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: S6O-00075

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding action to support small and medium-sized businesses to reduce their carbon emissions, as part of wider efforts to reach net zero targets.

Question reference: S6W-01495

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to eradicate the giant hogweed at the Tarbolton Moss landfill site, in light of concerns that these plants can produce seeds that remain viable for 10 years, which could spread along the course of the River Ayr.

I am pleased to report that work to remove giant hogweed from the site began on 22 July 2021.

The Scottish Government has agreed to fund the first phase of work at the Tarbolton landfill site, which will begin to reduce the environmental and amenity impact of the site. Funding for the control of hogweed was agreed as part of this first phase of work.

While the Scottish Government is not responsible for the site, we continue to work with our public partners to consider further recommendations from a site investigation for the longer-term restoration of the site.

Question reference: S6O-00002

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the suitable long-term monitoring and management of Tarbolton Landfill.

Question reference: S5W-35488

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many episodes of venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurred between 1 April 2020 and 1 December 2020, also broken down by how many were associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is not recorded as a single separate diagnosis and represents a range of conditions. VTE is likely to be the underlying condition in almost all cases with a recorded diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Some, though not all, cases with the diagnosis ‘phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities’ are associated with VTE, particularly where the site is the deep veins of the leg.

The number of hospital stays in NHS Scotland with a recorded diagnosis of pulmonary embolism or with ‘phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities’ for the time period 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020 are shown in the following table. (Data for the period up to December 2020 will be available from 25 May 2021.) It is not possible to say how many of these episodes were specifically related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Venous thromboembolism may occur at many sites other than the lower extremities, including the portal, renal and cerebral circulations, but these cases are not included here.

Table: Number of hospital stays for pulmonary embolism and for ‘phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities’* (without mention of pulmonary embolism) in NHS Scotland, 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.
‎

	Pulmonary embolism **	Phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of the lower extremities, without a diagnosis of pulmonary embolism *
Stays	2,821	1,140

* includes phlebitis and thrombophlebitis of femoral, deep or unspecified vessels of the lower extremities (ICD10 I80.1, I80.2, I80.3)

** based on ICD10 code I26

Source: Public Health Scotland, SMR01
‎ Extracted: March 2021

Question reference: S5W-35614

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the aims of World Obesity Day 2021, and whether it plans to tackle weight stigma as part of its obesity strategy, A healthier future: Scotland's diet and healthy weight delivery plan.

We support the mission of World Obesity Day, which aligns with the five key outcomes set out in our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan: giving children the best start in life; creating a healthier food environment; better access to weight management services; leadership; and reducing health inequalities. The Delivery Plan is at https://www.gov.scot/publications/healthier-future-scotlands-diet-healthy-weight-delivery-plan/ .

Evidence shows that people living with obesity often experience stigma from employers, health professionals, the media as well as from family and friends. This stigma and weight bias has been associated with poorer mental health, negative experiences of healthcare provision, which can then be a barrier to accessing support that could help people live healthier lives. This is why we have included actions in our Delivery Plan action to address weight-based stigma and discrimination. Included in our Delivery Plan is the commitment to better understand the extent to which weight-based stigma prevents young people from seeking health care advice, treatment and support through research. The Delivery Plan also contains a commitment to act upon the findings.

In March 2020, the Mental Health Foundation co-chaired the Scottish Government’s Advisory Group on Good Body Image for children and young people, and published a report with a number of recommendations relating to the eradication of weight stigma and bias. The report can be accessed here: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/MHF_Body-Image2020_Report_ONLINE-VERSION%20%281%29.pdf .

In response to this publication, Public Health Scotland are developing weight stigma discrimination training and communication guidelines that will initially be aimed at health care professionals in the NHS but will also be freely available for anyone to access.

In 2020-21 we provided Obesity Action Scotland with over £200,000 of grant funding. Obesity Action Scotland provide leadership and advocacy to health professionals, policy makers and the public on preventing, and reducing obesity and overweight in Scotland by:

Raising awareness and understanding of health harms and drivers
Identifying and pursuing effective prevention strategies
Undertaking appropriate research and evidence gathering
Promoting healthy weight

Question reference: S5W-35612

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of COVID-19 on the provision of weight management services.

We are aware that the pandemic has impacted the delivery of weight management services across Scotland. Staff have been redeployed to acute COVID-19 response, which has resulted in the pausing of some in-person weight management services across Boards over the past year.

Boards are required to report quarterly to the Scottish Government on their progress in relation to the Framework for the Prevention, Early Detection and Early Intervention of Type 2 Diabetes. This reporting mechanism allows us to assess any impact of COVID-19 on weight management services that are integral to Type 2 Diabetes care.

The provision of weight management services has continued throughout the pandemic on digital platforms such as NHS Near Me. Boards are refocusing pre-COVID services to include digital and technological solutions to improve flexibility of care. Further information on Near Me can be found here https://www.nearme.scot/ .

Public Health Scotland will publish a national report this year on the core national weight management dataset, incorporating data analyses and reflections on COVID-19 impact on data collection. This report is expected in May 2021. We will use this dataset to assess the weight management services currently offered and the outcomes achieved by users.

Question reference: S5W-35611

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of including obesity as one of the indicators of health inequalities as part of its annual monitoring of measures to reduce inequalities across the country.

The annual Diet and Healthy Weight Monitoring Report publishes official statistics on obesity, measured against the obesity indicator framework, with reference to wider health inequalities. The most recent publication can be found here: Diet and healthy weight: monitoring report 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Diet and levels of obesity and overweight in adults and children are also measured annually as part of the Scottish Health Survey. This information is available at SIMD quintile.

Plans to meet to discuss the annual Long-term Monitoring of Health Inequalities report, including a review of indicators, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is hoped to restart again later in the year.

Question reference: S5W-35613

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of COVID-19 on people diagnosed with obesity, what consideration it has given to publishing an updated obesity strategy.

We are aware of evidence highlighting the impact obesity can have on the severity of COVID-19. We are learning more about the virus and its relationship to obesity and health inequalities all the time. This is why addressing overweight and obesity remains a public health priority. Our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan outlines our vision of a Scotland where everyone eats well and has a healthy weight.

The Delivery Plan acknowledges that deprivation is a contributory factor to levels of obesity and overweight in the Scottish population, and sets out actions to be taken forward to address this. The pandemic has underlined the importance of this approach.

We consider that the actions contained in the Delivery Plan to improve the food environment are still the right approach but their timing will require careful consideration in light of the pandemic’s impact on society. The administration in place after the Scottish Parliamentary election may therefore wish to give this matter careful consideration.

Question reference: S5W-35490

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support primary care in the prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for those at risk in the community.

We recognise that supporting people to remain physically active and keep mobile can reduce the incidence of both venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism. Being physically active is particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as this not only has significant benefits for our physical health but also our mental health.

Evidence based local pathways have been developed to support standard assessment and timely referral for appropriate investigations of venuous thromboembolism, with quick scan response times.

The pathways also support the need for ongoing follow up, or further investigation where clinically appropriate. This is supported by pharmacy teams to allow rapid access to anticoagulants and new oral anticoagulants in the community to reduce the need of regular INR blood monitoring.

Question reference: S5F-04870

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 March 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to protect and strengthen social connection in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.