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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-33242

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what recommendations it has received from the Director of Screening, NHS National Services Scotland, regarding implementing lung cancer screening as a new targeted screening programme.

Question reference: S6W-33346

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to renew the Collaborative and Compassionate Care – The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021-2026.

The delivery of the Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021- 2026 continues to be taken forwards by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) into 2026.

The progression of actions in the strategy are regularly reviewed by MSN CYPC and will inform any future national strategy approach required to ensure that children and young people with cancer will have access to the best possible treatment and care.

Question reference: S6W-33345

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an evaluation of the outcomes of the Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care – The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021-2026.

Implementation and evaluation of the Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021–2026 is managed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC).

Consideration will be given to an evaluation of the delivery of this strategy as it continues into 2026. Recommendations and actions are continually reviewed by MSN CYPC and the 2023-24 MSN CYPC Annual Report has been published on the MSN CYPC website – www.msncypc.Inhs.scot.

Question reference: S6W-33348

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what data is published that disaggregates the information that it has for 16- to 25-year-olds with cancer from other age groups.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes annual data on 16 to 25 year olds with cancer in Scotland in their incidence statistics. The latest report is available on the PHS website

PHS also publishes information on cancer in children (ages 0 to 14) and young people (ages 15 to 24) in Scotland

Children and young people with cancer in Scotland 9 May 2023 - Children and young people with cancer in Scotland - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Question reference: S6W-33344

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that funding measures announced in its draft Budget 2025-26 do not go far enough to address the challenges facing children and young people with cancer.

The dedicated Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021- 2026 was published in 2021. This strategy emphasises the Scottish Government’s commitment to improving the distinct care and support services required for children and young people with cancer. Scotland is the only UK-nation to have in place a cancer strategy dedicated to children and young people with cancer.

Our draft Budget 2025-2026 includes a record £21 billion investment in health and social care services, including for services for children and young people with cancer.

Question reference: S6W-33343

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it provides to 18- to 25-year-olds to attend day appointments for cancer treatment.

Health Boards are expected to support patients and their families in identifying and accessing available support. Financial support for travel is available for patients and authorised escorts, according to eligibility criteria and medical requirements, through schemes such as the Patient Travel Expenses Scheme (PTES) and the Highlands and Islands Travel Scheme (HITS).

Scottish Government has funded Young Lives Vs Cancer to provide practical advice and emotional and financial support to young people diagnosed with cancer and their families. This includes advice on potential welfare benefits as well as direct grants.

Further to this, we are working in partnership with Macmillan to improve the service we offer patients with cancer through the Transforming Cancer Care Programme (TCC). This partnership with Macmillan is worth £27 million and is the first of its kind in the UK. The programme ensures that every patient with cancer in Scotland has access to a specialist key support worker, who can provide emotional, financial, and practical support.

Question reference: S6W-33347

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will capture the experience of under 16-year-olds with cancer, and their parents, in a survey, similar to the surveys of those over 16 with the condition.

The Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) are currently working with Young Lives vs. Cancer (YLvC) to take forward learning from the NHS England and Picker Institute U16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, to see if this can be developed for children and young people with cancer in Scotland.

Additionally, the MSN CYPC provides a range of patient experience support services such as the Youth Advisory Forum which provides children and young people with cancer with the opportunity to share experiences with each other as well as identifying gaps and improve the quality of services by providing feedback. The Parent, Carer and Families Forum, also facilitated by MSN CYPC, gives a voice to the youngest children with cancer, and their support networks which enables their views to also be captured.

Question reference: S6W-33001

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide multi-annual funding for (a) long COVID and (b) myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) services in NHS boards.

The draft budget published on 4 December 2024 includes new investment of £4.5 million to deliver new specialist support across the country for long COVID, ME, Chronic Fatigue, and other similar conditions.

The funding commitment is for 2025-26 only at this stage. As the Cabinet Secretary outlined in his letter to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 4 December 2024, “the Scottish Government operates an annual budget due to the single year settlement from the UK Government”. The UK spending review in the spring will provide much needed clarity on future funding levels which will help to inform our budget setting and move spending onto a more sustainable path. We would recommend that the question of a multi-year commitment is revisited after the UK Government spending review.

Question reference: S6O-04258

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the public inquiry into the investigation of Emma Caldwell's murder.

Question reference: S6W-32999

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what long COVID referral pathways are in place for people with long COVID who have symptoms of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME).