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-18653

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the level of statin use is, and what information it has regarding how this compares with the rest of the UK.

In Scotland, the Dispenser Payments and Prescription Cost Analysis report provides (on an annual basis), information on the volume of drugs prescribed in the community. The report is published on the National Services Scotland Information Services Division website:- www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Prescribing-and-Medicines/Community-Dispensing/Dispenser-Remuneration/

In addition, ISD Scotland also publish the following Cardiovascular publishing data: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Heart-Disease/Publications/2018-01-30/DDD_cost_number_prescriptions_Board_G2.xlsx

These reports show that for the year ending 31st March 2017 , there were 303,551,535 Defined Daily Doses of Statins issued within the community in Scotland. For the year ending 31 st March 2016 , there were 300,009,193 DDD.

A Defined Daily Dose (DDD) is defined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as “the assumed average maintenance dose per day for a drug used on its main indications in adults”. DDDs are commonly used as a proxy measure of how many patients in the population are taking a particular drug and this allows for some comparison between Health Boards.

NHS England publish figures on prescribing in the community at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/prescription-cost-analysis-england-2017

NHS Wales publishes figures on prescribing in the community at: http://www.primarycareservices.wales.nhs.uk/data-publications

NHS Northern Ireland publishes figures on prescribing in the community at: http://www.hscbusiness.hscni.net/services/2930.htm

The figures published in each of the UK nations use different timeframes and datasets and are therefore not comparable.

Question reference: S5W-18457

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns about the impact on health of traces of glyphosate being found in food products.

Question reference: S5W-18654

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines there are regarding when statins should be prescribed, and how these compare with the guidelines issued in the rest of the UK.

The relevant guidelines for statin prescribing in Scotland are SIGN 149 which is available here:

https://www.sign.ac.uk/assets/sign149.pdf

In England, the equivalent guidelines are published by NICE which are available here:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg181

NICE guidelines are in use in Wales and Northern Ireland as well as additional local guidance as required.

With respect to a comparison between guidelines, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) have a shared interest in the drive to improve quality of care for patients through the development of clinical guidelines.

Question reference: S5W-18405

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the planning group that has been established to improve access to mechanical thrombectomy will report its findings.

Question reference: S5W-18360

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether frontline non-NHS staff in the health and social care sectors, including those employed by charitable and third sector care organisations, should also be offered season flu vaccinations, and how this could impact on flu incidence and associated absences from work.

The health and safety of frontline non-NHS staff in the health and social care sectors falls under the governance and care of employers and their occupational health systems.

Vaccination against flu should be considered an integral component of standard infection control procedures. Social care providers and independent primary care providers such as GP, dental and optometry practices, and community pharmacists, should arrange vaccination of their staff.

Each year the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer issue a letter to the NHS setting out arrangements for the flu season. This letter highlights the importance of staff or other individuals who may be at risk of occupational exposure being offered the vaccine by employers. This programme is supported by a range of marketing materials to raise awareness amongst staff, including posters and leaflets.

Question reference: S5O-02358

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a timetable of the action that it plans to address overcapacity issues on the A720 Edinburgh city bypass.

The Scottish Government’s commitment through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal includes up to £120 million for the grade separation of the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout which will bring improved economic benefits and inclusion across Edinburgh and South East Scotland and is being progressed by Transport Scotland as part of the City Region Deal. Subject to completing the necessary statutory procedures the improvements at Sheriffhall will be delivered within the timeframe of the City Deal.

Additionally Transport Scotland is undertaking a review of the Strategic Transport Projects Review over the lifetime of this parliament. The A720 is a key part of Scotland’s transport network and will be assessed in its entirety within this Review which will gather robust evidence to enable decisions on investment in strategic infrastructure across Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-10657

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time for a cataract operation has been in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S5W-18359

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the first Carer's Allowance Supplement payments will be made.

Question reference: S5W-17906

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of international best practice in the use of Doppler ultrasound scans.

Question reference: S5F-02546

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 September 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland's call for an increase in the use of the thrombectomy procedure.