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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-15433

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01844 by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 February 2023, whether it will outline its plans for public and stakeholder engagement with regard to the proposals and policies to be included in the next iteration of the Climate Change Plan.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing opportunities to participate in shaping inclusive policies that promote mitigation of climate change in line with our Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change. We are aiming to engage with stakeholders and members of the public during 2023 to inform the development of the next Climate Change Plan. This is in advance of a public consultation which will commence when the draft Climate Change Plan is laid in Parliament later in 2023 for a period of at least 120 days of scrutiny.

We are engaging on the next Climate Change Plan with stakeholders through a variety of means including the Climate Change Plan Advisory Group (CCPAG) and the Climate Policy Engagement Network. The CCPAG includes representatives of academia, NGOs, business and industry and trade unions, and meetings are planned to take place up to October 2023. The Climate Policy Engagement Network will consist of representatives of key sectors of interest, organisations and relevant experts to enable meaningful participation in delivery of climate change policy. Additionally as the draft Climate Change Plan continues to be developed, we will continue engagement at a sectoral level with stakeholder representatives and we are exploring other opportunities to engage with other relevant interests.

Question reference: S6W-15139

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve outcomes for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Scottish Government has funded Modernising Patient Pathways Programme (MPPP) which has a specific workstream continuing to promote improvements in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) care for patients across Scotland in partnership with third-sector and people with lived experience. Scotland’s national IBD Steering Group has identified priority areas for work over the next two years. This includes consideration of referral pathways and models of IBD care to drive a more standardised and equitable service across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-15060

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of patients there currently are who have (a) been offered and (b) agreed to an interim care placement without the relevant Health and Social Care Partnership having put an interim care plan in place, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-15108

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment NHS Scotland has made of the estimated costs of running hospital equipment at home.

Question reference: S6W-15059

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of interim care placements that are currently beyond their agreed end date, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-15081

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment has been carried out to examine the potential impact on NHS Scotland laboratory transformation of the 19.4% reduction in genomics funding, as set out in the draft Budget 2023-24.

As a result of the 22-23 Emergency Budget Review genomics was allocated a revised budget of £5 million, which has been sustained for 23-24.

Neither the Scottish Government nor the Scottish Strategic Network for Genomic Medicine has carried out any specific impact assessments in relation to genomics. However the draft budget was published alongside an equalities impact assessment, high level carbon assessment and an analytical report on the Impact the Cost of Living Crisis is having in Scotland. All of this material can be found online via the following link.

Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The fiscal position remains challenging; however, the development of our transformation plans for the NHS Genetic Laboratories and Genomics Strategy is ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-15375

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the Scottish Child Payment have been delayed, and, of these, how many applicants (a) received bridging payments in December 2022 and (b) are new applicants.

Social Security Scotland works to progress applications as quickly as possible.

Decisions for the majority of people who applied for Scottish Child Payment, or added additional children to their award, between 14 November and 31 December 2022 have now been issued and this will be reported on in the next round of statistics. As previously announced, all successful awards will be backdated to the date that the application was received.

Around 143,000 school age children benefitted from the Winter 2022 Bridging Payment of £260, with over £37.1 million of payments awarded to families. We do not hold information on the number of people who applied for Scottish Child Payment who also received Bridging Payments.

The latest available information on new applications for Scottish Child Payment is contained in the most recent official statistics release, covering the period to 31 December 2022 - https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/scottish-child-payment-high-level-statistics-to-31-december-2022 .

Question reference: S6W-15377

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether all Scottish Child Payment applicants will receive their payments by the end of February 2023.

Social Security Scotland received 91,225 new applications for Scottish Child Payment between 14 November and 31 December 2022. This does not include applications from existing clients looking to add additional children to their current award.

The majority of people who applied or added additional children to their existing award during this period have now received a decision. People who made new applications and received an award decision received their payment by the end of February. For people who were adding additional children, payments will follow their existing payment cycle.

Where someone applied for Scottish Child Payment before 31 December 2022 and has not received a decision, this is because additional information or evidence is required to process their application. Social Security Scotland has been in contact with everyone in this situation.

Question reference: S6W-14716

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is (a) in the Scottish Borders and (b) nationally for rheumatology patients to receive treatment by homecare medicines services.

Question reference: S6W-15422

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13436 by Shona Robison on 12 January 2023, what the membership of the Joint Working Group is.

The Joint Working Group membership includes the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, and COSLA.

The core membership of the group is:

Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights
Minister for Social Security and Local Government
COSLA President – Cllr Shona Morrison
COSLA Vice-President – Cllr Steven Heddle
COSLA Resources Spokesperson – Cllr Katie Hagmann
Representative from Local Authority Directors of Finance
Representative from Institute of Revenue Rating and Valuation Representative