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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-11211

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to clarify its procurement policy on maintaining a sustainable and resilient supply of PPE.

Question reference: S6W-11259

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an exact date for when the National Records of Scotland will publish the findings of Scotland's Census 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11208

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a long-term plan for PPE to ensure there is an ongoing resilient supply of PPE and support manufacturers to develop sustainable solutions.

Audit Scotland’s briefing on PPE in June 2021 told us we need to learn from experience and to address a range of PPE issues for the future, and the Scottish Government was happy to agree to that recommendation.

Work continues to consult on and implement a new approach to pandemic PPE through a joined-up public sector procurement arrangement, led by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS). This aims to provide a more resilient supply across Health, Social Care and the wider public sector for the long term, with due priority given to the need for robust supply chains and reductions in environmental impact.

The Scottish Government has already provided funding to run the first phase of a Small Business Research Initiative at NHS Tayside to help develop prototypes of reusable mask solutions. This first phase has provided an opportunity for companies to secure funding to undertake appropriate research and development of their prospective solutions.

Question reference: S6W-11271

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for third sector organisations to provide footcare services for vulnerable and older people.

Question reference: S6W-11204

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the £3 million earmarked for Long COVID care in the Programme for Government 2022-23 is the same £3 million announced by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on 19 May 2022 during the Long COVID debate.

Yes. As previously stated during the long COVID debate on 19 th May 2022 we committed to allocate “ funding of £3 million to health boards across 2022-23 to bolster the support that they are already providing to people with long COVID ”. This was confirmed in the Programme for Government 2022-23, published in September 2022, which stated that “ we will invest £3 million this year through the long COVID Support Fund to assist those living with long-term effects of infection .”

Question reference: S6W-11247

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people who are waiting for cataract operations whose livelihoods are threatened by the condition in the meantime.

To provide patients with some reassurance around the possible length of their wait, the Scottish Government have launched a new online platform, which is available at https://www.nhsinform.scot/waiting-times . Developed in conjunction with NHS 24 and PHS, the platform provides patients with information on planned care waiting times by giving an indication of how long patients typically waited over the last quarter. This includes information on the number of patients admitted for treatment as well as the typical wait experienced by people during this time period.

We recognise the impact that long waiting times can have on a patient’s mental health, so the platform also includes information for patients to keep as fit and healthy as possible while waiting for treatment. In addition, the Healthy living | NHS inform page provides advice and tools which includes information on mental wellbeing.

In an effort to reduce the waiting time for patients awaiting cataract surgery, Health Boards across NHSScotland are undertaking additional cataract surgical sessions and independent sector contractors are providing additional support, within NHS facilities, to increase the number of cataract procedures delivered. This will reduce the overall number of patients waiting for surgery as well as their length of wait.

In tandem with this – and in line with guidance from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists - Scottish Government clinically led peer reviews are taking place across all Health Boards. Supporting teams to adopt more efficient ways of working in order to increase the number of patients that can be treated within each cataract only surgical session forms part of these reviews.

Sequential bilateral cataract surgery is also undertaken by some surgeons, particularly in remote and rural areas and where patients’ ability to work has been affected. This prevents duplication of effort across the patient’s journey, as well as reducing the carbon footprint.

The Scottish Government has also commissioned the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) to support an increase in theatre productivity, including the development of a national Blueprint which will outline how Health Boards can increase efficiency across the cataract surgical journey. This will be disseminated to all Health Boards in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-11203

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make funding available for a face, arm, speech, time (FAST) campaign to raise awareness of stroke symptoms in 2023.

The Scottish Government assesses the need for public health awareness campaigns regularly. Scottish Government officials will work closely with the Stroke Improvement Team, which provides support and guidance to Managed Clinical Networks and the National Advisory Committee for Stroke, and other stakeholders to better understand what resources may be required for 2023, including the need for funding for a FAST campaign. Information regarding the symptoms of stroke, including the FAST test, is available on NHS Inform .

Question reference: S6W-11237

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the delivery of Harland and Wolff's contract with the developers of the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm for eight turbine jackets under construction in the Methil facility, and how many jobs in Scotland this contract (a) directly and (b) indirectly supports.

I understand that the delivery of Harland and Wolff's contract with the developers of the Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) offshore wind farm for eight turbine jackets has now been reduced to four turbine jackets due to supply chain issues with component parts.

Whilst the number of jackets has been reduced by 50%, I understand that this will only reduce the contract value by around 10%-15%.

Due to commercial confidentiality the exact job number linked to the NNG are not available but as part of H&W overall Scotland project, it is forecast that a total of 1,042 jobs are expected to be created by H&W Methil over a 5-year period – 614 at Methil and 428 at Arnish.

Question reference: S6W-11239

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the eight turbine jackets under construction in Harland and Wolff's Methil facility to be shipped for installation in the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm in the outer Firth of Forth.

Question reference: S6O-01503

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Women’s Health Group, including when it will next meet.