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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 545 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-15568

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on mandatory risk assessments being carried out on all adult admissions to hospitals; whether it provides guidance on this, and which NHS boards carry out such assessments.

The Scottish Government considers that it is crucial for clinicians to use their judgement on an individual basis when carrying out risk assessments on adults admitted to hospital.

Qualified, highly trained staff within health boards carry out risk assessments based on individual circumstances, and therefore the Scottish Government does not provide mandatory risk assessments guidance. However we would expect health boards ensure that their own risk assessment clinical guidance is followed.

The Scottish Government do not hold information centrally on risk assessments as this is a matter for health boards.

Question reference: S5F-02197

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to reassure and protect communities in response to the "punish a Muslim" campaign.

Question reference: S5T-00987

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the response to, and the impact of, the contamination of water at the cancer ward at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Question reference: S5O-01900

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Health and Social Care Staff Experience Report 2017.

The Health and Social Care Staff Experience Report represents a new way to measure staff experience.

Through iMatter and the Dignity at Work Survey we have gathered more views in one year than any of the previous staff surveys. Almost three times as many compared to 2015.

In the 70th year of the NHS I’m pleased that the vast majority would recommend it as a good place to work.

It’s also encouraging to see that more staff are engaged and feel empowered to speak up. This reflects our focussed effort over the last few years on supporting and encouraging whistleblowing. This is contributing to an increasingly honest and open reporting culture within the NHS.

Question reference: S5W-14947

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) health and social care partnerships and (b) NHS boards provide wheelchair loans to people with short-term mobility needs.

Question reference: S5W-14948

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the levels and adequacy of short-term mobility aids provision.

This is a matter for individual Integration Authorities, Local Authorities and NHS Boards along with relevant partners. The Scottish Government does not collect information on the specific types of equipment or adaptations provided.

The Scottish Government issued guidance on the Provision of Community Equipment and Adaptation (CCD 5/2009) in 2009. This guidance placed the responsibility for the provision of community equipment with individual Health Boards and their local authority partners.

Question reference: S5W-14489

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many positions that have been offered by hospitals to doctors living outwith the UK in each of the last three years remain unfilled due to visa refusals, broken down by NHS board.

Immigration powers are reserved to the UK Government and visa refusal data is therefore held by the Home Office. The Scottish Government is aware that the visa cap set for Tier 2 (General) visas has recently been reached for the third month in a row. Scottish Ministers have consistently signalled to the UK Government that current immigration policy is detrimental to our ability to attract and retain highly skilled international workers.

NHS Scotland boards have not formally advised that they are currently experiencing significant difficulties as a result of visa caps being reached, though we continue to work with boards in monitoring the situation. We actively support NHS Scotland boards in their efforts to ensure that they have the right staff in place to meet local healthcare needs, this includes recruiting both nationally and internationally to fill vacancies.

Question reference: S5F-02133

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to figures that show black and Asian people in Scotland are more likely to be stopped and searched.

Question reference: S5O-01846

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that people with a violent or threatening past do not work directly with vulnerable patients in health and social care settings.

Question reference: S5W-14553

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of a fast-track crisis grant fund for reunited refugee families.