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 31742 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-00731

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received in the last 12 months from (a) Cancer Research UK, and (b) other cancer charities, regarding arrangements for breast cancer screening for women aged 70 and over.

The Scottish Government has not received representation within the last 12 months from either Cancer Research UK, or any other cancer charities regarding breast screening for the over 70s. However, there is representation from cancer charities on decision-making committees, including Cancer Research UK on the Scottish Screening Committee and Breast Cancer Now on the Breast Screening Programme Board. This ensures they are regularly updated on the status of the breast screening programme, including the pause of self-referrals for people over 70.

Question reference: S6W-00755

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been done to quantify the reliability of PCR test kits that can be bought privately.

Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is investigating potential options to ensure that consumers and the wider public can have confidence in the reliability of private PCR tests.

We have issued guidance for employers on setting up private testing programmes which includes information on seeking assurances around test quality: Coronavirus (COVID-19) - employee testing programmes: guidance for employers - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

UK Government legislation regulating the Coronavirus test devices can be found here: The Medical Devices (Coronavirus Test Device Approvals) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (legislation.gov.uk) .

Question reference: S6W-00733

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of those screened for breast cancer were women aged 70 and over, in each year since 2010.

Question reference: S6W-00923

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's work on EU research funding schemes, what discussions it had with UK ministers prior to setting up the Saltire Research Awards.

At the start of 2021, the Scottish Government held several discussions with the UK Government and the other Devolved Administrations regarding a joint approach to encourage participation in Horizon Europe by UK organisations. As part of these, UK Government officials were made aware of the plans of the Scottish Government to dedicate funding to support European research collaboration before the launch of the Saltire Research Awards. Scottish and UK Ministers communicate on strategic research policy issues regularly.

Question reference: S6W-00961

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing vouchers for one free NHS dental check-up for new mothers that can be redeemed after the baby’s first birthday if the mothers were unable to access this service before the birthday because of COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S6W-01193

Asked by: David Torrance, MSP for Kirkcaldy, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support will be made available to NHS Boards in responding to COVID-19 in 2021-22.

Additional funding of £1.08 billion has been confirmed through the Scottish Budget for health and care for 2021-22 to support the response to the pandemic.

From this, the Scottish Government is providing an initial £380 million to NHS Boards in 2021-22 to meet ongoing costs associated with Covid-19. This includes funding for PPE, Test and Protect and delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations.

The Scottish Government will continue to ensure that our health and care services have the funding that they require to respond to this pandemic, and will make available further additional support following our detailed Quarter One financial review.

Details of funding allocations to NHS Boards are set out in the following table:

	Covid Funding (£m)
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	13.7
NHS Borders	3.4
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	4.9
NHS Fife	11.6
NHS Forth Valley	10.1
NHS Grampian	16.2
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	45.8
NHS Highland	9.8
NHS Lanarkshire	25.9
NHS Lothian	27.0
NHS Orkney	0.7
NHS Shetland	0.7
NHS Tayside	13.7
NHS Western Isles	0.9
National Waiting Times Centre	3.9
Scottish Ambulance Service	17.4
The State Hospital	0.3
NHS 24	2.7
NHS Education for Scotland	1.8
NHS National Services Scotland	156.3
Healthcare Improvement Scotland	0.4
Public Health Scotland	12.6
Total	379.6

Question reference: S6W-01140

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-00784

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement a waiting time guarantee and target for endometriosis diagnosis and treatment.

The Scottish Government aims to reduce the diagnosis time for endometriosis. The Scottish Government’s soon to be published Women’s Health Plan (WHP) includes a number of actions to improve access to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and best treatment for endometriosis.

While there are no plans at the moment to introduce a waiting time guarantee and standard for endometriosis diagnosis and treatment we will continue to work with people with lived experience, Endometriosis UK and Public Health Scotland to identify realistic targets to measure improvement. The existing waiting times standards and guarantees for elective care continue to apply. NHS Board elective activity continues to remobilise at a safe pace, ensuring capacity remains in place to respond to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic as required.

Question reference: S6W-00783

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed in each of the three specialist endometriosis centres in Scotland, and what the average waiting time is for each.

Question reference: S6W-00812

Asked by: Neil Gray, MSP for Airdrie and Shotts, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 1 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many 18- to 25-year-olds it estimates will be eligible for free NHS dental charges in the Airdrie and Shotts constituency.