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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-11331

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement the recommendations of the UNECE Meeting of the Parties to the Aarhus Convention decision VII/8s by the deadline of 1 October 2024.

The implications of the recommendations of decision VII/8s are being considered and work is ongoing to strengthen compliance with the requirements of the Aarhus Convention. A number of strands of work are being undertaken in relation to a review of the court rules governing Protective Expenses Orders, a new Human Rights Bill for Scotland which will include a commitment to a right to a healthy environment, and consideration of Legal Aid Reform in the course of this Parliament. The Scottish Government has already introduced an exemption from court fees for environmental 'Aarhus' cases brought in the Court of Session. In terms of the recommendations that relate directly to unauthorised development within the UK, we are working with the other UK administrations to assess the options and identify appropriate actions.

Question reference: S6W-11310

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has held with the UK Government in relation to potential funding for improving the A75 and A77.

The A75 and A77 routes were considered as part of the UK Government’s Union Connectivity Review (UCR), with potential funding following on from the recommendations.

In March 2022, Transport Scotland (TS) officials had an initial discussions with their UK counterparts in from the Department for Transport (DfT). The subject of possible UCR related funding opportunities, which was first identified in March 2021, was raised by DfT officials and TS officials followed-up with a number of specific clarification questions. Answers to these were received in May, and a follow-on meeting occurred on 16 June.

A subsequent discussion is scheduled for 31 October which will cover UCR recommendations and associated proposed funding for the A75. Potential development work for the A77 was not identified for funding by the UCR process, so will not be on the agenda for discussion, as, along with all other transport recommendations identified by STPR2, it remains a devolved matter.

Question reference: S6W-11573

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any assessment it has made of the impact of stigma on late presentation of liver disease.

We understand that stigma associated with particular health conditions, including liver disease, can create very specific challenges - it can isolate people from their communities and act as a significant barrier to seeking help and support. This can increase the harms experienced due to delayed presentation especially given the generalised association between liver disease and alcohol misuse and/or drug abuse.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling this stigma. We are continuing to work on tangible actions that can help reduce stigma experience by people who use drugs and/ or drinking alcohol at hazardous and harmful levels

On 20 June 2022, Public Health Scotland launched the Challenging Weight Stigma Learning Hub. The learning hub aims to raise awareness of the impact weight stigma can have on people living with overweight and obesity and what health professionals can do to mitigate this. It is interactive and has been developed alongside academics, health professionals and those with lived experience of stigma.

Question reference: S6W-11334

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the drug, zanubrutinib, which can be used to treat people with Waldenström's macroglobulinaemia, which is a form of blood cancer and lymphoma, has reportedly been approved for use in England and Wales but not in Scotland, and whether approval of its use in Scotland will be reconsidered.

In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises the clinical and cost-effectiveness of newly-licensed medicines. Following a full submission for zanubrutinib (Brukinsa ® ) as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinaemia (WM) who have received at least one prior therapy, or in first line treatment for patients unsuitable for chemo-immunotherapy, the SMC issued ‘not recommended’ advice for routine use of this medicine in NHS Scotland on 12 September 2022. The advice detailed that a comparable drug is currently available for this indication, and the company did not present a sufficiently robust economic analysis to gain acceptance by the SMC.

However, the SMC has received a fast track resubmission which was reviewed at the SMC’s Committee meeting on 4 October 2022, and its advice will be published on 7 November 2022. In the meantime, you can access a summary of the current status of this resubmission on the SMC’s website here .

There are alternative routes of access available for a medicine that is not recommended by the SMC. A doctor can request access to licensed medicines for a patient on an individual ‘case-by-case’ basis through the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process, where a doctor considers there would be a clinical benefit for a patient.

The decision on whether to prescribe a medicine for a patient, and which medicine to prescribe, is entirely one for the clinician in charge of a patient’s care to make, having taken into account the patient’s clinical condition and the safety of the patient.

Question reference: S6W-11313

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has applied for funding from the UK Government to undertake initial work on upgrading the A75.

Question reference: S6T-00933

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported findings of an independent review of the cladding remediation programme that “successful delivery of the project is in doubt with major risks or issues apparent".

Question reference: S6T-00926

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to fit sensors for the LNG system on ferry 801 as reported to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee.

Question reference: S6F-01481

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what work the Scottish Government is doing to improve Living Wage equality.

Question reference: S6F-01480

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what urgent action the Scottish Government is taking to prevent poverty-related malnutrition and food insecurity, in light of reported growing concerns from healthcare workers, school staff and charities about the impact of hunger on people across Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-01479

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to increase and improve the provision of mental health services in Scotland's universities.