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-05840

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people it expects to have elective surgery in NHS facilities in England over the next three years.

Question reference: S4W-05838

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government to ensure that people from Scotland continue to have access to specialist NHS facilities in England (a) after the planned reforms to NHS services in England and (b) if Scotland votes Yes in the proposed independence referendum.

In relation to part (a) of this question about the planned reforms to the NHS in England, we have sought to ensure that the legislation allows for any arrangements that currently exist between the health service in Scotland and the health service in England to continue within the planned new architecture for Health and Social Care in England.

A Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM (S3) 33.1) was lodged at parliament on 21 January 2011 regarding the provisions of the UK Health and Social Care Bill that fall within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, or alter the executive competence of Scottish ministers. This was considered by the Health and Sport Committee on 23 February 2011 (Official Report:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28862.aspx?r=6236&mode=html).

The Legislative Consent Motion (S3M-08063) was lodged on 3 March 2011 and agreed by parliament on 9 March 2011.

As far as part (b) is concerned, as laid out in Your Scotland Your Voice (paragraphs 6.9 to 6.11), with independence, cross-border cooperation in health could be enhanced. There are already cross-border arrangements for the commissioning of specialist health services and similar agreements exist on a European Union basis. A white paper drawing together the Scottish Government’s proposals for independence will be published in November 2013.

Question reference: S4O-00761

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many administrative and hotel services staff were employed by NHS Ayrshire and Arran in 2007 compared with 2012.

Question reference: S4W-05456

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether James Watt College will continue to operate with a single board covering its Kilwinning and Inverclyde campuses following the establishment of the new college regions or whether regional-based boards will be established.

Following the publication of Professor Russel Griggs’s Review of FE Governance I wrote to colleges seeking their views on all 34 recommendations, including those pertaining to the establishment of regional boards.

I subsequently met with college leaders on 28 February and had a detailed discussion on the future governance of the college sector.

I will very closely consider both Professor Griggs’s proposals and the views expressed by the college sector before reaching any final view on the establishment of regional boards.

Question reference: S4W-05452

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the establishment of the new college regions will lead to the existing James Watt College structure being broken up and, if not, how having two separate campuses with different funding streams will impact on the operation of the college.

Regionalisation is fundamentally about learners and employers – not institutions – and ensuring there is coherent provision to meet their needs.

James Watt College is in the unique position in having campuses in two of the newly defined regions. I have made clear that I want to re-align the funding for Kilwinning, from next academic year, as part of one outcome agreement for Ayrshire. To that end, I have asked the Funding Council, working with the colleges, to determine the optimal solution for 2012 to 2013 and beyond.

Question reference: S4W-05451

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will be possible for resources to be transferred between the Kilwinning and Inverclyde campuses of James Watt College following the establishment of the new college regions.

Question reference: S4W-05454

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Kilwinning campus of James Watt College is the only campus in Scotland with PFI-related debt and, if so, whether ministers took this into consideration when considering the make-up of the new college regions and the regions' funding settlements.

Question reference: S4W-05455

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 29 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the PFI-related debt of the Kilwinning campus of James Watt College will have on the new Ayrshire college region and what steps ministers are taking to ensure that this will not leave the region in a disadvantageous position.

Question reference: S4O-00739

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what investment in its transport infrastructure North Ayrshire will receive in the next five years.

Question reference: S4W-05274

Asked by: Margaret McDougall, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 7 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the NHS regarding PIP breast implants.