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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-22243

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, and in relation to the commitment to establish an expert working group to consider mandating automatic fire suppression systems where historic buildings are being converted into hotels, whether it will confirm (a) the membership of the group and (b) when the group’s (i) terms of reference and (ii) remit will be in place, and when it expects the group to report.

Question reference: S6W-22244

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, when it will amend the guidance in the technical handbooks to promote the use of automatic fire suppression systems for historic building conversions to hotels.

Question reference: S6W-22497

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration was given to deprivation factors in deciding on the proposed location of neonatal services.

The locations of the three Neonatal Intensive Care Units was based on clinical evidence that the very smallest and sickest babies, including those born extremely premature (below 27 weeks), do best when they are cared for in larger specialist neonatal units which look after a lot of these babies, and have the right staff and services available on site to give them the very best care. The Best Start report recommended that we move to three of these units in Scotland, to meet the needs of our population.

The Options Appraisal Report , published on 25 July 2023 describes the process undertaken to determine the three final Neonatal Intensive Care Units, and the feasibility analysis and testing that followed the conclusion of that process. Annex A of the Report includes the criteria and weighting used for the Options Appraisal Process. Based on the evidence, the criteria focused on collocated clinical specialist services.

To support all parents who have babies admitted to neonatal care the Young Patients Family Fund provides funds to cover the cost of travel, subsistence and any accommodation required.

Question reference: S6W-22343

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the task group that is considering the issue of a right to breaks for carers will report back its recommendations, and how it will do so.

The Right to Breaks Regulations and Guidance Working Group’s role is advisory, to help with the development of the statutory guidance and regulations that will be required to deliver the right to breaks for carers proposed by the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. This work cannot be finalised until after parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill has concluded and is likely to feed into wider consultation on the approaches proposed.

Question reference: S6W-22053

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what the revised projected journey time will be between Glasgow Central Station and London Euston Station, in light of the UK Government's decision to cancel High Speed 2 Phase Two, and what impact it anticipates this decision will have on modal shift from domestic air travel between Glasgow Airport and London airports, in light of its aim to encourage modal shift to more sustainable travel.

We do not hold information on the revised projected passenger journey times between Glasgow Central Station and London Euston Station following the UK Government’s recent decisions on High Speed Two.

The UK Government has yet to advise us what its plans for Glasgow to London rail services will be in the light of this recent cancellation.

The Scottish Government is of the view that this decision will not assist modal shift from air travel.

Question reference: S6W-22246

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Short Life Working Group report arising from the Fatal Accident Inquiry recommendations following the fire at Cameron House Hotel, when the first workshop will be held with partners, including industry, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Local Authority Building Standards Scotland/The Building Standards Hub, and Historic Environment Scotland, to promote key fire safety messages around the dangers of historic construction techniques, materials, and fire spread in hidden voids.

Question reference: S6W-22533

Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many dentists there currently are per head of population in Scotland, and what information it has on how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.

In Scotland there are 55.3 dentists per 100,000 of the population, compared to 42.7 in England and 46.2 in Wales.

Information on the number of dentists per 100,000 of the population in Scotland can be found in the data tables of the NHS Scotland workforce statistics on NHS Education for Scotland’s website: All official statistics publications | Turas Data Intelligence (nhs.scot) .

Information on the dental workforce in England and Wales is available online at: NHS Dental Statistics for England, 2022-23, Annual Report - NHS Digital and NHS Dental workforce by local health board, age group, gender, contract type and dentist type (gov.wales) and p opulation estimates by UK country can be found at: Population estimates - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) .

Question reference: S6W-22534

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it first received a copy of the document, Redesign of Eye Services in NHS Lothian including Re Provision of the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

Question reference: S6W-22496

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considered a model of three urban units plus one remote unit for the provision of specialist neonatal services to serve the needs of Scotland’s population.

The Best Start Report, published in 2017 followed a review of maternity and neonatal services in Scotland, and was based on research evidence, the views of clinicians and the views of service users. Based on data on birth data, the report recommended that we move to a model of three intensive care units in Scotland.

The process of determining which units should provide Neonatal Intensive Care followed an Options Appraisal process undertaken by an expert group, including clinical leads and service user representatives. The Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and Aberdeen Maternity Hospital scored highest based on an agreed short list criteria, definitions and weighting. The group were asked to recommend three units and there was no consideration given to including a fourth unit.

Question reference: S6W-22499

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scoring methodology and underpinning detail used in identifying which neonatal services should be retained.

The Options Appraisal Report , published on 25 July 2023 describes the process undertaken to determine the three final Neonatal Intensive Care Units, and the feasibility analysis and testing that followed the conclusion of that process. Annex A of the Report includes the criteria and weighting used for the Options Appraisal Process. Annexes C and D of the report outline the data that supported the Options Appraisal process.

Further detail on the methodology and the scoring of individual units can be found as part of the following Freedom of Information request:

Information relating to Options Appraisal Report: FOI release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)