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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-11818

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will update the Parliament on the date for a formal national apology for forced adoption.

We are carefully considering the next steps on how to address the responses to our engagement with people affected by historical adoption practices. We are in the process of obtaining some additional consultation from the Cabinet on how we should proceed with this matter.

In the meantime, we have issued a tender to commission research into support services and have also started the implementation of a new dedicated peer-support service for mothers affected.

Question reference: S6W-11871

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support is being provided to the Edinburgh Filmhouse to allow it to resume operating.

I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-11493 and S6T-00915 answered on 26 October 2022 and 25 October 2022 respectively.

The answer to Topical Question S6T-00915 can be found here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-25-10-2022?meeting=13939&iob=126317#16180

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-11548

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma among adults with cirrhosis.

We expect clinicians to adhere to current guidelines from authoritative sources such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The NICE quality statement on surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma, published in 2017, states that adults with cirrhosis should be offered six monthly surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma. The European Association for the Study of the Liver published updated recommendations in the Journal of Hepatology in 2020.

Question reference: S6O-01557

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to learners of English as an additional language.

Question reference: S6W-11810

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of pupils in each year group have received free school meals in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on the uptake of free school meals broken down by year group.

The Schools Healthy Living Survey Supplementary Statistics provides a breakdown of school meal uptake by pupils in primary, secondary and special schools dating back to 2006. Previous School Healthy Living Survey Supplementary Statistics datasets, back to 2012, are available through the following web link: School Healthy Living Survey supplementary statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The uptake of free school meals as a percentage of the total number of pupils since 2006 is contained within the following table:

Free School Meals uptake by school sector 2006-2022

	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
P1-P3 (2015-2020) / P1-P5 (2022)	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	75%	78%	77%	76%	75%	72%	#	63%
P4-P7 (2015-2020) / P6-P7 (2022)	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	16%	15%	14%	13%	14%	15%	#	12%
Primary	15%	14%	14%	14%	16%	18%	18%	18%	17%	42%	42%	42%	40%	40%	39%	#	48%
Secondary	8%	7%	7%	7%	8%	8%	9%	10%	10%	9%	9%	9%	9%	9%	9%	#	8%
Special	55%	55%	48%	48%	48%	47%	51%	51%	52%	51%	44%	54%	51%	50%	58%	#	48%
Total	12%	12%	11%	11%	13%	14%	15%	15%	14%	29%	29%	28%	28%	27%	27%	#	31%
Total excluding P1-P3 (2015-2020) / P6-7 (2022)	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	#	13%	12%	12%	11%	12%	12%	#	10%

# = data not collected

Question reference: S6W-11783

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what mental health support it is providing for Ukrainian refugees.

The health and welfare of all displaced people from Ukrainian staying in Scotland remains our priority.

The Scottish Government Mental Health directorate worked closely with our partners such as Heads of Psychology Scotland, NHS Scotland, COSLA, the Scottish Refugee Council, amongst others, to develop and then publish wellbeing packs for displaced people from Ukraine arriving in Scotland. There was a specific pack full of helpful resources and guidance for displaced people from Ukraine on physiological wellbeing – Ukraine psychological wellbeing advice pack: guidance for Ukrainian arrivals - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

We've amended legislation so there will be no charge for NHS Scotland services for people who have fled Ukraine, services such as maternity care, mental health services and treatment for specific conditions.

Anyone in Scotland, regardless of their nationality, residence status or length of time they will be in the country, is already entitled to receive emergency treatment at an A&E or casualty department, and can register with a GP Practice to receive general medical services, at no charge.

Question reference: S6W-11612

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of progress towards realising its target to eliminate hepatitis C by 2024.

The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving the 2024 target of eliminating Hepatitis C in Scotland, whilst recognising the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on all our health services.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) recently published a report entitled ‘Surveillance of Hepatitis C in Scotland’ and the findings from that report indicate that major progress has been made regarding a number of Hepatitis C (HCV) elimination targets in Scotland, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. By 2021, 80% of individuals diagnosed with chronic HCV infection in Scotland had been initiated on HCV treatment, meaning that Scotland had met the World Health Organisation Target on treatment.

PHS are also currently undertaking a piece of work to determine incidence levels across Scotland and we expect to receive that data by the end of the year. This will support decision-making on the extent and location of required interventions and resources.

Question reference: S6W-11616

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to eliminate hepatitis C in Scottish Prisons.

The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving elimination of Hepatitis C across the whole of Scotland by 2024.

This includes the prison population. However, we know that the health needs of those in prison can be complex and may need more targeted intervention.

Opt-out testing for blood borne viruses, including hepatitis C, is recommended in prisons and PHS published “Guidance to Support Opt-Out Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Testing in Scottish Prisons” in 2019. This guidance recommends that BBV testing should be offered to everyone within 7 days of entering custody. The guidance is due to be reviewed later this year and that review, in combination with the work underway to re-invigorate progress towards the wider elimination target, will ensure there remains a focus on eliminating hepatitis C in Scottish prisons.

Question reference: S6W-11615

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the NHS and other stakeholders on ensuring hard-to-reach populations are included within efforts to eliminate hepatitis C in Scotland by 2024.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reaching its target of eliminating Hepatitis C (HCV) in Scotland by 2024, whilst recognising the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had across all our health services.

In 2019, the Scottish Health Protection Network established the Hepatitis C Elimination Implementation Group to oversee and monitor the implementation of the Scottish Government’s Hepatitis C Elimination Strategy. Including hard to reach populations in efforts to eliminate Hepatitis C is fundamental to the Elimination Strategy, and this issue is therefore regularly considered by the Group, which meets four times per year. Along with representatives from Scottish Government, the Group is made up of clinicians, representatives from NHS health boards, and primary care and prevention leads.

In addition, in 2021 the Scottish Government provided funding to NHS Tayside to deliver the Cocoon project, which provided point of care BBV testing and treatment to people who inject drugs, whilst integrating wound care, naloxone provision and other harm reducing measures.

Question reference: S6W-11613

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional resources will be required to meet its target to eliminate hepatitis C by 2024.

Public Health Scotland produced the “Surveillance of Hepatitis C in Scotland” report earlier this month and the report indicated that major progress in Scotland has been made. By 2021, 80% of individuals diagnosed with chronic HCV infection in Scotland had been initiated on HCV treatment, meaning that Scotland had met the World Health Organisation Target on treatment.

While this is encouraging, the COVID-19 pandemic impacted progress towards the elimination target, and particularly challenged our ability to gather data needed to guide interventions. Additional prevalence data is expected before the end of this year. This will support decision-making on the extent and location of required interventions and resources.