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-07190

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost was of the 2006 to 2012 Northern Isles ferry services contract.

The net annual operating subsidy paid to NorthLink Ferries Ltd is set out in the following table:

Contract Year (July to June)	Grant
Contract Year 1 (2006-07)	£29.5 million
Contract Year 2 (2007-08)	£28.4 million
Contract Year 3 (2008-09)	£32.3 million
Contract Year 4 (2009-10)	£34.9 million
Contract Year 5 (2010-11)	£37.2 million

Source: NorthLink Ferries Ltd and Transport Scotland.

Information for the current contract year, 2011-12, is not yet available as the contract year ends on 5 July 2012.

Question reference: S4W-05118

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has given to women with PIP implants who wish to breastfeed.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any new evidence that suggests that Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) breast implants affect breast milk. We therefore advise that mothers who wish to start /or continue breastfeeding their babies should do so.

The situation will be kept under close review and the Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MRHA) experts will continue to examine any further domestic or international evidence on this issue.

We understand that this is a worrying time for women with PIP implants and we recommend that if women are concerned about their breasts or implants, they should seek clinical advice from their implanting surgeon or GP.

Question reference: S4W-05119

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers breastfeeding to be safe for mothers with PIP implants.

Question reference: S4W-05120

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it provides to women with breast implants who wish to breastfeed.

Question reference: S4W-04740

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the joint statement on the development of a federation of colleges in Lanarkshire was agreed by the boards of Cumbernauld College, Motherwell College and South Lanarkshire College.

Question reference: S4W-04738

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers the impact would be on Coatbridge College of a federation of colleges in Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S4W-04739

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the chairs and principals of Cumbernauld College, Motherwell College and South Lanarkshire College consulted the relevant trade unions prior to issuing a joint statement on the development of a federation of colleges in Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S4W-04737

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the minutes are available of recent discussions between the chairs and principals of Cumbernauld College, Motherwell College and South Lanarkshire College regarding the development of a federation of colleges in Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S4W-04736

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the chairs and principals of (a) Cumbernauld, (b) Motherwell and (c) South Lanarkshire colleges regarding the development of a federation of colleges in Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S4W-04436

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to the NHS has been of outbreaks of norovirus in each winter since 2007.