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-17276

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what hospital departments have been under pressure due to high waiting times in each NHS board in the last three months.

Question reference: S4W-17274

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 1 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have waited over (a) six, (b) nine, (c) 12 and (d) 24 weeks for an MRI scan in each NHS board in the last year.

The specific information is not available centrally. Waiting times for MRI scans are published each quarter and show the number of patients on the waiting list on the month end census date and on how long they had been waiting.

On 30 June 2013, 878 patients on the waiting list had been waiting more than 6 weeks for an MRI scan. Of these 7 had been waiting longer than 9 weeks and no patient on the waiting list had been waiting more than 12 weeks.

Question reference: S4F-01606

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2013

To ask the First Minister what progress the Expert Working Group on Welfare and Constitutional Reform is making.

Question reference: S4O-02441

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 26 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to deal with the reported increase in waiting times for neurological services in NHS Lanarkshire.

The Scottish Government remain committed to ensuring patients get swift access to treatment. Whilst some patients are waiting slightly over the 12 weeks first outpatient consultation standard, I can reassure the member that patients with an urgent clinical need will be seen within around six weeks in Lanarkshire.

Despite a shortage of trainees, Lanarkshire have been able to recruit an additional 0.8 whole time equivalent consultant who will take up post in February 2014. The board are also in the process of recruiting to a further consultant post. In addition they have also recruited an epilepsy specialist nurse will also take up post in December 2013.

Scottish Government officials continue to support the board to explore options for reducing waits for neurology patients to ensure that they are seen and treated within waiting time standards.

Question reference: S4W-16924

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the average reduction in income per (a) household and (b) person in Scotland as a result of the UK Government's welfare reforms.

Question reference: S4W-16927

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) COSLA regarding the implementation of universal credit.

Scottish Government Ministers have regular discussions with UK Government Ministers about implementation of the various welfare reforms including the implementation of Universal Credit. Scottish Government officials are working with COSLA officials to influence the implementation plans for Scotland and develop local support services.

The Joint Statement published by the Scottish Government and COSLA on 20 November 2012 established a regular joint political meeting between Scottish Government Ministers and council leaders to jointly oversee a coordinated programme of work. Senior COSLA and Scottish Government officials meet regularly to monitor progress and report to ministers and council leaders.

Question reference: S4W-16926

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle evictions resulting from non-payment of the so-called bedroom tax.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S4W-12541 on 25 February 2013, S4W-13016 on 5 March 2013, S4O-01947 on 21 March 2013, S4W-14223 on 08 May 2013 and Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March 2013 and Bedroom Tax (Emergency Legislation) on 27 March 2013. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website. The search facility for written questions can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The search for oral questions can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/OfficialReport.aspx

And the emergency question can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=7893&mode=html#iob_71862.

Question reference: S4O-02409

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-02332

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it gives to small businesses.

Question reference: S4W-16485

Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its decision to protect funding for the council tax benefit successor scheme for 2013-14 will have on the incomes of single female households.

Working in partnership with local government, we responded quickly to put in place transitional arrangements to plug the estimated £40 million gap in funding from the UK Government following their abolition of council tax benefit. This ensures 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. This means that vulnerable people have the same net liability for council tax as if council tax benefit were still in place, provided their circumstances remain the same. This includes around 289,400 single female households, of which around 85,000 have child dependants.