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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-22022

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the Scottish Dental Access Initiative in recruiting dentists in Dumfries and Galloway.

The purpose of the Scottish Dental Access Initiative (SDAI) is not for the recruitment of dentists, but to improve access to NHS dental services by encouraging dentists to set up a new practice or extend an existing practice in areas where access to NHS dental services is challenging.

Since 2007, there have been seven dental practices in Dumfries and Galloway that have been provided with SDAI grants.

Question reference: S6W-22020

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many adult patients have been registered with an NHS dentist in Dumfries and Galloway in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S6W-22021

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many adult patients have been deregistered from NHS dental services in Dumfries and Galloway in the last two years.

Question reference: S6W-22254

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures have been implemented to manage non-native gamebird releases where there is potential for highly pathogenic avian influenza transmission from infected gamebirds to (a) native wild birds, (b) other wildlife, (c) dogs and (d) the shooting community.

The Scottish Government works closely with the game sector to encourage best practice biosecurity measures by keepers of poultry and other captive birds. Advice has been issued frequently through a number of formats including webinars, emails, regular interface with stakeholders such as game industry representatives, and publication of online guidance.

A Scottish Avian Influenza in wild bird Task Force was established in 2022 to coordinate a joint response to the outbreak in wild birds. On 11 August Ministers launched the Wild Bird HPAI Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland.

Communications have also included guidance on gov.scot for pet dogs and working dogs. Scottish Government has also worked with the game industry to develop standing guidance on avian influenza and game birds.

Question reference: S6W-22250

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many gamebird rearing and release facilities have been found to be infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza in 2023.

In 2023 six game bird premises were declared with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in Scotland. These were:

Near Portsoy, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 08 August 2023 (AIV 2023/29)
Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/41)
Near Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/42)
Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 14 August 2023 (AIV 2023/43)
Near Kirkcudbright, Dumfries and Galloway, confirmed 17 August 2023 (AIV 2023/44)
Near Forfar, Angus, confirmed 18 August 2023 (AIV 2023/45)

Question reference: S6W-22137

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the reported loss of food crops in the North East Scotland region as a result of recent flooding.

The rainfall we have seen across Scotland in October has been extreme, affecting many communities and businesses. The Scottish Government has been in close contact with the agricultural sector through our Area Offices and networks to determine the extent to which producers have been affected and what the implications of that are, including for food crops in the North East region.

Following the severe rainfall of 6 th to 8 th October I met with NFUS, East of Scotland Growers and Kettle Produce on 13th October to hear about the impacts on fruit and vegetable producers at that stage, which were principally in the Perthshire area, with losses reported to crops such as carrots, potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, swede and sprouts. I then visited Keithick Farms near Coupar Angus to see and discuss the impacts of the flooding with a number of affected farm businesses.

From 19th to 21st October there were further impacts on crops from Storm Babet, which as well as worsening the situation in some of the areas affected earlier in the month, has also led to some further flooding of crops in Angus and Aberdeenshire, including potatoes.

It will take time for the extent of the impacts of the October flooding on food crops to become fully apparent, as the condition of crops still in the ground becomes clearer on fuller assessment and harvesting. The Scottish Government remains in close contact with farming organisations and producers to understand those impacts and discuss what actions can be taken to mitigate them. In the meantime we would encourage retailers to ensure that they are sympathetic to any producers who may have been negatively impacted by the flooding.

Question reference: S6W-22161

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements it will make in relation to increasing the amount of weather-related advice and information that it shares.

The Scottish Government, via its Ready Scotland digital channels, runs a year-long communications campaign with a specific focus on severe weather.

The aims of the campaign are: to highlight risks associated with particular severe weather conditions and recommend actions people can take to minimise the negative knock-on effects; to promote responsible behaviours; and to raise awareness of information, advice and guidance about what to do in advance to prepare for, respond to and recover from severe weather emergencies.

Since 2022 each campaign burst has been complemented with a bespoke digital toolkit. They contain pre-made social media content providing the most important and relevant weather-related practical advice, signposting users to the Ready Scotland and partner websites where they may find further guidance. The toolkits are shared with partner organisations, who we understand regularly promote this Scottish Government-branded content from their official social media accounts, therefore assisting in maximising the reach of this key messaging.

Question reference: S6W-22156

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the Community Asset Register to better assist local response arrangements and enhance prioritisation and mutual aid across the country.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has responsibility for the development of the Community Asset Register (CAR) and confirmed in October 2023 that a CAR ‘Action Plan’ has been developed to monitor progress of the actions required towards its improvement. SFRS also reiterated its intention to continue to develop the digital platform currently being used for the CAR with the necessary improvements being tabled for discussion as a priority for inclusion in its ICT workplan for 2024-2025.

Question reference: S6W-22133

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many recorded incidents of prisoners at HMP & YOI Grampian taking synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances, including the reported "street" benzodiazepines, there have been in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S6W-21987

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Elena Whitham on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent hospitals from discharging substance users from medical care when they are still under the influence of substances.

Clinical decisions taken in NHS Scotland hospitals are not a matter for the Scottish Government.

Decisions must be taken in line with established professional accountabilities which are in place for NHS Scotland.

Decisions to discharge any patients from medical care in a hospital setting are subject to individual clinical decisions based on an appropriate risk assessment. The wishes of the patient must be considered with regards to informing relatives of their reason for admission.

However, Scottish Government does have an expectation that vulnerability is taken into account prior to discharge and that where appropriate known family is contacted.