Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-31162

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will fully implement the 2021 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline, NG206, Myalgic encephalomyelitis (or encephalopathy)/chronic fatigue syndrome: diagnosis and management.

Question reference: S6W-31163

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the status of its work on the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME-CFS, in light of the updated statement published in February 2023 stating that “This represents a first step in updating the Scottish Good Practice Statement", and that "Further work will be undertaken to more comprehensively review the guidance”.

Question reference: S6W-30772

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how often car deck space on sailings of the passenger Northern Isles Ferry Services between Aberdeen-Lerwick has been full in each of the last five years.

The number of sailings where vehicle deck space reached full bookable capacity on the Aberdeen – Lerwick passenger vessels for each Contract Year is displayed in the following table, which also includes the number of passenger vessel sailings each year.

	Total Sailings		Full based on 470m+
	Northbound	Southbound	Northbound	Southbound
Jun 19 - Jul 20	306	306	18	24
Jun 20 - Jul 21	334	334	31	20
Jun 21 - Jul 22	346	346	49	35
Jun 22 - Jul 23	338	337	42	19
Jun 23 - Jul 24	332	333	64	36

Question reference: S6W-30736

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29010 by Neil Gray on 28 August 2024, when the final Transport to Health plan will be published.

Question reference: S6W-30687

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have (a) applied for and (b) received the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary in each of the last five academic years, also broken down by type of course.

Eligible Scottish pre-registration nursing, midwifery and paramedic science students receive funding through the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Scheme (PNMSB) which is administered by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

Eligibility for support depends on three conditions:

that the course is eligible;
that the individual has not had previous PNMSB funding; and
that they meet the residence requirements.

Bursaries are for eligible students attending courses which:

lead to registration on the Professional Register maintained by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), which may include degree, honours and masters levels; or
lead to the award of a BSc Paramedic Science; and
are partly or wholly funded by the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates (SGHSCD).


Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary Applicants and Recipients by Course, 2019-20 to 2023-24
	2019-20		2020-21		2021-221		2022-23		2023-24
	Applied	Received	Applied	Received	Applied	Received	Applied	Received	Applied	Received
BSc Nursing2	7,815	7,520	8,085	7,875	8,890	8,525	9,040	8,570	8,345	8,015
BSc Nursing Studies	1,080	1,005	2,080	2,060	2,240	2,145	2,235	2,115	2,275	2,165
BSc Midwifery	570	550	650	635	690	670	740	715	680	660
BSc Paramedic Practice	-	-	-	-	160	150	215	200	205	200
BSc Paramedic Science	-	-	-	-	535	515	750	710	815	790
MSc Nursing2	275	260	255	245	235	215	220	210	260	240
MSc Nursing Studies	15	15	55	45	40	35	25	25	-	-
MSc Midwifery	85	75	110	105	120	115	135	130	135	130
Other3	160	150	35	35	c	c	-	-	-	-
Total	10,000	9,575	11,270	11,000	12,915	12,385	13,355	12,675	12,725	12,195
Source: SAAS
Note: Figures relating to student numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5 to mitigate the risk of individuals being identified. Totals may not equal the sum of the parts.
c - value suppressed to protect against the risk of disclosure of personal information
1 from 2021-22 the existing NMSB scheme incorporated those undertaking Paramedic courses
2 Nursing degree courses include those taking a BSc/MSc in adult, child, learning disability and mental health nursing as well as those taking a dual registration qualification.
3 Other includes those undertaking pre-registration courses and conversion courses.

Question reference: S6W-30424

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to NHS boards to ensure that hospital helicopter landing sites are safe to use.

As set out in the answer to question S6W-30423 on 22 October 2024, the Civil Aviation Authority has made a series of safety recommendations regarding hospital helicopter landing sites following a tragic accident in Plymouth, in 2022. The safety recommendations apply across the UK and those that are applicable to Scottish sites are being acted on by NHS Boards, with support from NHS Assure.

While this work is ongoing, Search and Rescue helicopters will land at alternative sites where this is required for safety reasons. Scottish Air Ambulance and charity air ambulances can continue to land at NHS Scotland helipads.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-30423

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will investigate what measures are needed to ensure that all hospital helicopter landing sites adhere to Air Accidents Investigation Branch guidance.

The Civil Aviation Authority has made a series of safety recommendations regarding hospital helicopter landing sites following a tragic accident in Plymouth, in 2022. The safety recommendations apply across the UK and those that are applicable to Scottish sites are being acted on by NHS Boards, with support from NHS Assure.

While this work is ongoing, Search and Rescue helicopters will land at alternative sites where this is required for safety reasons. Scottish Air Ambulance and charity air ambulances can continue to land at NHS Scotland helipads.

Question reference: S6W-30425

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will work with HM Coastguard and NHS boards to ensure that all hospital helicopter landing sites will be available for medical emergency evacuations from vessels, including fishing boats, cruise ships and oil and gas supply vessels and installations.

As set out in the answer to question S6W-30423 on 22 October 2023, the Civil Aviation Authority has made a series of safety recommendations regarding hospital helicopter landing sites following a tragic accident in Plymouth, in 2022. The safety recommendations apply across the UK and those that are applicable to Scottish sites are being acted on by NHS Boards, with support from NHS Assure.

While this work is ongoing, Search and Rescue helicopters will land at alternative sites where this is required for safety reasons. Scottish Air Ambulance and charity air ambulances can continue to land at NHS Scotland helipads.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6W-30156

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when a decision will be made on whether to extend the current Northern Isles Ferry Service contract from 30 June 2026 to 30 June 2028.

Question reference: S6W-30153

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what calculations form the basis for the comments that a Transport Scotland official reportedly made at Shetland’s external transport forum on 17 September 2024 that reducing fares on the Serco NorthLink Northern Isles Ferry Service could cost the Scottish Government “millions”.

Scottish Ministers make contractual grant payments based on the projected cumulative difference between Operating Costs and Revenue for each Service Year.

Islander fares on Northern Isles routes were frozen from 2020 to 2024 along with a 20% reduction in cabin fares. This meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue.

These initiatives have required the Scottish Government to invest an additional £4.8m since 2020, over and above the general subsidy, in order to protect islanders from the impacts of recent high levels of inflation.

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