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: S5W-26195

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 14 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the provisions in the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill allow the selling and promotion (a) of editorial products at the sales point, (b) digitally of one-off subscriptions and (c) of editorial supplements within news products or separately under news entity title branding.

The Bill prohibits unauthorised advertising and outdoor trading in three event zones in Glasgow during the Championship period. It also bans ticket touting for profit. Exceptions to these offences will be set out in regulations. The provisions in the Bill do not affect the editorial content of newspapers or other publications.

In order to provide an indication of how it expects to use its powers in the Bill, the Scottish Government shared illustrative regulations with the Scottish Parliament on 17 October 2019:
/S5_European/Inquiries/CTEEA_
2019.10.17_MinEuropetoConvenerUEFA.pdf

The Scottish Government has also shared these illustrative regulations with stakeholders, including the Advertising Association, in order to seek feedback so that the regulations can be refined prior to laying in draft early in 2020.

Proposed exceptions in the illustrative regulations include allowing the selling or distribution of current newspapers in the event zones, unless the newspaper has been created with the primary function of advertising a product or service. There is also an exception to allow advertising on personal property, unless the person knows they are participating in ambush marketing.

Question reference: S5O-03770

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 14 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the number of operations that have taken place in the private healthcare sector since 2007.

I answered a similar question from the member in July when I provided details of the NHS operations carried out in private hospitals. If he is now asking about all operations undertaken in the private healthcare sector, then the Scottish Government does not hold these details. Independent healthcare providers do not provide us with details of their activities. Healthcare Improvement Scotland regulate independent healthcare by inspecting services to ensure they comply with current standards and regulations by way of announced and unannounced inspections.

Question reference: S5O-03792

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Cross Party Group on Cancer’s recent report on the priorities for the future of cancer care, which highlighted concerns regarding gaps in the diagnostic workforce.

Question reference: S5W-26099

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the last year have been prescribed the migraine treatment, Erenumab, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-26113

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills in The Scotsman on 30 October 2019 that “the named person approach will continue”, what action it has taken or plans to take to ensure that such an approach will be compatible with all legislation regarding information sharing, and how much it has set aside to meet any legal costs should it be subject to challenge.

The Scottish Government will develop guidance to support and promote good, proportionate and lawful information sharing practice so that practitioners can confidently handle information in a way that respects the rights of the individual and ensures that children, young people and families get the help they need. Any information sharing must be carried out in a manner that complies with the relevant rules of law such as data protection, human rights and confidentiality. The Scottish Government is not aware of any evidence presented that suggests there has been systematic failures in information sharing when applying a Getting it right for every child approach.

Question reference: S5W-26112

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills in The Scotsman on 30 October 2019 that “the named person approach will continue”, whether it will confirm what aspects of the initiative it plans to take forward; what updated guidance on this it plans to issue to public bodies and frontline workers, and when this will be published.

Across Scotland, families are already benefitting from having a named person who can offer help and support to children and families when they need it. The Scottish Government is fully supportive of current named person practice being delivered in line with existing laws. A named person can provide a focal point to provide help to families by making sure children and parents have access to someone when they need or want advice, information or access to relevant services. Work to update policy and practice guidance on Getting it right for every child, including the named person approach, has commenced including engagement with stakeholders, with the aim of publishing in 2020 to ensure that we maintain consistent good practice across all children's services.

Question reference: S5W-25987

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its timescale is for completing all of the "high risk" backlog maintenance relating to NHS assets, which was due to have been completed in the last financial year.

Question reference: S5W-25973

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many prescriptions for medical cannabis have been issued by the NHS since the rescheduling of cannabis-based products.

The information requested is not routinely collected by the Scottish Government.

On 31 October 2018, the Chief Medical Officer issued guidance to all NHS Boards around the rescheduling of CBPMs. As set out in this guidance, Controlled Drug Accountable Officers in each NHS Health Board have a statutory responsibility to secure the safe management and use of controlled drugs. They must ensure (and be assured) that procedures are in place within the organisation(s) for which they are responsible to demonstrate this. This includes a duty to monitor the prescribing, supply and administration (if applicable) of all controlled drugs.

Question reference: S5W-25461

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what working groups it convenes with the voluntary and community sector to help plan effective hospital discharge for patients, and which organisations attend these groups.

Question reference: S5W-25460

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans to hold with the voluntary and community sector to plan for effective hospital discharge for patients ahead of the winter 2019-20.

The Scottish Government convenes the Ministerial Strategic Group for Health and Community Care, which includes representation from Integration authorities, NHS Boards, local authorities, CoSLA, Royal Colleges, professional bodies and Third Sector organisations such as the Scottish Voluntary Sector Organisation and Community Care Providers Scotland.

Scottish Government officials are meeting with the Red Cross this month to discuss their report, and how it can inform national policy.