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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-11831

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to blind and partially sighted people as they recover from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown restrictions.

The Scottish Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown measures that were necessary to take have been particularly challenging for those with sensory loss. The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults has provided £36 million since 2021 to grassroots community groups to tackle the impact of social isolation, loneliness and mental health inequalities, including nine projects for people with sight loss. We have also worked with local authorities and transport providers to ensure that people with sight loss have still been able to access travel since the pandemic. In addition, Active Scotland is working to support everyone to be more active, with specific activity for people with sight loss funded through Paths for All.

Through our ‘See Hear’ strategy, the Scottish Government is committed to supporting children and adults who have deafness, sight loss and dual sensory loss to access the services and social care they need. See Hear is currently under review, and a refreshed strategy will be published in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-11762

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any agreements are being negotiated between NatureScot and the Isle of Rum Community Trust over the future of Kinloch Castle.

Question reference: S6W-11986

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-11985

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-11836

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the finding of the National Dental Inspection Programme statistics, published by Public Health Scotland on 25 October 2022, that the proportion of children estimated to have severe decay or abscess increased from 6.6% in 2020 to 9.7% in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11835

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the finding of the National Dental Inspection Programme statistics, published by Public Health Scotland on 25 October 2022, that 58.4% of Primary 1 children were estimated to have no obvious decay experience in the most deprived areas, compared with 85.8% in the least deprived areas.

Over the extended-period we have seen significant improvements in child oral health in Scotland. The first year of the National Dental Inspection Programme in 2002/03 showed that 45% of primary 1 children had no obvious decay experience. Despite the unique challenges of the pandemic this figure has increased to 73% in 2021-22.

This is a demonstration of the success of prevention-based oral health programmes such as the Childsmile Programme - a flagship programme at the leading edge of prevention-based oral health care provision - where nursery and schoolchildren receive regular tooth brushing instruction and fluoride varnish application.

We recognise that oral health inequalities in children continue to present a considerable challenge, and have been exacerbated by the pandemic restrictions on NHS dentistry during the pandemic.

Which is why as part of the recovery of NHS dental services we have increased funding to child dental services by introducing for the first time an enhanced examination fee from 1 February 2022. The latest monthly activity statistics from Public Health Scotland show that 330,000 child examinations have been provided this year with almost 60,000 in the month of August alone.

Question reference: S6W-11691

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the reported £5 million reduction in GP practices sustainability payments for 2022-23 will impact GP services budgets in (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Forth Valley.

The Scottish Government recognised in 2021 that partial implementation of the pharmacotherapy and community treatment and care services, on a national level, meant that general practice was facing a difficult winter without all of the support Scottish Government and the BMA had agreed it should have in 2018. £1,765,382 and £823,388 were allocated to GP Practices in Lanarkshire and Forth Valley GP Practices as sustainability payments in 2021-22.

This year, GP practices in Lanarkshire and Forth Valley will receive £1,172,236 and £549,074 in Sustainability Payments this year in addition to their regular funding (Global Sum and Income & Expenses Guarantees) of £81,651,926 and £38,245,691 respectively, to which an uplift will be applied backdated to April 2022.

We also now have more than 3,220 healthcare professionals recruited to support general practice and are committed to investing at least £170 million a year on growing primary care multi-disciplinary teams.

Question reference: S6W-11693

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the lack of dental spaces for new NHS patients in Inverclyde, in light of reports that every practice in the area is closed to new patients.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all communities within Scotland, including NHS patients in Inverclyde, can access a NHS dentist.

We have provided over £150 million of financial support to date to maintain the capacity and capability of NHS dentistry and agreed further funding into the new year to address the cost of living crisis.

From April 2022 we have re-introduced a system of fee per item payments that incentivises NHS dental teams to see patients. Public Health Scotland statistics (link attached) show that these measures have increased patient examination appointments and are comparable to pre-pandemic levels, allowing more patients to be seen and dental practices to begin to register more patients as they work through the pandemic backlog.

Public Health Scotland - Monthly Statistics - Dental Activity

NHS registration is significantly higher in Scotland than the rest of the UK, with more than 95% of the population registered with a NHS dentist.

Question reference: S6W-11689

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many water quality tests have been conducted by (a) SEPA and (b) Scottish Water in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-11571

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that any decisions regarding Ardrossan harbour are communicated effectively to mainland and island residents.