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-27440

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards implementing the Women's Health Plan since the Second Annual Report on Progress was published in January 2024.

The Women’s Health Plan sets out the Scottish Government’s ambition for Women’s Health which is that ‘women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives’ - this ambition is not limited to the lifespan of the current Plan.

The current iteration of the Women’s Health Plan comes to a close in August 2024 and a Women’s Health Plan Final Report on Progress is intended for publication in the Autumn.

In the interim, Women’s Health Champion Professor Anna Glasier provides a regular update on the progress of the Women’s Health Plan through her quarterly blog: https://blogs.gov.scot/health-social-care/category/womens-health-champion/

Question reference: S6F-03166

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that no NHS board has implemented placental growth factor-based testing for pre-eclampsia, in light of it having been recommended in March 2023 by the Scottish Health Technologies Group.

Question reference: S6T-01985

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent BMA Scotland survey, which found that 30 GP practices consider their position to be "precarious" following the pausing of the GP Sustainability Loan Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-26653

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme, including whether, as part of this programme, any decisions have been taken in relation to changes to the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

We will shortly be publishing an initial delivery plan for work being taken forward under the Mental Health and Capacity Reform Programme. The plan will set out a range of actions that are either underway or planned in the period up to April 2025, against the priorities identified under the Programme. One of the priorities, as noted in our initial response to the Scottish Mental Health Law Review, is to consider Mental Health Law reform.

Question reference: S6W-26676

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting (a) NHS Grampian and (b) other NHS boards to increase theatre capacity, in light of reports that this has been cited as a significant factor in not achieving the target of providing first treatment within 62 days of an urgent suspected cancer referral.

Cancer remains a national priority, within the Scottish Government and across NHS Scotland, with urgent suspicion of cancer referrals continuing to be prioritised. NHS Grampian provided a 62 day performance improvement plan with an associated £973,764 funding from Scottish Government in 2023-24. Officials continue to work with NHS Grampian to ensure there is sustained focus locally to deliver these plans.

We are committed to reducing inpatient and day-case waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over the next three years, backed by planned investment of an extra £100 million annually, subject to the annual Scottish Budget process, we will work closely with NHS boards and stakeholders on a number of key actions which will see patients treated as quickly as possible.

An initial investment of £30 million will now be funded as part of our on-going management of this and will target reductions to the national backlogs that built up throughout the pandemic, including orthopaedics treatments, diagnostics for cancer referrals and patients with the longest waits. This will enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, including theatre capacity, build greater resilience and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment.

Question reference: S6W-26678

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the refreshed guidance on mobile phone use in schools will be published, and whether this guidance will follow the approach set out in the UK Government Department for Education February 2024 guidance, Mobile phones in schools, which emphasises that mobile phones should not be used during the school day, including breaks and lunchtimes.

Question reference: S6W-26855

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS boards to introduce tests to detect nitazenes in patients attending hospital with an overdose.

There are standard procedures in place in hospitals across Scotland for treating patients who present with an overdose, regardless of the substance involved.

Scottish Government has supported the introduction of a new surveillance study, operating from the accident and emergency department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in Glasgow which aims to establish a robust toxicology surveillance system in the emergency department. A Surveillance Study of Illicit Substance Toxicity (ASSIST) has been in operation since 2022 and explores the feasibility of reporting characteristics and the causes of patients attending hospital as an emergency due to illicit substance use.

The information this study provides has been vital for informing services, staff, drug organisations and those who use drugs about changes in the drug supply through the PHS quarterly RADAR reports. In addition, its findings have also informed public health alerts, such as those issued by PHS in relation to new substances of concern in the drug supply, specifically nitazenes. This project received funding of £212,304 in 2023-24.

A key feature of the agreed funding for the second year of ASSIST was to demonstrate how the study could be replicated in other emergency departments across Scotland to ensure the same information could be gathered and shared elsewhere.

Question reference: S6W-26651

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of NHS weight management services in preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes, in light of the reportedly significant increase in referrals since 2019.

At present, no assessment has been made of the effectiveness of NHS weight management services in preventing and reversing type 2 diabetes. However, it is encouraging that increases in referrals to weight management services has been reported in the latest statistics.

Prior to 2019, there was a lack of standardised information collected by NHS Boards to enable tracking of provision of weight management services. Approved by the Scottish Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Framework Oversight Group, a core dataset was developed in collaboration with Scottish Government, Public Health Scotland (PHS) and NHS Boards. The core dataset ensures consistency and comparability in the data being collected.

Data on referrals to weight management and type 2 diabetes prevention services was first published by PHS in May 2021 and the latest data was published March 2024 . The publication is currently classed as Official Statistics in development. The core dataset and reporting provides health boards with insight and direction as to future planning of type 2 diabetes prevention and weight management services.

We will continue to improve data collection and monitoring to assess the impact of NHS weight management services in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-26444

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of any impact of the expansion of Hospital at Home, announced on 24 October 2023, on reducing the pressures facing the Scottish Ambulance Service, and how much of the £12 million earmarked for the expansion has been allocated to each NHS board.

From the £12 million earmarked to expand Hospital at Home and provide additional capacity over winter, we have confirmed funding of more than £3.5 million, of which the majority of health Boards will get a share, for delivery of additional capacity in 2023-24.

Work is ongoing with Boards to finalise the conclusions around impact of the enhanced services over winter but NHS Boards have reported patient feedback has been extremely positive for the new services.

Question reference: S6W-26853

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with its partners to support farmers in the North East Scotland region who are affected by accumulative heavy rainfall, which is reportedly damaging crops and having a potentially devastating impact on the lambing season.

We recognise the ongoing impact that adverse weather conditions are having on Scotland’s agricultural industry – conditions that are a direct result of climate change.

The poor weather conditions experienced in the early spring will be presenting challenges to farmers and crofters at the time of peak lambing and calving, and will be impacting the ability to sow crops. The Farm Advisory Service, funded by the Scottish Government, provides resources for farmers and crofters in responding to the wet weather this year.

The Farm Advisory Service is also signposting people towards the charity RSABI. RSABI provide practical, emotional and financial support to all people involved in the Scottish agricultural industry.