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-14605

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-13042

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport has to meet the (a) chief medical officer and (b) Secretary of State for Health to discuss the announcement by the National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) to stop routine trans-vaginal mesh implants in England, and whether the cabinet secretary also plans to discuss this matter with representatives of NICE.

NICE undertook a public consultation on revised mesh guidance, and guidance was published on Friday 15 December. NICE IPP guidance applies across the UK, including in Scotland, and the Chief Medical Officer has therefore written to all Health Boards, alerting them to the fact that new guidance will shortly be published, and stressing that it must be implemented. Furthermore, HIS is presently in the process of establishing a Mesh Oversight Group, which will be expected to consider all evidence, adverse events reports, and other material relating to transvaginal mesh, including NICE guidance, and to work with Health Boards to ensure that such material is reflected in pathways of care.

The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland and other Scottish Government officials brief Ministers on transvaginal mesh on an on-going basis. I discussed mesh, including the draft NICE guidance, with the Chief Medical Officer during the week of 27 November.

Both the Chief Medical Officer and I have written to the MHRA to express concerns about the role of the MHRA in relation to transvaginal mesh. Furthermore, given the concerns, I have also written to the Secretary of State for Health, given his overall responsibility for the MHRA asking for a meeting to discuss these concerns.

Question reference: S5F-01859

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to promote road safety over the festive period.

Question reference: S5W-12679

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the Pupil Equity Fund can be used to assist pupils with dyslexia.

Headteachers are expected to work in partnership with each other, and their local authority, to agree the use of their Pupil Equity Funding. They must take account of the statutory responsibilities of the authority to deliver educational improvement, secure best value and meet the additional support needs of children and young people. In this context, Headteachers must consider the additional steps that will be required to close the educational attainment gap for pupils in their schools affected by poverty and who have additional support needs such as dyslexia.

Question reference: S5W-12675

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the EIS regarding the provision of dyslexia training (a) for (i) trainee and (ii) probationary teachers and (b) as part of teachers' ongoing professional learning development.

Question reference: S5W-12674

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how trainee teachers are taught about dealing with dyslexia.

All courses of Initial Teacher Education are accredited and approved by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) as the independent, regulatory body for the teaching profession. The GTCS will only grant accreditation if they are satisfied that the content of courses is appropriate for a student teacher to be able to meet the requirements of the Standard for Provisional Registration (SPR).

The SPR includes a requirement to demonstrate an awareness of barriers to learning, such as dyslexia, recognising when to seek further advice in relation to all learners' needs. The way in which this requirement is delivered is for each university to determine.

Question reference: S5W-12676

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils are being taught in schools in neighbouring local authorities because it is felt that they are more effective in dealing with dyslexia.

Question reference: S5W-12677

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school pupils have been diagnosed with dyslexia in each of the last five years, and what information is has on how many were (i) offered the necessary assistance to stay at school and (ii) taken out of school to be home taught because it was felt that the necessary assistance was not offered.

The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government does collect data on the number of pupils supported in school because of dyslexia.

Data on number of pupils supported because of dyslexia in primary and secondary school – 2012-2016

Year	Primary	Secondary	Total
2016	4549	13722	18271
2015	4313	12547	16860
2014	4259	11448	15707
2013	4447	10745	15192
2012	4155	9210	13365

Question reference: S5O-01498

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the teaching of STEM subjects in the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency.

Question reference: S5O-01423

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it offers to dog owners who use farmland to exercise their pets.

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code requires dogs to be kept on a short lead or under close control in fields where livestock are present. The Code also requires people with dogs to avoid fields containing lambs, calves or other young animals, and fields containing vegetables or fruit.

Since spring 2013, Scottish Natural Heritage has participated in a series of campaigns aimed at dog walkers such as the “Sheep Wise” campaign launched last spring.

Most recently, the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime launched a campaign on 1 November to raise awareness among dog owners about the devastating effects of livestock worrying.