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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-04812

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04467 by Maree Todd on 30 November 2021, whether gamete storage is provided by the NHS to people who are considering or undertaking gender transitioning.

Question reference: S6O-00555

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a timeframe for the implementation of the Scottish dog control database.

The Scottish Dog Control Database Order 2021 comes into force on 31 December 2021 and provides for the establishment of the database.

Technical development of the database will be complete by 31 December; January and the first half of February 2022 will involve security testing of the database, and for users of the database to receive training.

From mid-February 2022, it is planned the database will be available as a live operational database.

Question reference: S6W-04693

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report published by the University of West of Scotland entitled, Towards a Scotland that cares – a new National Outcome on Care for the National Performance Framework.

Question reference: S6W-04542

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the (a) sexual orientation and (b) gender identity of people accessing mental health services is routinely recorded.

This information is not routinely recorded at present. The Scottish Government has commissioned Directors of eHealth in NHS Boards, working with others, including Public Health Scotland (PHS), to work to improve the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) digital infrastructure. This will enable the recording and extraction of the full CAMHS and Psychological Therapies (PT) National Dataset (CAPTND), which contains equalities characteristics of patients accessing these services.

Question reference: S6W-04694

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when statistics on liquor licensing will next be published.

Question reference: S6F-00558

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is marking International Anti-Corruption Day.

Question reference: S6W-04537

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research published by the British Association of Social Workers in January 2021 regarding the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the mental wellbeing and quality of working life of social workers.

The Scottish Government is aware, as explained in the Report, the mental wellbeing and quality of working life of social workers have been adversely affected by the COVID pandemic. In order to ensure that Scotland has a skilled and confident social services workforce, we are heavily investing in its development, working in association with key sector partners.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland's social workers have been at the centre of our actions, as we support the recovery of the workforce from the negative effects of the pandemic.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.

We have taken the following specific actions to encourage a supportive culture within the social work profession:

£80,000 has been provided to Scottish Association of Social Workers to develop the Professional Support Service.
The service will provide peer support, allowing social workers to talk through issues and develop their career by getting advice and support from their own coach.
The development of a coaching culture within social work will help to support the development of a stronger professional identity.
Wellbeing and workforce resilience issues will be given a particular focus as we support the workforce’s recovery from the pandemic.
A signposting service will allow social workers and social work students to identify appropriate learning, development and career pathway resources developed by the SSSC, NHS Education for Scotland and Iriss. This service will provide and promote career development opportunities through the provision of training opportunities.

Question reference: S6W-04538

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support social workers whose mental wellbeing and quality of working life have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The wellbeing and resilience of Scotland’s social workers have been at the centre of our actions to support the workforce’ recovery from the negative effects of pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, we have emphasised to Boards, Health and Social Care Partners and Local Authorities the on-going need to promote both the physical and the psychological wellbeing of everyone working in health and social care.

We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level, as follows:

This year we have made £12 million available to support the wellbeing of the workforce. This includes £8 million from the NHS Recovery Plan to provide ongoing wellbeing support for the workforce alongside an additional £4 million to provide further support to address winter pressures
We have developed a national package of wellbeing support to address the wide range of needs of the workforce to complement and enhance the support offered by Boards and HSCPs at a local level.
This package includes a range of self-care and wellbeing resources offered via the National Wellbeing Hub and 24/7 Helpline, additional funding to Boards for further psychological support, coaching for wellbeing and the Workforce Specialist Service.
We have partnered with bereavement specialists, Cruse Scotland, to offer a series of pilot workshops for people working in Adult Social Care and Social work to manage their wellbeing.
Now more than ever, it is critical that staff look after their wellbeing and take the rest breaks and leave to which they are entitled, as well as being given time to access national and local wellbeing resources at work.

Question reference: S6W-04467

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances gamete storage can be provided by the NHS.

Gamete (egg and sperm) storage can be provided by the NHS with informed consent from patients (regulated by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) and by law under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 (as amended)) under the following circumstances:

Storage of personal gametes for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment by couples that fulfil the access criteria.
Storage of gametes for patients who require fertility preservation treatment.
Storage of gametes donated altruistically by sperm or egg donors for use in NHS Assisted Conception Treatment.

Question reference: S6W-04541

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether all staff working in mental health services are given equalities training.

Each Health Board requires staff to undertake mandatory training to help them understand the Board’s policy on equality, diversity and human rights, and what it means for them in terms of both their rights and any associated responsibilities.

The Scottish Government is exploring how to best deliver a more robust and up-to-date learning on equality, diversity and inclusion based on engagement with those with relevant experience and expertise.

The Scottish Government also fully supports all staff diversity networks and is developing an online platform to help networks across Scotland to share information and resources. We have established a staff led National NHS Ethnic Minority Forum that aims to amplify the voices of ethnic minority staff across the health service and tackle issues of systemic racism.