Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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.

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Question reference: S4W-29295

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines are provided to GPs when charging patients for letters.

Question reference: S4W-29331

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 26 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the maintenance budget has been for each vessel in the CalMac fleet in each year since 2006.

Question reference: S4W-29286

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 26 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress there has been in establishing a management committee for the Sound of Barra Special Area of Conservation; whether the committee is in place, and, if so, (a) what the membership is, (b) what decisions it has made and (c) how much funding it has received.

Question reference: S4W-29311

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on setting up the computer system that is being used to deal with the new common agricultural policy payment scheme and how long it took to (a) devise and (b) implement the system.

The new IT system was a requirement from the European Union as part of the new common agricultural policy (CAP) reform. The cost of the IT system and the associated aspects, including staff training and communications, has been estimated at £178 million over the lifetime of the 2015-19 CAP programme and will process payments worth around £4 billion. The cost of the system equates to around 4% of the value of payments processed through the system.

Question reference: S4W-29313

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the new common agricultural policy payment scheme each local authority has (a) received and (b) processed.

Local authorities do not deal with common agricultural policy (CAP) payments, these are processed across our area offices. The number of single application forms received is as follows, and they are all currently being processed:

Ayr: 2,045

Benbecula: 696

Dumfries: 1,613

Elgin: 550

Galashiels: 1,832

Golspie: 516

Hamilton: 857

Inverness: 1,600

Inverurie: 3,120

Kirkwall: 757

Lerwick: 936

Oban: 1,114

Perth: 2,915

Portree: 569

Stornoway: 1,108

Thurso: 814

Question reference: S4W-29164

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 20 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on how many of the 309 weekdays between 15 December 2014 and 12 December 2015 rail services on the Far North Line achieved 100% reliability.

Question reference: S4O-05256

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what socioeconomic impact assessments it has carried out of the new marine protected areas and how many jobs will be lost on shore and at sea in these locations as a result of their designation.

Question reference: S4W-28802

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 10 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of people seeking the flu vaccine had received it by (a) 1 November 2015 and (b) 1 December 2015; what percentage has not received it to date, and how these percentages compare with those in each year since 2005.

Influenza vaccine is offered to eligible groups of the Scottish population free every year. These population groups (as defined by their age and/or by the presence of underlying chronic health conditions or by their occupation) have been identified as being at increased risk of influenza infection and severe presentation or complications of influenza infections, and/or as posing an increased risk of transmitting influenza to vulnerable individuals. The population groups recommended to receive the influenza vaccine have changed over the years as new evidence is considered by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the eligible groups are stated annually as part of the Chief Medical Officer's (CMO) seasonal influenza vaccination letter (). Vaccine is offered to eligible individuals predominantly through general practice, but also in schools and in occupational settings.

Health Protection Scotland collates influenza uptake data each winter. Aggregate uptake data for the substantive part of the annual programme delivered by general practice, is currently received directly from individual GP practices by automatic electronic submissions (around 98% of practices). This aggregate data provides uptake for those aged 65 years and over, and those in ‘at risk’ groups with underlying health conditions. Prior to electronic submission monthly data returns were provided by boards.

A comparison of influenza vaccine uptake for the season 2004-05 to season 2015-16 is provided in Table 1 for those aged 65 years and over; and in Table 2 for those in any ‘at risk’ group. Please note data for the ‘at-risk’ group for seasons 2004-5 and 2005-6 are not available.

Table 1: Cumulative influenza vaccine uptake for those aged 65 years and over for season 2004-05 to 2015-16.

��	65 and over

Week	2004- 05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11*	2011-12*	2012-13*	2013-14*	2014-15*	2015-16*
1st of November	35.1%	49.8%	31.5%	47.8%	49.1%	51.5%	59.3%	62.4%	61.9%	61.4%	61.2%	56.2%
1st of December	65.1%	73.6%	53.7%	67.2%	68.9%	66.7%	69.0%	72.8%	73.1%	72.9%	72.6%	69.2%
Difference	30.0%	23.8%	22.2%	19.4%	19.8%	15.2%	9.7%	10.4%	11.2%	11.5%	11.4%	13.0%

Table 2: Cumulative influenza vaccine uptake for those in ‘at risk’ groups season 2004-05 to 2015-16.

��	All risk groups (under 65)

Week

2004-05**

2005-06**

2006-07

2007-08

2008-09

2009-10

2010-11*

2011-12*

2012-13*

2013-14*

2014-15*

2015-16*

1st of November

1st of December

39.3%

46.3%

15.5%	25.2%	24.5%	29.4%	36.6%	41.2%	39.1%	38.9%	37.2%	30.2%
35.3%	40.9%	41.3%	44.9%	45.6%	51.9%	50.7%	51.1%	48.1%	41.1%

Difference

��

19.8%

15.7%

16.8%

15.5%

9.0%

10.7%

11.6%

12.2%

10.9%

*Data above is for weeks 45 (week ending 08-11) and week 49 (week ending 06-12) as data is received weekly.

**Risk group data for under 65 is not available for 2004-05 and 2005-06 so the end of season figures have been given for these years.

The data presented in the table provides an estimate of vaccine uptake in the eligible populations, based on population estimates for 65 years and over and ‘at risk’ groups in individual general practices. Whilst uptake information can monitor those vaccines given to members of these population groups, it cannot identify those who have refused the offer of vaccine or have no intention to take up the offer of vaccine. The annual CMO letter for influenza vaccination encourages GPs to offer vaccine to all members of these population groups through a call/recall system.

For each season, an increase in vaccine uptake from the beginning of November to the beginning of December for each population group (expressed as the percentage difference in each table) has been seen. This is likely due to the supporting campaign to promote influenza vaccination through a range of media and communication activities targeting the eligible population. The awareness raising campaign includes TV, radio and newspaper advertising, a range of leaflets and posters, engagement with stakeholders and digital assets which aim to promote the programme online.

Question reference: S4W-28801

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 10 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to assist people who have not yet received their annual flu vaccine.

Bauer radio stations and local press carried key messaging and relevant case studies, and pharmacies across Scotland displayed posters reminding people to get the vaccine. In light of the lower levels of uptake this year, an additional week of TV advertising targeting parents of two to five year olds and press adverts for the 65’s and over were added to the schedule. We have ongoing partnership activity providing information and materials to organisations including health and age charities, community and childcare settings, and large workplaces. A continued PR presence using regular press features and releases will be maintained throughout the season to encourage uptake.

Question reference: S4W-28516

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 3 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to train all Scottish Fire and Rescue Service officers in the use of defibrillators.