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-19387

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference are of the Directors of Planning Thrombectomy Advisory Group.

The purpose, governance and remit from the Terms of Reference for the Thrombectomy Advisory Group (TAG) are below. These terms of reference were agreed in November 2-17 and are due to updated in December 2018.

Purpose of the Group: The TAG provides a professional leadership and governance body with responsibility for ensuring that the startegic vision for the implementation of thrombectomy services in Scotland is defined and delivered. The Group's membership has representation from across NHS Scotland to ensure that decisions relating to the proposed service are made in the best interests of stroke patients across Scotland and that it aligns with the wider health and social care strategies.

Governance: The TAG is accountable to the Directors of Planning Group who will be responsible for submitting papers for approval to the Board Chief Executives as appropriate and required.

Remit of the Group: The TAG will be responsible for:

Defining and approving a strategic vision for the implementation of thrombectomy services in NHS Scotland which aligns to the emerging regional and national Health and Social Care Delivery Plans and follows the principles set out in the National Clinical Strategy.
Approving the scope of work to be undertaken and prioritising this to ensure timely delivery to achieve the strategic vision.
Commissioning professional groups to undertake specific work packages (see table below for examples).
Providing a focus on delivery to drive the pace of change
Owning the resolution of risks and issues, where resolution may lie in their representative area.
Fostering collaboration between stakeholders
Ensuring appropriate data processes are in place to capture and analyse the service performance.
Reporting progress to the Directors of Planning Group

Question reference: S5O-02511

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when air passenger duty will be fully devolved.

Question reference: S5O-02498

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what Social Security Scotland's full-time equivalent headcount will be by 31 December 2018.

Social Security Scotland’s current headcount is 263, with a full-time equivalent headcount of 258.5.

Subject to pre-employment checks for 15 new recruits, Social Security Scotland’s headcount is expected to be 278 by the end of the 2018 calendar year. The exact full-time equivalent figure will depend on individual working patterns and hours which have still to be agreed.

Social Security Scotland will continue to grow as benefits are devolved. The full-time equivalent headcount for 2019 and beyond will depend on the sequencing of benefits which has still to be agreed.

Question reference: S5F-02709

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the report from Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, which suggests that one in five patients are not receiving the support they require.

Question reference: S5F-02657

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2018

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports that there has been the biggest rise in HIV infection in Scotland for three decades.

Question reference: S5W-18910

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in reviewing the evidence from London, Greater Manchester and elsewhere regarding reshaping acute stroke services, as set out at page 72 of A National Clinical Strategy for Scotland, and by what date it will publish its findings.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of thrombectomy which can significantly improve outcomes and quality of life for some people who have had an ischaemic stroke by avoiding or reducing the level of disability.

That is why the Directors of Planning Thrombectomy Advisory Group are producing a national planning framework for the provision of thrombectomy for Scotland. This will include consideration of evidence and learning from London and Greater Manchester stroke services. It is intended that this will be completed by early 2019. It will be the basis for moving forward on implementation and spread of thrombectomy provision in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-18466

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many stroke patients have been transferred to other parts of the UK for a thrombectomy in each of the last five years, also broken down by where the treatment was provided.

Question reference: S5O-02369

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent figures from the Scottish Prison Service showing record levels of disorder, drug-taking and fire-raising in prisons.

Question reference: S5W-17889

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposal in its Barclay Implementation consultation paper of 25 June 2018, which business and industrial sectors will be liable for the new business rates levy on out-of-town and online businesses.

The Barclay Review recommended that a new discretionary power be created to allow Local Authorities to apply a rates supplement in certain circumstances, for out-of-town retailers or predominantly online retailers. It was also recommended that this be tested in a possible pilot scheme which would run in up to three council areas in which businesses based out-of-town might be charged a modest supplement on their rates to support town centres.

As highlighted in the current consultation, no final policy design decisions have been taken on the Barclay Review on business rates and the Scottish Government is seeking views on the possible pilot scheme and the potential safeguards which would form the basis of an assessment for the application of the scheme.

As part of this consultation we welcome all views and will consider all submissions very carefully before reaching any decisions.

Question reference: S5W-17886

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) headline business rate poundage and (b) large business supplement has been in each of the last 10 years, including the current financial year.

The following table shows the poundage rate, large business supplement, and large business supplement threshold (rateable value) for each year from 2008-09 to 2018-19:

Year	Poundage rate (pence)	Large Business Supplement (pence)	Large Business Supplement Threshold (rateable value)
2008-09	45.8	0.4	> £29,000
2009-10	48.1	0.4	> £29,000
2010-11	40.7	0.7	> £35,000
2011-12	42.6	0.7	> £35,000
2012-13	45.0	0.8	> £35,000
2013-14	46.2	0.9	> £35,000
2014-15	47.1	1.1	> £35,000
2015-16	48.0	1.3	> £35,000
2016-17	48.4	2.6	> £35,000
2017-18	46.6	2.6	> £51,000
2018-19	48.0	2.6	> £51,000