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-04589

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what NHS24’s procedure is in situations where its helpline receives a call from someone resident in another part of the UK or abroad on behalf of someone living in Scotland who is in urgent need of medical advice from NHS Scotland.

If a caller in England or Wales dials 111, they will be automatically be connected to the local English 111 service, based on the caller's location at the time of the call. If it is determined they are calling for a relative / friend resident in Scotland, the caller will be transferred to NHS 24 using a pre-set telephony process. NHS 24 then capture the patients details and manage the call in the normal way. Once the call is completed, NHS 24 will attempt to contact the Scottish patient if contact details are available.

In life-threatening emergency situations, if a caller called 111 from anywhere in the UK on behalf of someone in Scotland, they would get appropriate assistance from the local Ambulance Service who would pass their call to colleagues in Scotland.

Callers from outside the UK or from Northern Ireland do not have direct access to 111 – any call would have to be made through a third party living in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-03979

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it is assisting Edinburgh City Council and the Edinburgh Mela Festival Board to ensure a successful 2017 festival.

Creative Scotland, our national arts body, and the City of Edinburgh Council have held detailed and regular discussions with the Mela Board for several months and have sought assurances on governance issues. The Council and CreativeScotland are longstanding supporters of the Edinburgh Mela and the cultural benefits the event brings. The Scottish Government have been fully appraised of matters relating to the Mela and are confident and supportive of the Council and Creative Scotland’s approach. We hope the Mela’s current challenges can be addressed.

Question reference: S5W-03629

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is no mechanism for care providers to appeal the grades assigned to their quality of care during an inspection by the Care Inspectorate, and what its position is on introducing such a process.

Under the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010, the Care Inspectorate has a statutory duty to improve the quality of care services. It does this by undertaking a variety of scrutiny and improvement activities, including inspections.

During an inspection, the care service is given the opportunity to provide all of the evidence required for the inspection team to carry out its evaluation. Upon completion of the draft inspection report, it is shared with the provider which is invited to comment on, and to identify, any factual inaccuracies. Any comments or queries the provider may have are then carefully considered by the Care Inspectorate before a final report is published.

This process allows both parties an opportunity to raise any concerns within the inspection report in advance of publication. It does not however extend to the grade awarded as to do so could undermine the inspection process and ultimately the inspectorate’s statutory requirement to evaluate the effectiveness of the provision of care services under inspection.

The Care Inspectorate plans to review and refine the current scrutiny model during 2017-2018 to support the implementation of the forthcoming National Health and Social Care Standards. This review will include a focus upon the continuous improvement of engagement and dialogue with service providers.

Question reference: S5W-03628

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, what responsibilities the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has in the reviewing of complaints made about the Care Inspectorate and what information it has regarding whether the SPSO plans to review these.

Question reference: S5W-03237

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes the (a) Cultural Gifts and (b) Acceptance in Lieu Scheme to help increase the number of cultural artefacts in the public domain.

Specific UK legislation governs the Cultural Gifts and the Acceptance in Lieu Schemes as tax is reserved and each scheme offers tax incentives. Under executive devolution arrangements the Scottish Ministers take decisions on acceptance and allocation of cases where there is a Scottish Interest. These schemes are administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and promoted by HM Treasury. The Scottish Government also promote the allocation of new and important works of art and heritage objects to Scotland, in partnership with relevant collections, through news release, when appropriate opportunities arise. Examples of permanent allocations made possible through these schemes include the following:

An exceptional eighteenth century French clock from Hamilton Palace which came forward under the Acceptance in Lieu Scheme and is on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. This was announced by National Museums Scotland on 6 July 2016.

A painting by Joan Eardley, Seated Boy, which was gifted under the Cultural Gifts Scheme and is on display at the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow. This was announced by the Hunterian Museum on 17 June 2015.

Question reference: S5O-00218

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the assurances that it has received from Boston Scientific regarding the possible use of counterfeit material in surgical mesh.

Question reference: S5W-02971

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all grants that have been approved each year by the Climate Challenge Fund, and what criteria are used to determine whether to issue a grant.

Since 2008, the Climate Challenge Fund has made 873 awards valued at £75.7 million to 588 communities.

Applications to the Climate Challenge Fund are assessed, by an Independent Grants Panel, against a criteria of:

Community - community must be at the heart of decision making process of the project; projects must be designed and delivered by communities themselves.

Carbon Reduction – the funded activity should lead to measurable carbon reductions, improve carbon literacy and help communities move to low carbon living.

Legacy – the project should deliver a low carbon legacy, with outcomes that continue after the project is completed.

In addition, applications are assessed against the following elements:

Management and governance

Project planning

State Aid

Project finances

Information on all grants approved by the Climate Challenge Fund can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

Funding rounds 1-19: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/climatechange/howyoucanhelp/communities/ClimateChallengeFund

Funding rounds 20-22: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Environment/climatechange/ccf/projects

Question reference: S5W-02973

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02070 by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 September 2016, what (a) monitoring and (b) auditing of the grants that are issued by the Climate Challenge Fund (i) has been carried out each year, (ii) is being carried and (iii) is planned.

The Climate Challenge Fund is managed on behalf of the Scottish Government, under contract, by Keep Scotland Beautiful. As the Fund’s administrator, Keep Scotland Beautiful operate a continuous monitoring system of all funded projects to ensure grant compliance and measure progress against outcomes agreed in approved applications. Grant recipients submit monthly progress reports which cover financial updates, project progress and support requirements.

In addition to monthly reports, Keep Scotland Beautiful officers have more regular contact with grant recipients. This includes project visits to verify information provided and assess overall progress of funded projects.

Furthermore, in order for payments to be issued to grant recipients, all items of expenditure must be evidenced and in line with the activities identified in the approved application.

Question reference: S5W-02974

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-02070 by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 September 2016, what (a) monitoring and (b) auditing of the Climate Challenge Fund (i) has been carried out each year, (ii) is being carried out and (iii) is planned.

Question reference: S5W-02579

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many times a tribunal has been established under section 95 of the Scotland Act 1998 to investigate whether a judge of the Court of Session or the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court is unfit for office by reason of inability, neglect of duty or misbehaviour.