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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-32296

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much private investment it expects to attract from the capital funding of £150 million to support the offshore wind sector, and how it has calculated this.

This investment is year two of our five-year commitment to invest up to £500m over five years, which is expected to leverage additional private investment of £1.5 billion in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to growing the offshore wind sector. This is based on the assessment of current pipeline of potential projects, conducted with public sector delivery partners, which estimates a multiplier effect of an average of three times the original public investment.

Question reference: S6W-32268

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the capital funding of £150 million in its draft Budget 2025-26 to support the offshore wind sector will be allocated.

The Scottish Government is working closely with public sector delivery partners to identify priority investment opportunities designed to mobilise private investment in ports, manufacturing and fabrication, to maximise the economic opportunities from offshore wind. As set out in our Offshore Wind Focus paper, the approach to prioritisation is underpinned by a strategic assessment of current market opportunities, considering the combined impact of a programme of public sector investments. We are working with delivery partners to target funding at projects that will have a catalytic effect on wider economic growth, and identifying and prioritising those with potentially high Benefit Cost Ratios.

Question reference: S6W-31581

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy last met (a) Aberdeenshire, (b) Angus, (c) Highland and (d) Moray Council to discuss the impact of (i) major electricity infrastructure and (ii) energy infrastructure consenting reforms.

Question reference: S6W-32350

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many medical specialty training places, including core surgical training places, have been available across Scotland in each of the last five years.

We have recruited to the following number of training posts each year for the past 5 years.

	Core Surgical Training		All specialties
	Posts Advertised	Posts filled	Posts advertised	Posts filled
2019-20	46	45	1131	1042
2020-21	54	54	1088	1043
2021-22	45	43	1118	1049
2022-23	54	54	1155	1072
2023-24	41	41	1231	1156

These figures include the number of posts advertised for recruitment in Scotland in each specialty for each year (August and February start dates). The number of overall training posts is far higher as training programmes can last a minimum of 3 to 8 years depending on the specialty so not all posts are vacant every year. Figures reflect published recruitment data and do not include any data on recruitment to locum training posts. Data for the 2024/25 recruitment round is not included as the recruitment window has not fully closed, meaning final data is not yet available.

Question reference: S6W-32352

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging Foundation Year 2 doctors to (a) apply for and (b) start specialty training.

Foundation Year 2 (FY2) doctors are encouraged to apply for and start specialty training through a range of initiatives that increase awareness and exposure to specific specialties, including educational and career events and targeted Foundation placements/programmes. Additionally, pay enhancements, including an 8.5% pay rise for doctors in training, help to improve the financial appeal of specialty training.

Question reference: S6W-32359

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently declared critical incident at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, and the chief executive of NHS Grampian's reported comment that the factors causing a trigger point to declare a critical incident are becoming more common, whether it plans to allocate additional resources to NHS Grampian.

We are working closely with NHS Grampian on the development of a sustainable plan to support improvements in capacity.

We know that system wide capacity challenges are driving pressure on our Emergency Departments. To address this we have a clear plan to reduce delayed discharges, release acute capacity and bring down A&E waiting times.

The plan will be supported by £200 million targeted investment through the 2025-26 Budget, if approved by parliament, with NHS Grampian receiving a share of this funding. We will focus on shifting the balance of care from acute, to community and will bring about this change by ensuring every A&E department has a frailty unit linked to community re-enablement.

Question reference: S6W-32357

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it will provide to NHS Grampian during the review of the recently declared critical incident.

We continue to support and monitor all Health Boards to ensure all possible actions are being taken to support services and safeguard patient safety during the winter period. Planning for this winter builds on the effective measures which have supported our health and social care services in previous years.

My officials and I have been meeting regularly with the leadership of NHS Grampian to progress both immediate steps and a sustainable plan to ease capacity pressures with a focus on improving patient flow through the system, preventing SAS ambulance turnaround delays, and discharging as soon as patients are medically fit.

Question reference: S6W-32349

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 24 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many Foundation Year 2 doctors are currently working in each NHS board.

There are a total of 940 Foundation year 2 doctors working across all Health Boards as of 17 December 2024. This number will fluctuate daily due to trainees going out of programme or completing training. Please see the following table for further information.

NHS Board	Number of Foundation year 2 doctors
Ayrshire & Arran	56
Borders	11
Dumfries & Galloway	21
Fife	36
Forth Valley	35
Grampian	106
Greater Glasgow and Clyde	276
Highland	32
Lanarkshire	80
Lothian	177
National Facility	2
NULL	1
Shetland	2
Tayside	101
Western Isles	4
Grand Total	940

*’NULL’ is because the trainee is taking a career break, so they are in the programme but not currently working. This means that they aren’t attached to a placement board.

Question reference: S6W-32360

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its Health and Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan 2024-25, in light of the recently declared critical incident at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

We know that this winter is one challenge for our health and social care system and recognise the impact of sustained pressure across our services during this time. We remain committed to supporting local systems to meet demand and deliver high quality services.

Our winter plan was developed with input from the whole Health and Social Care system, and builds on the effective measures which have supported our services through previous winters. A lessons learned exercise will take place at the end of this winter period, which will inform next years planning cycle.

Question reference: S6W-32354

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many medical specialty training places it anticipates will be available in each of the next five years.

The allocation of medical specialty training places is made annually to ensure it meets the needs of the healthcare workforce, recognising that completion of specialty training can take a minimum of 3 to 8 years depending on the specialty. This process is overseen by a group of senior representatives from the Scottish Government, NHS Education for Scotland, professional bodies, and Health Boards. Based on workforce data and service demands, the group makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers regarding any changes needed, including the potential expansion of training places in specific specialties.