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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-04483

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what flood defence projects have been approved, and what the value is of each project.

There were 42 proposed flood protection schemes set out in the Flood Risk Management Strategies published by SEPA in December 2015.

Of the 42 projects 8 have been completed.

Scheme	Estimated Final Cost (£ million)
Huntly	3.8
Newmill	1.8
Dundee	6.9
Kirkwall	1.8
White Cart Water Phase 3	7.2
Camlachie Burn	1.7
Smithton and Culloden	13
Bouvrie Burn	0.4

A further 18 are partially completed, under construction or have been formally confirmed under the requirements of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Flood Protection Scheme	Stage	Estimated Cost (£ million)
Broughty Ferry	Under construction	16
Kilmacolm – Glenmosston Burn	Confirmed	0.5
Millport Coastal	Confirmed	27.5
Upper Garnock	Under construction	18.5
Park Burn	Under construction	0.4
Campbeltown	Confirmed	11
New Cumnock	Phase 1 complete, Phase 2 under construction	8.3
Comrie	Confirmed	28
Hawick	Under construction	78
Park Burn	Under construction	0.4
Arbroath	Confirmed	13
Dumfries – Whitesands	Confirmed	31
Caol and Lochyside	Confirmed	16
Mill Burn Millport	Confirmed	1
Drumnadroicht	Under construction	6
Stonehaven	Under construction	27.5
Quarriers Village	Confirmed	0.2
Broxburn (Lyggat Syke)	Phase 1 complete	*

* Information not held by Scottish Government

The remaining projects have not yet been formally approved and are at various stages of development.

SEPA are currently reviewing and updating the Flood Risk Management Strategies with a new set of actions based on information submitted by local authorities. These are due to be published in December 2021 and will set out the objectives and priorities for the period 2022-2027.

Question reference: S6W-04404

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in place to directly invest in the work of community pharmacies and further increase the benefit they have to local communities.

The Scottish Government put in place and agreed a three year financial package in 2019-20 which sees an annual a fixed percentage uplift of 2.5% to the global sum each year of the current remuneration package. This ensures funding for continuous expansion in the quality and number of services that can be offered by community pharmacy contractors to local communities.

The Scottish Government have also invested £10 million over the course of the 3 year financial settlement in NHS Pharmacy First Scotland, seeing it increase the range of common clinical conditions which are able to be treated by the community pharmacist without the need to see a GP. We have also put in place a National Foundation Programme and Independent Prescriber Career Pathway. This pathway aims to maximise pharmacists’ expertise in medicines and, with the introduction of the new NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service, the opportunity for pharmacists to enhance patient care will further increase. Increasing the number of Independent Prescribers and establishing the core use of the IP qualification in the community setting will enhance the pharmacy networks’ role in the clinical pathway of patients.

The Scottish Government Health and Social Care Integrated Workforce Plan commits to increasing Pharmacy pre-registration training places by 120 over the next 4 years and we are currently increasing training places available for pharmacy technician training. Scottish Government will continue to work with partners to ensure not only the stability of the network but also that the balance of high quality pharmaceutical care is maintained across the whole pharmacy workforce in all sectors.

Question reference: S6W-04646

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether Skills Development Scotland has extended contracts issued during the commissioning process for 2021-22; if so, for what reason, and what its advice is to others seeking to bid for contracts.

Skills Development Scotland wrote to contracted training providers and employers in October 2021, setting out their intention to extend Modern Apprenticeships (MA) contracts. This extension was for a period of 12 months from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. SDS can extend these contracts for a further 12 months from 2023 to 2024. Any extensions are subject to budget allocation for that financial year.

SDS have made clear that any organisation seeking to bid for MA contracts out with the commissioning period can do this as a sub-contractor, working with an existing contracted provider.

SDS may also extend other contracts such as for IT services or facilities, in line with normal practice for these type of contracts.

Question reference: S6W-04451

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 7 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether Siemens Gamesa has been contracted to provide any services to it or any bodies for which it is responsible.

Question reference: S6W-04379

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of guidance published by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation on 1 September 2021, advising that patients with severe immunosuppression should receive a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, whether people with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance will be included in the clinically high-risk cohort and therefore eligible to receive a third primary dose.

The Chief Medical Officer issued guidance in his letter of 21 September on the vaccination of severely immunosuppressed individuals. This letter is published here: COVID-19 vaccination programme: JCVI advice on the vaccination of severely immunosuppressed individual (scot.nhs.uk) . On 19 October a tailored Primary Care Update communication was cascaded direct to primary care networks to ensure GPs and others were aware of arrangements for this cohort.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice on third primary doses is complex both in terms of eligibility and timing, as the ideal time for a third dose may differ from person to person. There has therefore been clear national communication to health boards to assist them in delivery to this cohort.

There are many rare conditions and guidance on specific conditions which may benefit from inclusion is not necessarily exhaustive. Where a condition is not on the list but a patient’s clinician believes they should be included, they can add people to the list and refer them for vaccination to their local health board, if in their judgement, they feel that their patient should be eligible for a third dose.

More information on this is available at: Coronavirus (COVID-19) third dose vaccination | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot).

Question reference: S6F-00562

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Citizens Advice Scotland poll, which found that one third of respondents could not afford their energy bills.

Question reference: S6F-00558

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is marking International Anti-Corruption Day.

Question reference: S6F-00556

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will withdraw the Health and Well-being census 2021, given reported concerns over school pupils being asked questions relating to sex and relationships.

Question reference: S6F-00555

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to provide support to small businesses in light of reports that 20,000 small businesses ceased trading during the pandemic.

Question reference: S6F-00551

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to treat people with heart valve disease.