in the service specifications for adult and paediatric care.

Both adult and paediatric patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) can access a range of appropriate services via their local NHS Boards, Integrated Joint Board and specialist centres.

The National Services Division (NSD) of NHS National Services Scotland commission a number of highly specialist services for young people and adults with CF are delivered via multi-disciplinary teams, including clinical psychologists at 3 specialist centres around the country – in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. There are also outreach services in Dundee and Inverness. Paediatric CF services are delivered locally by NHS Boards like through the South-East Scotland Paediatric Cystic Fibrosis Service.

Due to the variable management required, much of the treatment required by CF patients is specialist and tailored to the needs of the individual patient. The Scottish Government therefore expects NHS Boards to treat CF patients according to individual need, this includes ensuring clinical psychologist and social work input when required.

The Scottish Government is committed to working to improve outcomes for people with rare conditions, including Cystic Fibrosis. We are developing an Scottish Action Plan for Rare Disease based on the four priorities of the UK Rare Disease Framework: faster diagnoses, increased awareness, better care co-ordination, and access to specialist treatments and care.

Question reference: S6W-08417

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with Dumfries and Galloway Council regarding the safety of the derelict Treasure Cave building located at 80 English Street, Dumfries, in light of reports that it has caused part of English Street to be closed to through traffic; whether Dumfries and Galloway Council has requested any support from the Scottish Government to address the state of the building, and what support the Scottish Government can provide to the local authority to address the building’s safety, to reopen the road to traffic and to ease any disruption to surrounding businesses.

Scottish Government has not discussed the Treasure Cave building with Dumfries and Galloway Council as enforcement is wholly the responsibility of the local authority. Council officials did not seek support from Scottish Government in relation to addressing the state of the building.

Dumfries and Galloway Council served a Dangerous Building Notice under Section 30 of the Building (Scotland) Act 2003 on 19 November 2021. The owner of the building recently made arrangements to comply with the notice by appointing a contractor to demolish the building. Demolition is expected to begin on 16 May 2022 and last three weeks. The road will be reopened once the demolition works are complete and the danger has been removed.

Question reference: S6F-01100

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 May 2022

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to support the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce.

Question reference: S6O-01098

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with TransPennine Express, Network Rail and ScotRail regarding the reported frequent cancellation of rail services on the West Coast Main Line, particularly impacting travellers using rail services at Lockerbie Station.

Question reference: S6W-08086

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the supplementary question during First Minister's Questions on 20 January 2022, during which the First Minister commented that the Scottish Government will take appropriate steps to raise awareness of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021, what action has been taken and what measures are being considered for the future.

The Scottish Government, in November 2021, issued a joint protocol for the examination of dogs suspected of livestock worrying and seized by Police Scotland under the 2021 Act. That offers guidance to veterinarians who may be asked to examine such dogs.

The Scottish Government considers that education is the key to ending livestock worrying incidents and the associated unnecessary suffering for all involved. While not solely focussed on livestock worrying, the Scottish Government undertook an awareness raising digital campaign, in partnership with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in March 2021 to promote responsible dog ownership. The campaign was re-run in September and December 2021, to further emphasise the importance of training pet dogs correctly; and reminding dog owners of their legal responsibilities to keep dogs under proper control in order to prevent and reduce the risks of incidents occurring.

The Scottish Government supported the introduction of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill, which gained Royal Assent on 5 May 2021, and accords with advice in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code on responsible behaviour for people walking dogs. These messages are promoted widely on social media by NatureScot as part of on-going communication campaigns promoting responsible behaviour in various outdoor settings.

The Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC) has also been supporting the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021. In January 2022 they launched a national Livestock Attack and Worrying campaign with the slogan ‘Your Dog – Your Responsibility’ designed to educate and raise awareness about the new legislation amongst dog owners, whether new or experienced. This attracted significant media attention from TV, radio, written and social media forms with the campaign lasting 5 months until end of May 2022.

Numerous local Partnerships Against Rural Crime have supported the national campaign and kept focus on the new legislation by holding local launches. SPARC is promoting a second national launch to highlight the issue once more in the Autumn and will further promote the legislation at the agricultural events and shows it attend this year.

Question reference: S6W-08306

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS will continue on the emergency footing that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care previously extended to the 30 April 2022.

Once again, I want to thank our health and care staff for their magnificent work to date. The last few months have been enormously difficult and our health and care services are continuing to deal with a challenging combination of issues.

We are now seeing a steady reduction in new Covid cases. However, I am aware that the system remains under significant pressure. We must continue with a measured and consistent approach to the recovery and renewal of the vital service that we all rely upon. This will require balancing the capacity of the NHS and the wellbeing of our workforce to respond to increasing demands of emergency and urgent care, whilst reducing the backlog of planned care.

As we move through the next phase of the Strategic Framework, we will continue to support our NHS Boards to deliver against commitments in the NHS Recovery Plan and associated Delivery Plans to enable our NHS to plan and prepare the future delivery of health and social care services to our communities. We are confident that we have continued to build on lessons learned and that NHS Boards will be able to respond appropriately to any further challenges which lie ahead.

With that in mind, I have decided that the NHS will no longer remain on an emergency footing after 30 April 2022.

There are temporary terms and conditions provisions that were enacted to support the NHS through this time, including to support those who came back to work on a temporary basis to aid with pandemic response. We will now take the opportunity to review these, and will work through the established structures to set a timetable to return to normal arrangements. In the meantime, these temporary measures remain in operation.

Question reference: S6W-07610

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the current level of government health spending per person in Scotland, and how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.

Question reference: S6W-07609

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the current level of the starting salary for a nurse in Scotland, and how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.