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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-10075

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for patients to secure an appointment with a GP in Scotland, also broken down by NHS board area.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information for independently contracted practices. It does expect patients to be offered an appointment with a member of GP practice staff within two days; the latest figures (Health & Care Experience Survey 2015-16) show that 91.8% of people were able to get a consultation within that time.

The figures on the percentage of patients in 2015-16 able to arrange an appointment with a member of GP practice staff within two days by Board are given in the following table:

Health Board	Percentage of patients able to access healthcare professional within 2 working days
NHS AYRSHIRE AND ARRAN	90.7
NHS BORDERS	92.9
NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY	95.8
NHS FIFE	90.7
NHS FORTH VALLEY	91.4
NHS GRAMPIAN	90.7
NHS GREATER GLASGOW AND CLYDE	92.3
NHS HIGHLAND	94.4
NHS LANARKSHIRE	89.0
NHS LOTHIAN	91.5
NHS ORKNEY	97.8
NHS SHETLAND	95.2
NHS TAYSIDE	94.3
NHS WESTERN ISLES	95.2
NHSSCOTLAND	91.8

Figures broken down by GP practice are held at the following website: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/GPPatientExperienceSurvey/HACE2015-16/LDP-GP

Question reference: S5W-09865

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09545 by Derek Mackay on 13 June 2017, for what reason this information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Government holds partial information on IT spend. Procurement information on total IT spend and spend with suppliers which have a Scottish post code is shown in the following table.

Financial Year	Total IT Spend	Total IT Spend (Companies with a Post Code in Scotland Only)
2007-2008	£37.7m	£10.4m
2008-2009	£53.5m	£7.76m
2009-2010	£66.6m	£6.19m
2010-2011	£47.4m	£13.4m
2011-2012	£36.1m	£5.5m
2012-2013	£40.4m	£9.5m
2013-2014	£43.6m	£19.6m
2014-2015	£82.5m	£13.3m
2015-2016	£81.6m	£15.0m

To provide the full extent of the information sought in S5W-09545 a trawl would be required across the whole Scottish Government (including its Agencies). This information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Notes:

Spend is taken from the Scottish Procurement Information Hub at 4 July 2017.
The figures in the table reflect spend classified as ICT which reflects the supplier’s business activities rather than the products or services which have been bought.
Spend is with Core-Trade suppliers (those with whom over £1,000 has been spent in a 12 month period and who have also been classed as a trading organisation or as a non-trade social care provider)
The spend in Scotland is provided only where the supplier’s postcode is known.

Question reference: S5W-09717

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills on 15 June 2017 (Official Report, c. 46), who will appoint the members of regional collaboratives; how much the members will be paid, and from what areas of expertise they will be appointed.

As set out in the June 2017 Scottish Government publication Education Governance: Next Steps, the Scottish Government will work with partners to ensure that new Regional Improvement Collaboratives are appropriate for local circumstances. This will include working with Education Scotland, Local Authorities and other partners, to draw in staff and put in place the arrangements needed to facilitate collaborative working and provide consistent, high-quality educational improvement support to schools and practitioners across the region. The detailed staffing profile and appointment arrangements for the Regional Improvement Collaboratives will be subject to those discussions.

Question reference: S5W-09655

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government who has responsibility for ensuring that NHS boards that are subject to Health Improvement Scotland reviews implement the recommendations; how it measures the effectiveness of the implementation, and what action it can take if a board does not comply.

NHS Boards have a duty to ensure they deliver high quality safe, effective and person centred care and therefore it is their responsibility to act on and implement the recommendations and requirements from a Healthcare Improvement Scotland inspection or review. All Boards are required to have a committee to oversee governance of quality, observe and check on activities being delivered and assure the Board that effective support arrangements are in place and that action is being taken to address any areas of concern.

Follow up activity varies depending on the nature of the review. Healthcare Improvement Scotland are resourced to routinely follow up inspection activity to ensure that requirements and recommendations have been acted upon.

NHS Boards are accountable to Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. If necessary, the Scottish Government can put in place, through existing escalation arrangements, a range of measures and interventions to support improvements in the quality of healthcare.

From 1 April 2018, a Statutory Organisational Duty of Candour will be implemented in Scotland. From that date, it will be a legal requirement for all care providers, including NHS Boards, to review certain types of adverse events, meet personally with those affected and to publish an annual report to support openness and learning.

Question reference: S5O-01169

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help promote women to more senior positions in the public and private sector.

Question reference: S5W-09718

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5O-01149

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the highest quality food is served in hospitals.

Question reference: S5W-09519

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the Healthcare Improvement Scotland review of neonatal services at Crosshouse Hospital, and by what date the report will be (a) completed and (b) published.

The initial timescale for Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) independent review of Ayrshire Maternity Unit at University Hospital Crosshouse was from December 2016 until late Spring 2017 and the terms of reference of the review can be found at: http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/governance_and_assurance/programme_resources/ayrshire_maternity_unit_review.aspx

However in early 2017, the review was extended to include any members of the public who wished to share their experiences of Ayrshire Maternity Unit.

The review team undertook feedback sessions with families on 12 June 2017 and the final report is due to be completed and published on 27 June 2017.

Question reference: S5W-09547

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 13 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the parameters are of its investigation into the nutritional value of school meals, and when the results will be published.

All food and drink provided in schools must meet the strict nutritional standards set out in 'The Nutritional Requirements for Food and Drink in Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2008'. Since our internationally-admired school meal regulations were introduced in 2008-2009, the scientific evidence and dietary advice has changed.

I have established a short-life expert working group to examine the scientific and technical detail of the latest evidence and advice regarding nutritional standards, and make recommendations about how school food provision can be further improved. This includes considering how children, especially primary pupils, can have as many of their ‘five a day’ as possible from food and drink served in school.

I expect the technical review group to report its findings with recommendations to me by the end of the year.

Question reference: S5W-09548

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the details are of its food procurement policy for the central Excel contract, and what steps it takes to ensure that produce is imported from countries that have legislation governing food production similar to that in Scotland.

The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) requires public sector procurement to take account of economic, social and environmental considerations. The Act also requires that public bodies include, in published procurement strategies, statements on how procurements relating to food take account of health and wellbeing and animal welfare.

Individual public bodies are responsible for their own procurement activity. Public sector food contracts will generally require compliance with all relevant UK legislation; assurance standards; evidence of food safety and traceability, and that food meets the nutritional requirements of local authorities.