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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: S5O-00921

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that schools can fill teacher vacancies.

Question reference: S5W-08539

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what infrastructure has been installed (a) on each ferry and (b) at each port as part of the Calmac Ferries Wi-Fi and broadband project.

CalMac Ferries Ltd has supplied the following details of the equipment installed on each ferry, with the exception of the MV Eigg and the MV Raasay, and at each port to support the CalMac Ferries Wi-Fi and broadband project. The details are as follows:-

Ferries:

Combination of microwave radio and mobile aggregation devices (these aggregate multiple mobile signals to provide coverage when out of microwave radio range). This provides the connection to and from the ferry - the wide area network.

Standard routing, switching, and wireless equipment to provide local network (including wireless) on each ferry.

Ports:

Combination of microwave radio and "standard BT" connections to provide wide area network;

Standard routing, switching, and wireless equipment to provide local network (including wireless) at each port.

Question reference: S5W-08531

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the Calmac Ferries Wi-Fi and broadband project, including the amount spent on each (a) ferry and (b) port.

Question reference: S5O-00782

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported concerns regarding the Scottish Ambulance Service's operation of emergency and patient transport services in the Highlands and Islands, including proposed industrial action by Unite members.

NHS Boards are responsible for the design, delivery and management of their services for the population. Therefore, the operation of services is a matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

I am aware of the issues raised in the North of Scotland and have been in contact with the Service to discuss these matters. I am reassured that work is on-going to address the concerns raised and I have asked to be kept informed of any developments.

Question reference: S5W-07671

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many accidental electrical house fires there have been in the Highlands and Islands in each of the last five years; and what steps it is taking to reduce the number of such fires, including in areas where properties are not connected to the gas network and rely more on electricity.

This information is not held centrally.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) publishes statistics on accidental dwelling fires and cause, however this data is not presented on a monthly basis, nor is data on tenure given.

These statistics are available to the public on SFRS’s website, and can be found at this link http://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/fire-and-rescue-statistics.aspx

The SFRS has a statutory duty to promote fire safety across Scotland. Additionally, in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2016, Scottish Ministers require SFRS to fully contribute to improving the safety and well-being of Scotland’s communities and to ensure that there is a clear process for working with partners to identify the risks faced by communities and individuals so that the SFRS can target activity on a risk-based approach.

The SFRS itself will consider how best to reduce dwelling fires, including those caused by electricity, what the focus of its preventative action will be, and with which partner organisations it will work to achieve this.

In addition to a programme of fire safety awareness campaigns and community safety engagement events, the SFRS carried out 71,743 Home Fire Safety Visits in 2015-16. The SFRS website also carries safety information for householders on a range of issues, including home appliances and electrical safety.

Question reference: S5W-07250

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 7 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform in a letter dated 17 January 2017 regarding the recruitment and retention allowance paid to Marine Scotland seafarers and the wage differentials between them and seafarers from Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd in which the cabinet secretary said, “to draw conclusions we need comparative data across the industry, rather than comparing one shipping operation to another where their core functions are very different and indeed the roles of the seamen may vary considerably. I will therefore ask my officials to undertake some work on this and will contact you again once this has been concluded”, by what date the survey of comparative data will be concluded.

Question reference: S5W-06698

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to develop SIGN guidelines on the management of osteoarthritis.

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) develops evidence based clinical practice guidelines for the National Health Service (NHS) in Scotland. SIGN guidelines are derived from a systematic review of the scientific literature and are designed to accelerate the translation of new knowledge into practice.

Any group or individual may propose a guideline topic to SIGN and their selection process is detailed at: http://www.sign.ac.uk/about/proposal.html

SIGN have confirmed that they have not received any applications to produce guidelines on osteoarthritis.

Access to specialist support for people with osteoarthritis forms part of an individual’s care package, in agreement with relevant healthcare professionals.

Question reference: S5W-06697

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland are estimated to be living with osteoarthritis, and what information and support is provided to GPs for their treatment.

The information requested in relation to the number of people living with osteoarthritis in Scotland is not held centrally.

The National Institute of Clinical Evidence (NICE) have produced a clinical guideline on the care and management of adults with osteoarthritis. We expect NHS clinicians in Scotland to be take account of NICE guidelines and any other agreed local guidelines in their practice.

GPs are expected to update their knowledge through continuing professional development (CPD) to suit the needs of their patients, including those with osteoarthritis. They are supported in this CPD by Health Boards and other organisations such as the Post Graduate Deaneries, faculties of the Royal College of General Practice and NHS Education.

Question reference: S5W-05842

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much Marine Scotland spends each year on (a) marine mammal bycatch and (b) (i) monitoring and (ii) the mitigation of the Scottish fleet, broken down by fishery.

Since April 2011, Marine Scotland has provided funding of £30,000 annually to a UK wide monitoring programme which aims to determine levels of marine mammal (cetacean) bycatch in commercial fisheries. Funding is committed under the current programme up to the end of March 2017.

This work has focused on monitoring the effectiveness of acoustic deterrent devices in reducing bycatch, and on monitoring a range of fisheries, including some for which monitoring is not required under Council Regulation 812/2004. This project is carried out under contract by the Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews, who provide an annual report on the implementation of Council Regulation (EC) 812/2004.

UK Annual Reports can be obtained through the attached link:

http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&ProjectID=18535

Question reference: S5W-05622

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 11 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise will continue to decide the strategic priorities for its investment and social development in the Highlands and Islands following the establishment of the single Scotland-wide board for enterprise and skills.

HIE will retain its Chief Executive based at its headquarters in Inverness, staff will also continue to operate from the Headquarters in Inverness and HIE’s area-based locations across the area from Lerwick to Lochgilphead. HIE senior management will continue to work in the same way as they do now but will benefit from the coordination provided by the new Scotland-wide Statutory Board.

Businesses and communities will continue to access services across the Highlands and Islands area.

As part of the work being taken forward in Phase two of the Enterprise and Skills Review we will consider the formation, format and remit of the new Scotland-wide Statutory Board. This will include ensuring that HIE continues to deliver an excellent service identifying and prioritising investment within the Highlands and Islands.

We would expect that there will be strong Highlands and Islands representation on the new single board, and there is no commitment to a single geographic HQ for the Board.