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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: S6W-31141

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to improve the early diagnosis of (i) Crohn’s disease and (ii) ulcerative colitis.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people in Scotland living with Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Significant additional activity is already underway following the allocation of £30 million funding to target reductions to the national backlogs that built up throughout the pandemic. This includes over 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures.

Our Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan has so far delivered four mobile endoscopy units across Scotland, providing 5-6 additional endoscopy rooms, and a Dyce facility to provide additional endoscopy procedures for NHS Grampian. Additionally, the national endoscopy surveillance framework, introduced in February 2022, has been implemented in all Health Boards.

We have also funded the Modernising Patient Pathways Programme (MPPP) with a specific workstream continuing to promote improvements in IBD care which is being taken forward through the MPPPs National Gastroenterology Speciality Delivery Group (SDG). They have developed a national IBD pathway for NHS Scotland which is due to be published imminently.

In addition, the Gastroenterology SDG is developing a lower gastrointestinal pathway which will provide primary care guidance about testing and diagnosis for people with IBD and Coeliac Disease in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03942

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that young people across Scotland have access to facilities that can support their involvement in arts and culture.

Question reference: S6O-03901

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the importance of instrumental music within the education service.

Question reference: S6W-30405

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions within the UK Procurement Act 2023 it plans to adopt when the Act comes into force in February 2025, and, in the event that it decides not to adopt the Act in full, whether it will outline the basis for such a decision.

The Procurement Act 2023 does not generally legislate for the procurement activities of devolved Scottish authorities, and there is no provision within the Act for the Scottish Government to simply adopt it, though the Scottish Ministers will use the powers conferred on them by the Act appropriately, for example to implement international agreements, or to set out provision in relation to cross-border procurement.

The Scottish Government has already taken significant steps to reform public procurement practice in Scotland. The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 already requires contracting authorities in Scotland to consider the economic, social and environmental wellbeing impact on their area of procurement activity, increases transparency by requiring contracts to be advertised on one single advertising portal, requires authorities to set out anticipated contracts over the next two years in an annual procurement report and requires authorities to consider community benefits in major contracts.

This was achieved in a way which was consistent with EU law. It remains the view of the Scottish Government that Scotland is best served by aligning with EU law where it is practical and sensible to do so.

Question reference: S6W-30404

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) direct and (b) indirect implications it anticipates that the UK Procurement Act 2023 will have for the (i) Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, (ii) Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 and (iii) Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016, for the providers of private procurement frameworks, and what its position is on whether this could delay the procurement and award of any key projects.

Section 119 of the Procurement Act 2023 amends the scope of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016, and Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016, so as to be clear that they extend only to devolved Scottish authorities.

Devolved Scottish authorities will continue to be subject to these regulations when awarding contracts or framework agreements, and there is no reason for this to delay the procurement or award of such contracts.

When devolved Scottish authorities award a contract from a framework advertised and awarded under the terms of the Procurement Act 2023, then relevant elements of the rules established by that Act will apply to the call-off procedure. Similarly, when other authorities award contracts from a framework agreement awarded under the Scottish regulations, then relevant elements of those rules will apply to the call-off procedure. Regulations made under section 115 of the Procurement Act 2023 will set this out.

Question reference: S6W-30406

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it anticipates that the UK Procurement Act 2023 will work alongside the (a) Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, (b) Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 and (c) Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016.

The Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015, Utilities Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 and Concession Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2016 will continue to apply to the award of contracts by devolved Scottish contracting authorities.

Regulations made under section 115 of the Procurement Act 2023 will set out the procedures to be followed when a contracting authority awards a contract under procurement arrangements put in place under the other jurisdiction’s regime.

Question reference: S6W-30407

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential impact of the UK Procurement Act 2023 on cross-border procurement when it comes into force, particularly in circumstances where there is more than one awarding body, which are subject to the different procurement regimes.

There has been significant contact at official level on this issue. When devolved Scottish authorities award a contract from a framework advertised and awarded under the terms of the Procurement Act 2023, then relevant elements of the rules established by that Act will apply to the call-off procedure. Similarly, when non-devolved Scottish authorities award contracts from a framework agreement awarded under the Scottish regulations, then relevant elements of those rules will apply to the call-off procedure. Regulations made under section 115 of the Procurement Act 2023 will set this out.

Devolved Scottish and other UK authorities can continue to work together to procure jointly. The applicable rules will be determined by which authority is designated as the lead authority for the procurement exercise as outlined in Section 114 of the Procurement Act 2023.

Question reference: S6F-03420

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of the recent reports of an increase in alcohol-related deaths in Scotland, what steps the Scottish Government is taking to reduce excessive drinking.

Question reference: S6O-03812

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that school meals meet or exceed existing nutritional standards.

Question reference: S6O-03737

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that green skills are embedded in the provision of further education.