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 MSPs 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: S6W-04538

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support social workers whose mental wellbeing and quality of working life have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland’s social workers have been at the centre of our actions to support the workforce’ recovery from the negative effects of pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have emphasised to Boards, Health and Social Care Partners and Local Authorities the on-going need to promote both the physical and the psychological wellbeing of everyone working in health and social care.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level, as follows:

This year we have made £12 million available to support the wellbeing of the workforce. This includes £8 million from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce alongside an additional £4 million to provide further support to address winter pressures
We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.
This package includes a range of self-care and wellbeing resources offered via the National Wellbeing Hub and 24/7 Helpline, additional funding to Boards for further psychological support, coaching for wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service.
We have partnered with bereavement specialists, Cruse Scotland, to offer a series of pilot workshops for people working in Adult Social Care and Social work to manage their wellbeing.
Now more than ever, it is critical that staff look after their wellbeing and take the rest breaks and leave to which they are entitled, as well as being given time to access national and local wellbeing resources at work.

Question reference: S6W-04467

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances gamete storage can be provided by the NHS.

Gamete (egg and sperm) storage can be provided by the NHS with informed consent from patients (regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and by law under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended)) under the following circumstances:

Storage of personal gametes for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment by couples that fulfil the access criteria.
Storage of gametes for patients who require fertility preservation treatment.
Storage of gametes donated altruistically by sperm or egg donors for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment.

Question reference: S6W-04541

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether all staff working in mental health services are given equalities training.

Each Health Board requires staff to undertake mandatory training to help them understand the Board’s policy on equality, diversity and human rights, and what it means for them in terms of both their rights and any associated responsibilities.

The Scottish Government is exploring how to best deliver a more robust and up-to-date learning on equality, diversity and inclusion based on engagement with those with relevant experience and expertise.

The Scottish Government also fully supports all staff diversity networks and is developing an online platform to help networks across Scotland to share information and resources. We have established a staff led National NHS Ethnic Minority Forum that aims to amplify the voices of ethnic minority staff across the health service and tackle issues of systemic racism.

Question reference: S6W-04356

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to support the mental wellbeing of paramedics.

This year the Scottish Government has made available £12 million to support the wellbeing of the health and social care workforce. This includes £8 million from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support alongside an additional £4 million for practical, emotional and evidence-based psychological support to help staff as they respond to winter pressures.

The Scottish Government’s national resources are available to support the mental wellbeing of paramedics. These include the 24/7 National Wellbeing Helpline, the National Wellbeing Hub, Coaching for Wellbeing, the Workforce Specialist Service and additional funding for psychological interventions and therapies specifically for the workforce.

On 21 September 2021 the Cabinet Secretary announced additional funding of £20 million specifically for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) to help improve response times, alleviate pressures and improve staff wellbeing. Some £500,000 of this funding is being used to provide additional welfare for crews and a range of wellbeing initiatives, such as personal resilience packages and a dedicated wellbeing team.

Question reference: S6W-03990

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 8 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roadworks on the A8011 over the M80 bridges around J4a, including the nature of the works and expected timescale for completion.

Question reference: S6O-00317

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that welfare entitlements and other benefits such as council tax exemptions are taken up by care experienced young people.

Question reference: S6O-00290

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to address illegal trawling.

Question reference: S6W-03440

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 19 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Alcohol marketing during the 2020 Six Nations Championship: A frequency analysis, including the finding that a reference to alcohol appeared every 12 seconds during the broadcast of a match played in Scotland.

Sports sponsorship entails a range of alcohol advertising and promotional activity, which we know is seen by children and young people across Scotland. The findings of this report undertaken by researchers at the University of Stirling highlight just how much children and young people are exposed to alcohol marketing in a sports context.

We know this exposure creates positive attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage them to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol.

Whilst recognising the impact Covid-19 has had on the sporting sector as well as the importance of sponsorship income, we would encourage sports teams and organisations to diversify sponsorship away from alcohol brands. We applaud Scottish Women’s Football for the stance they have taken not to accept sponsorship from the alcohol or gambling industries.

We have committed to publicly consulting on a range of potential alcohol marketing restrictions to protect children and young people in Scotland. We are considering all methods of alcohol advertising and promotion in developing proposals for the public consultation which will be published in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-02872

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01792 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021, what proportion of the NHS budget is spent specifically on general practice.

Question reference: S6W-03287

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Racial Inequality and Mental Health in Scotland: A call to action.