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-22009

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers it appropriate for (a) the Department of Energy and Climate Change to issue licences or (b) planning consent to be granted for works related to the exploration and production of onshore oil and gas in (i) national parks, (ii) sites of special scientific interest, (iii) special protection areas, (iv) special areas of conservation, (v) local nature reserves and (vi) undesignated nature reserves and what the reason is for its position on this matter.

The power to issue licences for the extraction of petroleum is currently reserved to Westminster. However, with independence, the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government would be accountable for all policies in relation to unconventional oil and gas. It is not appropriate for the Scottish Government to give a view on the outcome of planning applications that have not been made, however, the Scottish Government is clear that there should be a level of protection afforded to all these areas (in some instances by legislation), and this is confirmed in Scottish Planning Policy (SPP). Such protection will need to be taken into account if an application for planning permission is ever submitted. SPP is clear that planning permission should be refused where the nature and scale of proposed development would have an unacceptable impact on the natural environment.

Question reference: S4W-21990

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that Imperial Tobacco's Smoke Spots campaign is likely to have the effect of promoting tobacco use and, if so, whether it considers that it is in breach of Article 13 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Article 13 of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control places an obligation on Parties to “undertake a complete ban of all tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship”.

The purpose of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotions Act 2002 (TAPA) is to prohibit any advert whose purpose is to promote tobacco products, or whose effect is to do so. Enforcement of TAPA rests with Trading Standards.

We will keep under review any activity which we think compromises TAPA.

Question reference: S4W-21989

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of Imperial Tobacco's Smoke Spots campaign and whether it has had correspondence with local authorities or other organisations regarding whether it breaches the provisions of the Tobacco Advertising and Promotions Act 2002.

Question reference: S4W-21991

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 July 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had discussions with the UK Government regarding the legality of Imperial Tobacco's Smoke Spots campaign.

Question reference: S4W-21710

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the inclusion of hepatitis C testing in Keep Well checks.

Keep Well checks are mainly focussed on heart disease and its main risk factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and diabetes, including wider lifestyle issues. Some NHS boards offer hepatitis C testing as part of the Keep Well check based on identified local population needs.

Hepatitis C testing and diagnosis has significantly increased since the launch of the Hepatitis C Action Plan in 2006 and The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework in 2011.

Anyone who requires testing for hepatitis C can access this through their GP and testing is also available via a wide range of services (such as needle exchange and third sector services) targeting those who are at an increased risk of hepatitis C.

Question reference: S4O-03405

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government when it will produce the final version of its guidance on relationships, sexual health and parenthood education and whether the right to be properly informed with the knowledge to make safe, healthy and positive choices will be an integral part of the document.

Question reference: S4W-21709

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the inclusion of hepatitis C testing in the opt-out routine antenatal testing.

The Scottish Government does not currently support the inclusion of hepatitis C testing for all women as part of routine antenatal testing.

The Scottish Government takes advice on screening programmes from the UK National Screening Committee (NSC). Current NSC advice is that universal screening for hepatitis C in pregnancy is not recommended. This is because there are currently no interventions which have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of transmission to the baby. The exception to this is the small group of women with HIV/HCV co-infection. In addition there is insufficient information on the prevalence of hepatitis C in the pregnant population and on the natural history of vertically acquired infection.

This is a rapidly evolving area and discussion is beginning to focus on a postnatal screening strategy and the identification of children who would benefit from early intervention. However the effectiveness of new treatment regimens in the paediatric population, and their impact on the assessment of screening, are currently insufficiently understood to justify recommending that all pregnant women should be offered screening.

The NSC reviews its decisions on a regular basis and will do so earlier if new evidence arises. We will take account of any new recommendation made by the NSC in regard to hepatitis C screening.

Question reference: S4W-21711

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the introduction of opt-out hepatitis C tests for all prisoners as part of the prisoner induction process.

A study led by the University of the West of Scotland, and published in 2012 (Hepatitis C Prevalence and Incidence among Scottish Prisoners and Staff Views of its Management, Taylor et al), provided information on the availability of hepatitis C services to prisoners in Scotland. The study reported that a confidential blood borne virus service, incorporating hepatitis C (HCV), is available to all prisoners within the Scottish Prison Service. This service includes immunisations, HCV testing and counselling, HCV treatment and harm reduction awareness-raising.

The report also concluded that there is a very low incidence of HCV among the whole prison population. Most prisoners infected with hepatitis C are likely to be on short-term sentences and will also be in contact with services in the community.

Question reference: S4W-21708

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the possibility of effectively eliminating hepatitis C in Scotland.

The treatment and prevention of hepatitis C continue to be a government priority, and this is reflected in the five high-level outcomes within the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework.

The Scottish Government is also committed to developing innovative approaches towards the reduction and elimination of hepatitis C. We are currently funding a pilot study by University of Dundee into the treatment of actively injecting drug users, which aims to examine the potential to reduce rates of infection amongst this group.

The treatment and therapies subgroup of the National Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Advisory Committee is currently considering the rapidly evolving hepatitis C treatment landscape and will provide advice to ministers later this year on potential new policies and strategies for tackling hepatitis C in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-03389

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 June 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2014

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what prices it will set for the proposed pilot of commercial access to the Parliament, and whether these will be reduced for non-profit or charitable organisations.