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-04649

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting times for orthopaedic surgery in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

The Scottish Government is continuing to work with the operational and clinical teams in NHS Dumfries and Galloway to support the remobilisation of all services, including surgery for orthopaedic patients.

Whilst local capacity for surgery has been reduced, due to ongoing pressures, the Board have utilised orthopaedic capacity at Golden Jubilee National Hospital for a mix of routine long waiting patients and urgent patients.

To support the system as a whole we published our NHS Recovery Plan, which is backed by more than £1 billion of investment, sets out how we will take forward our aim of increasing NHS capacity by at least 10% in order to address the backlog of care and meet the ongoing healthcare needs of the country.

Question reference: S6W-04241

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many taxi drivers (a) applied for and (b) received a Disclosure Scotland certificate before starting work with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The Scottish Ambulance Service do not directly employ taxi drivers. The Service have accessed taxis through established contracts with territorial Health Boards. These taxis firms are regularly used by Health Boards for transporting patients and staff and have longstanding contracts with the NHS. Drivers who work under the contract have live PVG (Protection on Vulnerable Groups) registration via Disclosure Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-04773

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many children and adolescents have (a) waited longer than the 18-week target to begin treatment within child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and (b) received treatment within CAMHS in each year since the target was introduced.

Table 1 shows the total number of patients seen for first treatment following referral to CAMH Services, and the number of patients seen who waited more than 18 weeks between referral and first treatment appointment in CAMH Services for each year between January 2015 and up to the latest published data for quarter ending September 2021.

The Scottish Government national standard is that 90% of children and young people should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

Table 1: Total number of patients seen and waiting times from referral to treatment, NHS Scotland

Year	Total Number of Patients Seen from Referral to Treatment	Number of Patients who Waited Longer than 18 Weeks from Referral to Treatment
Jan 15 - Dec 15	17,476	4,152
Jan 16 - Dec 16	17,745	3,407
Jan 17 - Dec 17	15,864	3,577
Jan 18 - Dec 18	17,451	5,227
Jan 19 - Dec 19	16,035	5,019
Jan 20 - Dec 20	15,802	5,428
Jan 21 - Sep 21	12,440	3,188

Source: PHS CAMHS database

Note that data presented in this table may vary slightly when compared to that originally published, due to subsequent resubmission of data.

Question reference: S6W-04762

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Fit for the Future consultation proposals will have on the operational opening times of rail ticket offices.

Question reference: S6W-04771

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a public consultation as part of the Fair Fares Review.

Question reference: S6W-04763

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation opportunities will be offered to stakeholders as part of the Fair Fares review.

Our Fair Fares Review is part of a broader package of work being taken forward by Transport Scotland to ensure that there is a viable and sustainable transport system for the future. Immediate priorities for this work include ensuring that our transport system is aligned with the prevailing Covid-19 conditions, providing up to date guidance and communications support to passengers and operators, and securing a safe and confident return to public transport at the right time as we recover from the pandemic.

The Fair Fares Review, which is currently in its planning stages, is being undertaken to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares in the future. The review will look at the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry. It will take cognisance of the cost and availability of services, and will consider options against a background where the costs of car travel are declining and public transport costs are increasing.

Given the present state of the pandemic, Transport Scotland is currently considering how stakeholders can most effectively engage with the review and further details on this and on the timescale for the review will be provided to Parliament in due course.

Question reference: S6W-04702

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Holding Answer by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many case note reviews have been carried out in relation to patients at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where aspergillus infection has been suspected.

Question reference: S6W-04667

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the amount of affordable housing in rural communities, in light of reports that the projects that it is funding have only been able to build 131 homes up to November 2021.

Over 6,000 affordable homes were delivered in rural and island areas across Scotland during the last parliamentary term. Our Programme for Government commits to delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032 of which at least 70% will be available for social rent and 10% will be in our remote, rural and island communities.

As part of our Affordable Housing Supply Programme, communities will also be supported by the continuation of the demand led Rural and Islands Housing Fund backed by up to £30 million of investment in this parliamentary period. The fund has been described in a Scottish Land Commission report as ‘game changers’ for community-led housing development and were developed in collaboration with community housing trusts.

We have also committed to developing a Remote, Rural and Island Housing Action Plan and will engage with a wide range of stakeholders on its development to ensure it delivers for remote, rural and island communities.

Question reference: S6W-04706

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Holding Answer by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many Hospital Infection Incident Assessment Tool Red reports it received in respect of aspergillus infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and on what date.

Question reference: S6W-04703

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 November 2021
Current Status: Holding Answer by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have received a diagnosis of aspergillus infection at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in each year since the hospital opened.