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: S6W-07881

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it has supported former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-07886

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what resources are provided to former Hong Kong residents who resettle in Scotland in order to ensure that they integrate safely.

Question reference: S6O-00971

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the R100 programme in rural areas.

Question reference: S6W-07770

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm how many Historic Environment Scotland properties are currently (a) open to the public at full-capacity, (b) partly open and (c) closed.

Question reference: S6W-07516

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-06463 by Maree Todd on 28 February 2022, what steps it is taking to ensure that people are still able to access community defibrillators, that require an access code sent to a phone, during times when mobile and landline networks are down, and when there is no public telephone at easy access, as is often the case in rural areas.

We recognise that locked defibrillator cabinets, such as those that require an access code sent to a phone, can sometimes present logistical problems for access. We would therefore reiterate the advice in the answer to S6W-06463 that defibrillator guardians follow the advice of the Resuscitation Council of the UK (RCUK) and consider placing their defibrillators in an unlocked cabinet in order to make them as accessible as possible at all times.

The RCUK highlights that despite widespread use of unlocked cabinets, instances of theft and vandalism are relatively uncommon. Further information is available at: https://www.resus.org.uk/about-us/news-and-events/consensus-statement-aed-cabinets

It is important to note that resilience of the Communications Sector, which includes telecommunications and internet, is reserved and therefore the responsibility of the UK Government.

Major outages are extremely rare, but most telecoms equipment is dependent on a power supply in order to function which can be disrupted by extreme weather. The ‘Ready Scotland’ website, at ready.scot , provides advice to the public on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies; including utilities loss and severe weather.

We will continue to press the UK Government and the regulator (Ofcom) for assurance that increasing resilience of the telecoms network in Scotland is a priority.

Question reference: S6W-07885

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 12 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07058 by Neil Gray on 14 March 2022, whether it will provide further details of the steps that it has taken to ensure that Hong Kong residents coming to the UK through the British National (Overseas) visa scheme are encouraged to resettle in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-07442

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessments are being, or will be, undertaken to understand any risks associated with the epilepsy drug, sodium valproate, and its reported potential ability to cause autism in babies in utero.

A 2017 review of the use of sodium valproate in pregnancy by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) found that babies exposed to sodium valproate are at higher risk of malformations or developmental problems. Following this review, the EMA agreed new measures to avoid the use of sodium valproate in women and girls of child bearing potential. This included the adoption of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme.

On 7 January 2022, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published the results of the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) review of the safety of anti-epileptics in pregnancy. The CHM recommended that the MHRA should review whether the available data raises any new safety concerns or changes current understanding about the safety of other epilepsy medicines during pregnancy. The Scottish Government is continuing to work closely with the MHRA on issues around medicines safety, including those relating to sodium valproate.

Furthermore, the Scottish Government is funding the roll-out of a pilot Scottish Epilepsy Register in three NHS Health Boards (NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Tayside and NHS Lanarkshire). This will help identify patients taking sodium valproate, as well as any other anti-epileptic medicines, some of which may also have the potential to cause harm. Alongside the data we already collect on prescribing, this has the potential to form the basis of a Scotland-wide epilepsy registry and, with further adaptation, could collect outcome data. This can help support better shared decision making to reduce the risk of harm and improve delivery of and access to care and support.

Question reference: S6W-07443

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what advice NHS boards are giving to pregnant epileptic women who are taking sodium valproate to control their condition.

In March 2018, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) issued new measures to limit exposure to sodium valproate in utero, including the adoption of a Pregnancy Prevention Programme.

Following this, new and strengthened information materials for healthcare professionals and patients have been issued, including an updated Summary of Product Characteristics and Patient Information Leaflet, new education materials for professionals, as well as updated packaging stamped with a new pictogram. Furthermore, updated guidance on the use of sodium valproate has been issued by both the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

Prescribers in Scotland are expected to follow current drug safety information and the new measures in relation to sodium valproate to ensure women being prescribed this medicine are fully apprised of the risks and are able to make informed decisions.

Question reference: S6W-07392

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that identifying details, such as name and date of birth, can be displayed on the Test and Protect website following a positive COVID-19 lateral flow test being recorded through the UK Government website.

Anyone who reports a positive LFD test through the UK Government website is directed to complete a contact tracing form at a website hosted by Test and Protect. To complete this form, the individual must input their surname, date of birth, and input a unique code given to them when contacted by Test and Protect after testing positive. Without these three unique identifying factors, an individual cannot access the contact tracing form, ensuring the form is correctly matched to the specific individual.

If any information on their Covid-19 Status is wrong, individuals should phone the Covid-19 Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565.

Question reference: S6W-07440

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is currently available on the fees for people who are self-funding social care, and what body oversees any appeals process.

The amount self-funders pay for their care home costs is a contractual matter between the individual and their care home provider. This agreement is protected by consumer protection laws.

Guidance on Social Care is on the Scottish Government website: Social care support - Social care - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Further guidance on free personal and nursing care can be found here - Care Support and Rights.dot (scot.nhs.uk)