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: S4W-24931

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it is publicising the symptoms of meningococcal W disease.

Through the Scottish immunisation programme, as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule, children in Scotland are offered important protection against meningitis. Although meningitis W specifically is not yet part of the immunisation programme in Scotland, information coverage of the signs and symptoms of meningitis within the Scottish immunisation programme is high. The communications materials, including leaflets and the Immunisation Scotland website, which support the programme highlight the signs and symptoms of the disease as well as containing web links to NHS Inform and meningitis charity websites for further information.

The Scottish Government also continue to work with meningitis charities to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of meningococcal disease to encourage prompt action where the disease is suspected.

Question reference: S4W-24721

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed closure by NHS Lanarkshire of the clinics at Coatbridge and Carluke run by the Centre for Integrative Care at Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital (CIC) and to cease access to the CIC, what its position is on democratic intervention and whether it considers that this action is in breach of the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 as a reported 80.6% of patients and the public responding to the consultation objected to it.

Under the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004, health boards are required to involve local stakeholders in designing, developing and delivering the health care services they provide for them. National guidance on informing, engaging and consulting people in developing health and community care services was issued in February 2010 and can be accessed at the following link:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2010_04.pdf

In line with this guidance, only proposals for major service change in the NHS are subject to ministerial approval. NHS Lanarkshire’s proposals were not designated major service change. As such, this was a decision for the board of NHS Lanarkshire, following careful consideration of all the available information, evidence and representations.

Question reference: S4W-24722

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review public consultations on health issues, in light of the proposed closure by NHS Lanarkshire of the clinics at Coatbridge and Carluke run by the Centre for Integrative Care at Glasgow Homeopathic Hospital (CIC) and to cease access to the CIC despite a reported 80.6% of patients and public urging continuation of access in response to the consultation on the matter.

Question reference: S4W-24723

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 11 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that NHS Lanarkshire took account of the area's levels of ill-health, chronic conditions and poverty statistics in deciding to close the Centre for Integrative Care's clinics at Coatbridge and Carluke.

Question reference: S4W-24252

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 January 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 11 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the full contract details of the franchise agreement with Abellio will be published.

Question reference: S4W-23715

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the police officers who make up the Joint Central Committee of the Scottish Police Federation are subject to rule 13.1.1 of the Police Federation (Scotland) Rules 2013 and, if so, whether this takes precedence over section 20 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

The making of rules under the Police Federation (Scotland) Regulations 2013, and the governance and implementation of those rules, is a matter for the Scottish Police Federation.

The members of the Joint Central Committee of the Scottish Police Federation continue to hold the office of constable under the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 and are therefore governed by the Act, including section 20.

Question reference: S4W-23714

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 January 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Joint Central Committee of the Scottish Police Federation is governed under section 20 of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012.

Question reference: S4W-23273

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports that members of the public who rely on making telephone calls to government agencies can experience financial hardship as a result of the cost and what plans it has to tackle the costs of such calls.

The Scottish Government and associated agencies have a varied approach to encourage contact from the people of Scotland. This includes email and web forums as well as telephone contact. The Scottish Government does not use cost generating phone numbers and its agencies are informed in their use of 0300 and 0845 numbers, which are also non-cost-generating, by best practice as recommended by the industry regulator OFCOM.

Question reference: S4W-23272

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has in place or could introduce to reduce the cost of telephone calls to its agencies.

The Scottish Government uses a non-geographic 0300 as its published central contact number for the Scottish Government and its directorates. Use of this number ensures that calls are charged at no more than the national rate. The Scottish Government and its agencies are informed in their use of 0300 and 0845 numbers, which are also non-cost-generating, by best practice as recommended by the industry regulator OFCOM.

Question reference: S4W-23271

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how much income is generated by calls from members of the public to its agencies using cost-generating telephone numbers.