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-15272

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to consult on a replacement for council tax benefit.

Working in partnership with local government, we responded quickly to put in place transitional arrangements to ensure that around 560,000 people in Scotland who were receiving council Tax benefit are protected from the UK Government’s 10% cut in successor arrangement funding.

We are currently in discussion with our Local Government partners and other stakeholders on arrangements for future years beyond 2013-14. The UK Government’s introduction of Universal Credit in October 2013 and its operation will have significant implications for how future council tax support may be provided.

Question reference: S4F-01449

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on recruitment and retention payments paid to senior management at the State Hospital.

Question reference: S4W-14856

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12534 by Alex Neil on 27 February 2013, whether the cabinet secretary has met Earl Howe and, if so, when.

Question reference: S4W-14855

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12535 by Alex Neil on 27 February 2013, how many meetings have been held and who attended each meeting.

Question reference: S4W-15273

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fully fund the replacement for council tax benefit beyond April 2014.

Question reference: S4W-14849

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13806 by Alex Neil on 15 April 2013 and in light of paragraphs 5.14 and 5.15 of the code of conduct, whether it considers it appropriate for a member of Health Improvement Scotland's board not to register the employment of a family member in the organisation as a potential conflict of interest, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

All members of NHS boards are expected to carry out their responsibilities in line with the board members’ code of conduct. The Scottish Government expects board members to take responsibility for ensuring that the register of interests is accurate, and for board chairs to hold members to the code of conduct. The register of interests is reviewed by the external auditor when annual accounts are submitted.

Healthcare Improvement Scotland is currently updating its register of interests as part of its annual accounts process.

Question reference: S4W-14831

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of the long-term organ damage that can be caused by misuse of painkillers.

The safety of medicines is currently a reserved matter with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) having responsibility across the UK.

I understand from the MHRA that information on possible side effects which may occur in association with use of painkillers, including where appropriate effects associated with long term use and risk of overdose, are outlined in the information associated with the medicines and provided to healthcare professionals (the Summary of Product Characteristics) and patients (Patient Information Leaflet).

Painkillers that are available as over the counter medicines are subject to restrictions on pack size. There are clear warnings on the outer packaging of these products that the stated dose should not be exceeded and they should not be used to control symptoms for longer than three days without medical advice. There is also clear advice that if the symptoms persist then the individual should consult their doctor.

Medicines containing paracetamol contain a warning about the risk of serious liver damage if the dose is exceeded.

Question reference: S4W-14829

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether there is a correlation between the price and availability of painkillers and the reported rise in the number of deliberate self-poisonings.

Latest published data available from the General Register Office for Scotland indicate that there has been a slight reduction in the number of deaths by self poisoning in Scotland in recent years. There is no information available centrally on whether there is a correlation between the price and availability of painkillers and the number of deliberate self poisonings.

Medicine safety is currently a reserved matter with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency having responsibility across the UK. Given the particular risks associated with paracetamol, UK wide legislation was amended in 1998 to introduce pack size restrictions to a maximum of 32 tablets through pharmacy sales and 16 for non-pharmacy sales. A recent British Medical Journal article concluded that the introduction of the legislation resulted in a 43% reduction in deaths in England and Wales.

Question reference: S4W-14830

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been admitted to hospital due to deliberate self-poisoning in each year since 2007-08, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S4W-14860

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it will not establish a public inquiry into the retention of baby ashes by crematoria.

It is important we learn lessons quickly to ensure no bereaved parent or relative ever again goes through the additional distress caused by this type of experience.

A full public inquiry would be likely to take several years to complete its work, which would delay indefinitely current plans to update existing burial and cremation legislation and might also possibly delay the implementation of any new guidance.

The Infant Cremation Commission, by contrast, will report its recommendations by the end of this year, ensuring that the lessons learned can inform the development of any new guidance as soon as is possible, as well as influence the upcoming legislation development.