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.

Question reference: S5W-01915

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS patients have been treated in private hospitals in each year since 2011, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5O-00120

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent figures suggesting that the number of drug-related deaths is at a record level, what action it is taking to tackle drug dependency.

Each and every one of the drug related deaths in Scotland is tragic. We are continuing to tackle the devastating impact that drugs have for individuals, families and communities, and making recovery a reality, through our national drugs strategy, the Road to Recovery. The Scottish Government is continuing to invest significant resources to support this strategy and to tackle problem alcohol and drug use, having provided £630 million since 2008.

Whilst drug taking among the general population is falling and the number of young people taking drugs is at the lowest in a decade, we remain determined to tackle problem use. With our partners, we are engaged in a range of activities to reduce the harm caused by problem drug use, both in understanding the problem, supporting innovation in services and examining alternative approaches.

Question reference: S5W-02091

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address the level of problem online gambling.

Betting, gaming and lotteries are reserved matters and their regulation is therefore primarily the responsibility of the UK Government. The Gambling Commission was set up by the UK Government under the Gambling Act 2005 to regulate commercial gambling. Further information about online gambling legislation can be found on the commission’s website: http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/Gambling-sectors/Online/Remote.aspx

In the context of the Smith Commission, the Scottish Government argued for the full devolution of gambling policy to Scotland on the grounds that this would enable problem gambling in Scotland to be tackled more effectively. However, the subsequent Scotland Act 2016 included only a limited power in respect of the number of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals in new betting shops.

Question reference: S5W-01986

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local authorities in (a) Mid Scotland and Fife and (b) the rest of the country to improve the condition of roads and pavements.

The Scottish Government has allocated over £10.3 billion to local government for 2016-17. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government's key strategic objectives.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with local government to help improve the condition of roads and pavements throughout the country. We do this through the Road Collaboration Programme which is supporting all councils in Scotland to explore opportunities to share services. A number of regional partnerships have now been established including the Edinburgh, Lothians, Borders and Fife Forum and the Tayforth Roads Collaboration Forum.

Seòmar agus comataidhean