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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-14423

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many dentistry students are expected to graduate in 2013.

Question reference: S4W-14424

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many dentistry vocational trainers are available for graduates in 2013.

Question reference: S4W-14426

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that every graduate dentist has access to a vocational training place.

We are aware of a potential mismatch between Scottish dental school graduates and availability of vocational training (VT) placements, and are actively exploring through NHS Education for Scotland several options to increase VT capacity in Scotland, including:

the initiation of a further recruitment drive of dental practice trainers (DVT);

contacting clinical leads in the salaried dental service in each of the territorial health boards to determine the extent of capacity;

determining capacity within the hospital dental service;

the relaxation of current criteria requirements in aspects of the recruitment of DVTs which will not affect the quality and development of the training provided.

As dental students are about to sit their finals, the overall supply and demand position remains fluid at this time and we will have a clearer picture on this issue by end May 2013.

Question reference: S4W-14421

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether vocational training for dentists following graduation is compulsory for employment in the NHS.

There are several ways that a graduate dentist may gain employment within the NHSScotland without having to undertake vocational training (VT). Individuals can work within the NHSScotland as an assistant in the delivery of NHS General Dental Services (GDS) for an indefinite period.

It is also possible for a dentist to be employed in the community or hospital dental services. And, where a dentist wishes to work in the Salaried Service, a requirement if they wish to become a principal within the GDS, they may apply for a VT number through the VT Equivalence Panel, by demonstrating that their skills and experience equate to one year of VT.

Question reference: S4W-14422

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a shortfall in vocational training places for dentists graduating in 2013-14 and, if so, of how many places.

As the final number of Scottish dental school graduates will not be known until 28 May 2013, it remains uncertain how many dental vocational training places (DVT) will be required to meet our commitment to match DVT places to Scottish dental school graduate output.

There are 140 DVT places currently available and from current projections that seek to match expected dental graduates to DVT places(subject to the outcome of their final exams and individual choices on where to pursue their careers), some 41 Scottish dental students who have registered an interest in a DVT place in Scotland have not yet been matched to a placement. Some of this number may also have applied elsewhere and have not yet notified NHS Education for Scotland (NES) of their withdrawal from the Scottish system.

NES is currently in the course of a second round of recruitment to increase the availability of DVT places within dental practices.

Question reference: S4W-14509

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 9 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people with learning difficulties have dementia.

Question reference: S4O-02108

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are to recognise and promote Scotland’s cultural achievers locally.

Question reference: S4W-14486

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Housing and Welfare last met a UK Government minister regarding welfare reform and what was discussed.

Question reference: S4W-14485

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Shelter, (b) the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and (c) COSLA on implementing the underoccupancy penalty and when.

Question reference: S4W-14416

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of NHS staff in England and Wales receiving their pay rise in April 2013, for what reason NHS workers in Scotland will not receive their 1% pay rise until May 2013.

Although the NHS Pay Circular covering Agenda for Change staff in England has been issued, there are many staff there who will not receive their pay award until May or even June.

The NHS Scotland pay award is different from that in England. We are protecting family incomes for the lowest paid by providing an increase of £250 a year for those paid less than £21,000 and also continue our commitment to the Scottish Living Wage. This requires us to produce a Scotland specific pay circular and instructions.

We are working in partnership with trade unions and NHS boards to ensure that NHS Scotland staff receive their pay award as quickly as possible. The pay increase will be backdated to 1 April this year, so no staff will lose out.