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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-28227

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when Strengthening Communities Programme funding for the financial year 2024-25 will be released to the Development Trusts Association Scotland to allow local organisations to receive funds.

Question reference: S6W-28345

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done to review existing structures surrounding the regulation of private (a) first aid event cover companies and (b) ambulance providers, to ensure that there is sufficient oversight of all first aid providers in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-28353

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) infants and (b) adults it expects to take up the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine in the first year of the new programme that was announced on 24 June 2024.

RSV is one of the leading causes of hospitalisation in the first year of life and can also cause severe complications for older adults which may require hospitalisation. Protecting infants by vaccinating pregnant women and birthing people, and the adult RSV vaccination programme are therefore expected to prevent a significant number of GP consultations, hospitalisations and ICU admissions per year.

While estimates of vaccine uptake are not currently available, the Scottish Government will continue to work with Public Health Scotland (PHS) and other key stakeholders to maximise uptake of the vaccine across both programmes, which will have a positive impact on winter pressures across the NHS. Health Boards collect data using local IT systems, which vary across Scotland, and PHS is currently working to collate data to record vaccination events.

Question reference: S6W-28346

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18113 by Jenni Minto on 5 June 2023, what specific engagement its officials have undertaken with (a) Healthcare Improvement Scotland and (b) other stakeholders to determine whether there are any concerns in relation to the regulation of private (i) first aid event cover companies and (ii) ambulance providers, which supply medical cover at events across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-28377

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support housing associations to retrofit their housing stocks, with the aim of reducing fuel poverty, lowering energy consumption and preventing the occurrence of mould, and how it plans to ensure that any measures are implemented effectively.

The Scottish Government is supporting housing associations to retrofit their housing stock through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund. We are making available up to £200m this Parliamentary Session to support clean heat and energy efficiency projects in socially rented homes.

‎ Projects are eligible for up to 60% of the costs of clean heating systems and 50% of energy efficiency measures, including Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) which also helps to prevent the occurrence of mould and condensation.

The Scottish Government monitors grant funded projects closely, requiring frequent updates to ensure they are implemented effectively and that benefits are realised.

The Scottish Housing Quality Standard requires social landlords to meet minimum energy efficiency standards and to have in place satisfactory ventilation, as well as ensure that there is no rising or penetrating damp. The Scottish Housing Regulator wrote to all Social Landlords in December 2022 on the importance of appropriate systems to identify cases of mould and damp.

Earlier this year the Scottish Government consulted on a new Social Housing Net Zero Standard. This included proposals to require landlords to devise a ventilation and monitoring strategy to accompany energy efficiency interventions where mechanical ventilation isn’t installed. We are now considering the consultation responses received before progressing.

Question reference: S6W-28344

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider bringing forward a consultation on the regulation of private (a) first aid event cover companies and (b) ambulance providers as part of its 2024-25 Programme for Government.

The Programme for Government will be presented to Parliament at the earliest opportunity following the UK General Election.

Provision for the regulation of independent ambulance services already exists in the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978, but Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS’) functions in relation to independent ambulance services have not yet been commenced. The commencement is being considered as part of the next phase in the regulation of independent healthcare.

Scottish Government is engaging with HIS on this topic and stakeholder engagement will be undertaken to gather first hand insight into the requirements for effective regulation of private ambulances. Additionally, the definition of an ‘independent ambulance service’ within the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 may need revised to ensure it meets current needs.

Stakeholder engagement will also be undertaken to consider appropriate and proportionate next steps, in the potential regulation of independent first aid services.

Once the scope of further regulation has been developed, a public consultation will be required.

Question reference: S6W-28347

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult stakeholders, including (a) first aid providers, (b) independent ambulance organisations, (c) the Scottish Ambulance Service and (d) representatives of the hospitality and events sector, with a view to regulating private (i) first aid companies and (ii) ambulance providers.

Question reference: S6W-28368

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many type 1 diabetic adults are expected to be started on insulin pumps in NHS Lothian in the 2024-2025 period as a direct result of the recently announced funding of up to £8.8 million for diabetes technology.

The Scottish Government’s recent investment into diabetes technologies will allow all children living with Type 1 diabetes to get access, should they want it. This funding will also support increased provision to adults. Exact numbers in each NHS board area will be determined by local delivery plans being developed by NHS boards, working with the National Diabetes Technologies team in the Centre for Sustainable Delivery, based on waiting lists, staff capacity and affordability.

The new investment from the Scottish Government to support new access to technologies is in addition to baseline funding provided to NHS boards. It is not being allocated to boards to pay for their current delivery plans.

Question reference: S6W-28354

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has held with patient organisations to raise awareness of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, which will be made available on 1 August 2024.

The Scottish Government was only able to officially confirm and announce the programme after the completion of the tender process in early June therefore initial work has been limited to a small planning group comprising the Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Health Boards. As we are now able to confirm cohorts and launch plans, we are working closely with PHS to engage a range of partners to raise awareness of the programme and encourage those eligible to come forward. The Scottish Government, working in partnership with PHS, has engaged with a range of key stakeholders including Health Boards, NHS Education for Scotland (NES), National Services Scotland (NSS) and maternity services throughout this process. Promotion and engagement is also ongoing through charities such as Age UK.

Question reference: S6W-28571

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 July 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's recent announcement of plans for an additional 300 planning officers, what action it will take to assist boosting planning capacity in Scotland through (a) ensuring there are more officers and (b) removing from local authorities any burden of work caused by the short-term let regulations.