Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-08253

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Department for International Trade regarding any investor-state dispute settlements in relation to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) that may impact on Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s annual report on our Vision for Trade recognised the widespread concerns about Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in free trade agreements (FTAs). We have consistently called on the UK Government to ensure that any ISDS mechanism does not prevent Scotland and the rest of the UK from regulating on health, social, environmental and economic matters.

Any ISDS system must be transparent, based on judicial procedures, and permit meaningful representations by all parties with a potential stake in the matter. Provisions in this area have the potential to impact Scotland significantly, limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate in devolved areas and constrain action to achieve our net-zero goal.

We have made our position on the inclusion of ISDS in UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) clear to the UK Government, through ministerial and official contact.

The annual report on Scotland’s Vision for Trade can be accessed here:

Question reference: S6W-08254

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 13 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Department for (a) International Trade and (b) Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy regarding any impact on Scotland of the reported exclusion of investment protection for fossil fuel investments in the Energy Charter Treaty.

Scottish Government Officials are in contact with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy about the current Energy Charter Treaty negotiations with a view to identifying any impact on Scotland .

The Scottish Government’s annual report on our Vision for Trade recognised the widespread concerns about Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in free trade agreements (FTAs). We have consistently called on the UK Government to ensure that any ISDS mechanism does not prevent Scotland and the rest of the UK from regulating on health, social, environmental and economic matters.

Any ISDS system must be transparent, based on judicial procedures, and permit meaningful representations by all parties with a potential stake in the matter. Provisions in this area have the potential to impact Scotland significantly, limit the ability of the Scottish Parliament to regulate in devolved areas and constrain action to achieve our net-zero goal.

The annual report on Scotland’s Vision for Trade can be accessed here:

Question reference: S6W-08250

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking, beyond the NHS Recovery Plan, to specifically address waiting times for orthopaedic surgery.

We recognise the significant pressure on Orthopaedic Waiting Times, and actions to address this are being considered within the wider context of planned care recovery.

We are working closely with Boards to finalise planned care activity plans, including for orthopaedics, for 2022-23, which will be critical to stabilising and improving our health and social care system in the medium term.

The National Treatment Centre (NTC) Programme will deliver the single biggest increase in protected planned care capacity ever created in NHSScotland. The network of 10 NTCs, will deliver capacity for over 40,000 additional planned procedures and diagnostic care across 12 specialities. Within next 18 months, NTCs will open in NHS Fife, NHS Forth Valley, NHS Highland and at NHS Golden Jubilee specialising in orthopaedic surgery. On 13 April, we also announced £1.8m of funding to purchase a private hospital in Ayrshire (Carrick Glen) to be developed into a new National Treatment Centre specialising in orthopaedics.

As well as significant investment in new infrastructure, the new NHSScotland Centre for Sustainable Delivery is also leading work to explore new and innovative ideas to reduce In Patient / Day Case and Outpatient waiting times. Examples include:

The rollout of Active Clinical Referral Triage, to provide patients with information about non-surgical interventions and self-management options;
Patient Initiated Reviews, enabling patients to be escalated if their condition deteriorates and reduces routine appointments while supporting patients in a safe and clinically appropriate manner; and
Enhanced Recovery after Surgery pathways, designed to support patients achieve faster recovery after surgery.

Discussions are also progressing with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery to build clinical leadership across all specialties to help innovate and drive productive opportunities to support the recovery of planned care.

Question reference: S6W-08252

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide patient support packages to people on waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with long-term conditions, including those waiting for orthopaedic surgery, are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put the person at the centre of their care. Information, including self-help, is available on NHS inform, and individual Health Boards are offering helpful advice to patients on topics such as weight loss, exercise and financial support.

Additionally, the Scottish Government will continue to engage with organisations such as Versus Arthritis regarding how best to jointly support patients living with orthopaedic conditions. This will be an ongoing process requiring essential collaboration with patients, carers, and service providers, including the third sector and clinicians.

Question reference: S6W-08080

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider establishing a national student homelessness duty as part of its planned student accommodation strategy.

Question reference: S6W-08154

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that women are able to remove contraceptive implants and devices, such as Essure, through the NHS when they wish to do so.

Question reference: S6W-08139

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to consider local health needs alongside population growth and infrastructure expansion, to ensure that growing towns and cities have adequate coverage by GP surgeries.

Question reference: S6W-08137

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support has been given to GP practices in the transition away from strict COVID-19 regulations to ensure that patients are not adversely affected by any problems associated with understaffing, overcrowding and a lack of in-person appointments.

We published our NHS Recovery Plan last August and continue to work with Public Health Scotland on updating guidance for Primary Care settings, covering key issues such as the removal of mandatory physical distancing requirements, access for patients and infection prevention and control.

We increased the Primary Care Improvement Fund to recruit multi-disciplinary teams from £110m in 2020-21 to £155 million in 2021-22, and this will increase again to £170m in 2022-23.

Question reference: S6O-01071

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected timetable is for the Race Equality and Anti-Racism in Education Programme to report.

Question reference: S6W-08079

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent student homelessness, including for care experienced students.

Local authorities are obliged by law to offer the minimum of temporary accommodation, advice and assistance to anyone at risk of homelessness. Anyone who is threatened with or experiencing homelessness should contact their local authority in the first instance.

We already have a national strategy to end homelessness and rough sleeping in Scotland, which was updated in October 2020. Our Ending Homelessness Together action plan, backed by funding of £100 million between 2018-26, demonstrates our commitment to end homelessness in Scotland and we publish an annual report to show the progress being made to tackle these issues.

The Scottish Government is committed to bringing forward a Student Accommodation Strategy for Scotland which, in part, will be informed by a review of Purpose Built Student Accommodation, now underway. We will look to develop and incorporate this alongside and within the Rented Sector Strategy. This will include issues such as supply, affordability and wider planning and regulatory issues.

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