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-11692

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of trains employed so-called stop-skipping in (a) 2011 and (b) 2016.

Question reference: S5W-11993

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support (a) it and (b) its agencies provided to the Scottish Maritime Cluster event, which was held as part of London International Shipping Week in September 2017.

Question reference: S5W-11994

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support (a) it and (b) its agencies provide to the Scottish Maritime Cluster.

No direct financial support has been provided to the Scottish Maritime Cluster by the Scottish Government or its agencies. Scottish Ministers recognise the importance of the maritime sector to the Scottish economy and support the aims of the Cluster to boost economic growth.

Scottish Enterprise has recently procured (September 2017) an external service provider on a 12-month contract valued at £50,000 to conduct further detailed research into sector growth opportunities and to gather supporting evidence for the potential economic benefits of addressing these opportunities. The service provider will work closely with the Scottish Maritime Cluster under direction from Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S5W-11992

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it takes to ensure that the trade unions representing (a) seafarers and (b) port workers are represented on the Scottish Maritime Cluster.

This is an industry-led initiative and it is the responsibility of the Scottish Maritime Cluster to determine how they engage with others in the sector.

More generally, the Scottish Government recognises the benefits to employees and to organisations of strong, effective and modern industrial relations. A progressive approach to industrial relations and to trade unionism is at the heart of a fairer, more successful society. Trade union recognition in the workplace, including in the maritime sector, improves communication and the ability of employees to influence and negotiate.

Question reference: S5O-01396

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the Budget will address the impact of reductions in local government finances to services in Lothian and across the country.

Question reference: S5O-01356

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of rough sleepers.

The Programme for Government sets out our national objective to eradicate rough sleeping, recognising that it will require more than just the provision of housing and that every individual will have their own unique needs and challenges.

We have taken firm action by establishing a short-term homelessness and rough sleeping action group, and their first objective is to make recommendations on what actions we can all take to minimise rough sleeping this winter.

The Action Group is already working on this issue and will report shortly on the practical actions we can take. The Group will also identify the actions required to end rough sleeping in the longer term and transform temporary accommodation.

This is a priority area for which is also why we are backing our commitment with a £50 million ending homelessness together fund.

Question reference: S5W-11718

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government which prisons allow officers access to naloxone in order to respond to suspected opiate overdoses.

Question reference: S5W-11645

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10011 by Shona Robison on 26 July 2017, whether (a) it and (b) NHS Scotland has been approached by the Home Office in respect of the memorandum and, if so, what (i) the nature of the approach was and (ii) response was given.

The Scottish Government has not been approached by the Home Office in respect of the memorandum of understanding between NHS Digital, the Department of Health and the Home Office to share non-clinical information regarding people who are considered to be immigration offenders.

I am not aware of an approach to NHS Scotland in this regard and would expect to be notified by the Home Office if it intended to make such an approach.

Question reference: S5W-11688

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting time is for knee replacement treatment in NHS Lothian, and how this compares with the target.

Waiting time information is only available at specialty level and not at individual procedure level. In the year ending 30 June 2017 the median wait for orthopaedic treatment, including knee joint replacement was 73 days in Lothian. This compares to the 12 weeks waiting time guarantee for inpatient and day case treatment.

I recognise some patients are experiencing long waits including in the specialty of orthopaedics, that is why I have made £50 million available to NHSScotland - with up to £7.4 million being made available to NHS Lothian. This additional funding will build up their capacity and make sure that all patients are seen and treated in a timely fashion. I expect to see improvements between now and the end of March next year.

I also announced on 29 August the setting up of an expert group to reduce waiting times and improve the way elective care services are provided. The Elective Access Collaborative Programme will bring experts from the Scottish Government, NHSScotland and the Royal Colleges together to provide support to health boards.

Question reference: S5W-11750

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts for local authority services have been awarded via framework contracts since they were introduced.

Framework Agreements have been used for many years, first appearing in Scottish procurement legislation in 2006. The Scottish Government does not hold centrally the information requested and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

To increase the transparency of contract information, the Scottish Government, through the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, introduced a requirement, from 18 April 2016 for all public bodies to maintain a register of contracts. The Act requires that contacts awarded under a framework agreement must also be included in the contracts register.