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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: S4W-30536

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the board paying toward a service-level agreement to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde for such referrals, what its position is on NHS Lanarkshire's reported decision not to support applications to refer some patients to the NHS Centre for Integrative Care or its outreach clinics in Coatbridge and Carluke.

The Scottish Government recognises that complementary and alternative medicines/therapies (CAMs), like those provided by the Centre for Integrative Care and elsewhere, may offer relief to some people suffering from a wide variety of conditions. It is, however, for individual NHS boards to decide which CAMs they make available (either locally or via referral) to their patients based on the assessed needs of their resident populations and in line with national guidance.

Question reference: S4W-30538

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 21 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on NHS boards paying for service-level agreements under which patients are not offered referrals to the other board.

The role of the Scottish Government is to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS boards in order that they can deliver services that meet the needs of their local population. Within this context, it is a matter for individual health boards to plan and provide the services to meet the needs of their local population. All boards are expected to ensure that resources are spent in a way that improves the health and wellbeing of the community and that delivers best value for tax payers.

Question reference: S4T-01341

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the named person scheme in light of recent reports that the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman has raised concerns.

Question reference: S4W-29086

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Centurion system for numbering criminal allegations against police officers compared with how criminal allegations against ordinary members of the public are dealt with.

Question reference: S4W-29082

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the Centurion system of numbering criminal allegations against police officers is used for.

Question reference: S4W-29083

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, for what reason only police officers are subject to the Centurion system for numbering criminal allegations and when the Scottish Government became aware of this process.

Question reference: S4W-29085

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether numbering criminal allegations against police officers in the Centurion system is a contravention of Part (b) of section 34(3) of the Police, Public Order and Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2006, and of Part (a) and (b) if the allegation were to be made by a serving police officer.

Question reference: S4W-29011

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met representatives of the RMT to discuss the industrial dispute with Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited.

Question reference: S4W-29012

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited regarding the (a) condition of rolling stock, (b) safety of (i) passengers and (ii) workers and (c) reliability of (i) toilet facilities, (ii) the power supply and (iii) smoke alarms on these services.

The franchise agreement specifies the schedule of meetings between officials and representatives of Serco Caledonian Sleepers Limited. There is a per-period (four weekly) franchise performance meeting where safety and maintenance issues are discussed. The purpose of this meeting and the nature of required supporting reports is described at schedule 11, paragraph 6, and schedule 13.2 of the franchise agreement.

This requires the franchisee to provide reports noting: 1) Key reliability issues and improvement plans; 2) Franchisee's and vehicle owner's product audit reports, and 3) Accidents reported (staff and passengers). These are reported on a per-period basis, and discussed at the franchise performance meeting.

Question reference: S4W-29017

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is indemnified against losses incurred by delays to the schedule for introducing new rolling stock on Caledonian Sleeper services in 2018.