- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure that patients requiring community audiology services in rural areas are not disadvantaged compared with those in urban centres.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what investment it is making in community audiology services to improve capacity and reduce waiting times (a) in NHS Grampian and (b) nationally.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of community audiology services is delivered by private companies, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally.
We remain committed to the provision of a community hearing service, however, there is no community hearing service at this time; a rephasing of funding has meant that not all the challenges we are facing will be addressed in a single budget. A new model of care suitable for the Scottish context, would address pressing issues faced by all health boards.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what role (a) telehealth and (b) remote consultation technologies play in delivering community audiology services, particularly in rural areas served by NHS Grampian.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the availability of community audiology services in (a) NHS Grampian and (b) other rural NHS board areas.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to community audiology services in rural and remote areas (a) in NHS Grampian and (b) across Scotland.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been carried out of the specific challenges faced by patients in rural and remote areas in accessing community audiology services, and what steps are being taken to address these.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that patients requiring hearing aids or follow-up treatment through community audiology services experience minimal delays, particularly in rural areas.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34203 on 27 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what policies are in place to determine when external legal counsel is used instead of its in-house legal expertise.
Answer
As Scottish Government functions have increased and matured, the volume and complexity of outsourced legal work has also evolved. This work is procured and we are now utilising the third iteration of a framework providing Legal Services to the Scottish Government and the wider public sector. The current Legal Services Framework is divided into 6 Lots by subject matter:
Lot 1: Contracts, Commercial and Corporate
Lot 2: Debt Recovery
Lot 3: Litigation, Reparation, Employment and Inquiries
Lot 4: Major Infrastructure and Commercial Projects (and related litigation)
Lot 5: Property and Related Matters
Lot 6: One Stop Shop.
The use of external legal counsel via the framework depends on the nature of the particular matter in question and whether our in-house legal team has the capacity to undertake the work and/or whether they have any specialist expertise that may be required.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the True North survey reportedly finding that less than a quarter of respondents in Scotland believe that the windfall tax is achieving its aim of reducing household bills.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no functions in relation to the windfall tax. The oil and gas fiscal regime - including the Energy Profits Levy or "windfall tax" - are wholly reserved to the UK Government, as are decisions on how to spend the revenues raised.