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: S5W-10526

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the impact of the judgments in ParkingEye v Beavis [2015] UKSC 67 and Vehicle Control Services Ltd v Mackie [2017] SC DUN 24 on the (a) contractual enforcement and (b) standing of private parking schemes.

We are aware that improvements could be made to various aspects of the private parking schemes, and for this reason, we have set up a Stakeholder Working Group with representatives from the private parking industry, Trading Standards Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland to explore how we can deliver improvements to the practices of private parking operators in Scotland.

As part of this work, we have been exploring how we can deliver a fairer, more transparent and consistent approach to parking enforcement practices and to the appeals process in Scotland through the development of a single Code of Practice that the industry would voluntarily sign up to. In addition, a Private Member's Bill entitled Parking (Code of Practice) Bill was introduced in the UK Parliament on 19 July 2017.

The Private Member's Bill also seeks to create a fairer and more transparent sector through regulation via the development of a single Code of Practice. We are therefore exploring this issue with our UK counterparts to determine what this would mean for Scotland. We will continue to work with our stakeholders to ensure that we have a fair and transparent sector, in which motorists understand their rights and responsibilities for parking on private land.

Question reference: S5W-10527

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the £24,500 liability in Vehicle Control Services Ltd v Mackie [2017] SC DUN 24 as a mechanism to protect parking amenity.

We are aware that private parking operators can levy reasonable charges that are contained within their Accredited Trade Association code of practice. However, we will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure that consumer rights are protected.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 does not provide for leaving motor vehicles on private land. As such, the conditions of landowners must be adhered to in relation to any parking terms and conditions that have been set.

Question reference: S5W-09931

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) discussions it has had with and (b) advice it has received from (i) the Scottish Medicines Consortium and (ii) other bodies regarding the drug, Orkambi, being made available on the NHS for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.

Decisions made by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are independent of Ministers and Parliament and are based on clinical and cost-effectiveness at a national population level for all Scotland.

The SMC did not accept Orkambi® for routine use in Scotland in May 2016 because the submitting company’s justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient.

I have written to the manufacturer of Orkambi® to encourage them to undertake discussions with colleagues in National Health Services Scotland (NSS) and I understand those discussions are underway. I hope as part of these discussions the manufacturer can make their best offer on price and indicate they will re-submit an application for Orkambi® to the SMC.

Question reference: S5W-09881

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 19 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of (a) private and (b) public sector employers registered with the Scotland Childcare Voucher Scheme.

By funding and actively participating in the Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership, the Scottish Government promotes a wide range of family friendly working policies to employers, including in relation to childcare.

For parents and carers, the Scottish Government provide information on childcare vouchers and other types of support for childcare on the mygov.scot website: https://www.mygov.scot/help-paying-for-childcare/other-help/

This brings together information on various schemes that people in Scotland can take advantage of at both a UK and Scotland level.

Question reference: S5W-09880

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the (a) postnatal and (b) antenatal support available for multiple pregnancies.

It is important all women have early and timely access to appropriate, safe and effective antenatal and postnatal care, that is tailored to their needs. The Scottish Government works with NHS boards to continually improve the quality and safety of postnatal and antenatal support for all women.

The Scottish Government would expect boards to ensure that maternity care services have processes in place to monitor adherence to and implementation of appropriate national pathways, guidelines and models of care, such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).

Question reference: S5W-09882

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what reviews have been carried out of the Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007.

The Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (as amended) implement current EU requirements (Directive 2006/141/EC) for relevant products.

I am advised by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) that following a European Commission review of the legislation covering foods for particular nutritional uses, which include the current EU Directive on formula and follow-on formula, a new regulatory approach was introduced. Regulation (EU) 609/2013 on foods for specific groups replaced the previous foods for particular nutritional uses approach, with a narrower range of products. The composition, labelling and advertising requirements for infant formula and follow-on formula are included in the foods for specific groups category. While these requirements remain broadly unchanged they will be detailed in a separate EU Regulation which is due to apply around 2020-2021. The current rules continue in the interim. As part of the review, the Commission also produced a report on ‘young child formula’ (growing-up milk) which confirmed that the general framework of EU food law is sufficient to adequately regulate the composition of young child formula.

FSS also advise me that Codex is currently reviewing their standard for follow-up formula (products aimed at babies aged 6-12 months and children aged 12-36 months). FSS will monitor developments in this area, including any subsequent discussions at EU level. (The Codex Alimentarius Commission is sponsored by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation to develop food standards to protect consumers’ health and ensure fair international trading practice in food and agricultural products).

Question reference: S5O-01022

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its current and developing position is on the introduction of a 50p rate of income tax.

Question reference: S5O-00915

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Welsh Government regarding organ donation since the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 came into full effect in December 2015.

Question reference: S5W-07351

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 21 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what projections it has made regarding the potential uptake over the next five years by women from Northern Ireland accessing NHS abortion services in Scotland, and what its position is on whether offering this will lead to an increase in so-called health tourism.

Question reference: S5W-07350

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential (a) cost and (b) resource implications over the next five years of allowing women from Northern Ireland access to NHS abortion services in Scotland; how much it will set aside each year to pay for this, and what discussions it has had with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding paying for this.