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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-11171

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to add the cfDNA test to the foetal screening programme for expectant mothers.

The UK National Screening Committee’s (UK NSC), which advises Ministers and the NHS about all aspects of screening policy, has recommended that non invasive prenatal testing (or cfDNA) should be introduced as an additional test into the existing NHS Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme as part of an evaluative roll out. This approach will allow for further evaluative work to be undertaken with input from scientific and ethical expertise, in order to better understand the practical implications of implementing this change and allow detailed consideration of any issues raised.

The Scottish Screening Committee has commissioned the development of a business case to consider the introduction of NIPT within the programme in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-11170

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance exists for (a) obstetricians and (b) midwives regarding advice given to expectant mothers who receive a positive result on the genetic abnormalities test.

The Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme is an established programme that prospective parents can choose whether to participate in. The key objective of the programme is to enable women to make informed choices, at each step of the screening pathway. Professional resources have been developed to support healthcare professionals working in the programme which includes online access to training materials, standardised national protocols and care pathways.

Question reference: S5W-11172

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to change the guidance given to (a) obstetricians and (b) midwives regarding advice given to expectant mothers who receive a positive result on the genetic abnormalities test on (i) their options and (ii) the support that is available.

As part of implementation a Communications group will be established to develop high quality information for women and couples and training and resources for health care professionals. The materials produced by this group will be informed by users and will go out for wide consultation and be piloted where appropriate. Information will include the offer of screening and further information for women who receive a higher chance result. The group will include representation from a wide range of stakeholders representing charities/support groups, clinical groups, academics with expertise in informed choice in pregnancy and experts in Fetal Anomaly screening.

Question reference: S5W-11005

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government who (a) was invited to and (b) attended the Biannual Stakeholder Forum on the Mental Health Strategy on 23 June 2017.

Question reference: S5W-11004

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress on the Mental Health Strategy was reported to the Biannual Stakeholder Forum on 23 June 2017.

The Minister for Mental Health’s opening address to the first Bi-annual Forum on the Mental Health Strategy, which took place on 23 June 2017, contained updates on the progress of various actions in the Strategy. The speech has been published on the SG website at the following link: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Mental-Health/Strategy/StrategyImplementation/Biannualforum-speechbyMinisterforMentalHealth

Question reference: S5W-11040

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 01 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10617 by Shona Robison on 1 September 2017, how many dental patients' registrations were placed in abeyance in each year since 2011.

The following table shows the number of dental patients' registrations placed in abeyance, by each year since 2011:

Year	No. of registrations in abeyance

2011	52,468
2012	45,818
2013	40,060
2014	37,079
2015	39,156
2016	43,934

Source: ISD Scotland

The intention is going forward from January 2018 to exclude those patients in abeyance, with the next publication of registration and participation statistics.

Question reference: S5W-10953

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 13 September 2017

This information has been collected by Information Services Division.

The numbers of patients under 18 who were discharged from Scottish hospitals with a main diagnosis of eating disorders and eating disorder-related conditions (ICD-10 code F50) for the financial years 2014-15 and 2015-16 are shown in Table 1. Please note that the figures for the Financial year 2016-17 have not been published yet and are therefore currently unavailable.

Table 1: The number of patients¹ under 18 years old² discharged from acute (SMR01) and psychiatric (SMR04)³ hospitals in Scotland⁴with a main diagnosis⁵ of eating disorders⁶, Financial Years 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Age Group	Number of Patients for Financial Year 2014-15	Number of Patients for Financial Year 2015-16
5-13	26	22
14-17	66	57

Source: SMR01 and SMR04, ISD Scotland.

Question reference: S5T-00651

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce congestion on the approaches to the Queensferry Crossing.

Question reference: S5W-10682

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 7 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Lord Advocate has received details regarding the proposed safer drug consumption facility and heroin assisted treatment service in Glasgow, including what legal and policy changes this would require and, if so, what his response was.

Question reference: S5W-10783

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 6 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the holding answer to question S5W-09972 by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2017, when it will provide a full response, and for what reason it was unable to answer the question in full by the expected answer date.