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-09084

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns of the pest control industry regarding the impact that banning glue traps might have on their ability to deal with infestation outbreaks.

I refer the member to the answer to question S60-00653 on 20 January 2022 in relation to the report from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission on the use of glue traps I set out our plans to introduce a ban on the sale and use of glue traps.

While the Commission’s report found that there are public health concerns in certain high-risk situations that require effective and rapid pest control in order to reduce the spread of disease the report was also clear that the animal welfare issues connected with the use of glue traps would justify an immediate outright ban on their sale and use .

I understand there are some concerns from the pest control industry on the available alternatives to glue traps, which is why the Scottish Government has been and will continue to engage with stakeholders as this policy develops.

As part of the normal legislative process, we intend to have a full public consultation to seek views on our proposals, and this will include consideration of whether a transition period is necessary.

All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 20/01/2022 | Scottish Parliament Website .

Question reference: S6O-01225

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to allow people who are seeking treatment for addiction to retain their tenancies through continued housing payments.

Question reference: S6O-01210

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, with regard to the recruitment of consultant oncologists in NHS Tayside, how many candidates have proceeded to interview stage to date and from which countries.

Question reference: S6W-08629

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of waste from NHS hospitals was recycled in each of the last five calendar years.

The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has advised the most accurate data source on NHS Scotland waste performance are the annual Public Sector Reports on Compliance with Climate Change Duties which are available for each Health Board. These reports are published on the Sustainable Scotland Network website ( Sustainable Scotland Network - The Sustainable Scotland Network ) and are available from the period 2014-15 to 2020-21.

We have outlined clear actions within the upcoming NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy to manage the risk of environmental harm from our activities, promote good environmental stewardship and reduce the impact of our waste. This includes working to improve data recording of waste collections and reporting against the national waste target of recycling and composting 70% of all Scottish waste by 2025, and sending no more than 5% to landfill.

Question reference: S6W-08631

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that clinicians are acting in accordance with the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ recently-released clinical guidance on sepsis, in light of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reportedly having also agreed to update its guidance on sepsis.

Sepsis improvement is a well-established part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP). The SPSP launched a revised deteriorating patient driver diagram and change package in 2021 which includes sepsis as a core part of recognising and responding to deterioration.

On 27 May 2022, the SPSP issued a statement regarding the Society of Critical Medical Care’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Statement on the initial antimicrobial treatment of sepsis. The statement outlines the SPSP’s revised approach to the identification and management of adults with sepsis.

Furthermore the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) are currently reviewing SIGN Guideline 139 – Care of Deteriorating Patients to include an updated section on sepsis.

Clinical guideline implementation is the responsibility of NHS Boards. The ultimate decision about a particular clinical procedure or treatment will always depend on each individual patient’s condition, circumstances and wishes and the clinical judgement of the healthcare team.

Question reference: S6W-08630

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason patients with sepsis in Scotland are reportedly instructed to access healthcare using a different symptom list to other parts of the UK, and what steps are being taken to ensure that clinician recognition criteria are aligned with their equivalents in other parts of the UK, using standardised guidelines for recognition and management.

The symptom list on NHS Inform focuses on the early symptoms of sepsis. It highlights the importance of a high or low temperature, which can encompass a wide range of sources of infection that may potentially cause sepsis.

On 27 May 2022, Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s (HIS) Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) issued a statement regarding the Society of Critical Medical Care’s Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) and the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) Statement on the initial antimicrobial treatment of sepsis. The statement outlines the SPSP’s revised approach to the identification and management of adults with sepsis.

Furthermore HIS’s Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) are currently reviewing SIGN Guideline 139 – Care of Deteriorating Patients to include an updated section on sepsis addressing Primary and Secondary Care considerations.

Question reference: S6W-08628

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of packaging from theatre equipment at NHS hospitals was recycled in each of the last five calendar years.

The requested information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has advised waste data collection is not measured by product type or hospital department, therefore the requested information is unavailable.

Within the upcoming NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability strategy there is a commitment to work with our existing suppliers to reduce unnecessary plastic and take steps to ensure that unavoidable single-use items contain a high minimum recycled content and are themselves fully recyclable. This strategy is expected to be published in summer 2022.

Question reference: S6O-01157

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on any difficulties faced by veterans in Scotland, including on the prevalence of mental health issues and drug and alcohol abuse.

Question reference: S6W-08164

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03513 by Humza Yousaf on 8 November 2021, what development plans it has for Scotland’s genetic laboratories and frontline genetics services, and what investment it will make in the current financial year to support the delivery of any plans.

The Scottish Government has committed £6.2 million to genomics for the financial year 2022-23. This is in addition to the funding allocated to the 4 genetic laboratories in Scotland by NHS Boards through NHS National Services Division (NSD) commissioning arrangements.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the role of genomics in improving patient outcomes. We have provided funding to NSD to establish a Transformation Team led by a Lead Clinical Scientist alongside resource that specialises in transformative programme management and Data Analytics. The Team will be operational from June 2022.

This team will be responsible for delivering the rapid adoption of a number of genetic tests for cancer across the genetic laboratories as well as developing an action plan for the implementation of the recommendations from the Genetic Laboratory Major Service Review.

The transformation team will work within NSD and support the Scottish Government to develop our long term plans for genomics medicine in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-08168

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a genomic diagnostics strategy, and, if so, when.