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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: S5W-23860

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 5 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the early (a) detection and (b) diagnosis of lung cancer.

Our commitment to early detection is reflected in our £42 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme that aims to increase the proportion of breast, bowel and lung cancers diagnosed early in Scotland.

(a) Social marketing has a key role to play in the early detection of lung cancer. Sir Alex Ferguson has fronted DCE’s marketing activity since 2013 to raise awareness of the benefits of early detection, while reminding people that lung cancer is no longer a death sentence. This has contributed to the 31.0% increase in stage one lung diagnoses in the most deprived areas of Scotland since DCE began. A new social marketing approach is now being explored with key stakeholders and leading clinicians to ensure the public stay alert to possible signs and symptoms and feel empowered to act early.

(b) To support primary care clinicians in diagnosing cancer early, DCE funded a clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, with updated evidence published January 2019. Eight pathways were included in the refresh, including lung. In collaboration with Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support, work continues across NHSScotland to ensure the guidance is fully disseminated and adopted.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Government is currently exploring what opportunities exist for Scotland to contribute to the emerging evidence base for lung cancer screening. Officials have recently met with academics, the Chair of the UK National Screening Committee, and the Scottish Screening Committee to discuss ongoing studies and trials, to identify where Scotland can best add value. These discussions are ongoing and any recommendations will be carefully considered.

Question reference: S5W-23682

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 2 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of antipsychotic medication being commonly used as a chemical restraint, and what its position is on giving such medication to older people with dementia and concerns regarding an increased risk of premature death from doing so.

In 2012 the Scottish Government commissioned and published a first independent expert study on trends in the prescribing of antipsychotic and other psychotropic medications for people with dementia, between 2001 and 2011. It showed that, from 2009, there had been a decline in the initiation of new antipsychotics and a moderately decreasing trend in antipsychotic use. To assess trends since then, the Scottish Government will commission and publish a further independent expert study on trends in the prescribing of antipsychotic and other psychotropic medications for people with dementia in all settings since 2011, in line with commitment 18 in Scotland’s National Dementia Strategy 2017-2020.

The Scottish Government’s first Dementia Standards (2011) are clear that people with dementia have the right to receive a full range of therapeutic interventions to help alleviate stress and distress and that psychoactive medications including antipsychotic medications should only be used if no alternative interventions are available. Carers should be fully involved in discussions on the use of such medications including their benefit and associated risks.

The 2018 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence dementia guideline includes an evidence-based assessment of the benefits and risks associated with the prescribing of antipsychotic medications to people with dementia. The guideline does not identify an increased risk of premature death from prescribing antipsychotic medication in these circumstances.

Question reference: S5W-23750

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 27 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when any remaining parts of the National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan will be published, and whether it has any plans to update any parts of the plan.

Question reference: S5W-23680

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 20 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to commission and publish a renewed study on trends in the prescribing of psychoactive medications for people with dementia, in line with commitment 18 in Scotland's National Dementia Strategy 2017-2020.

Question reference: S5W-23681

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 20 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware that a report by the Mental Welfare Commission in 2014 cast doubt on claims that chemical restraint is only used in exceptional circumstances.

Question reference: S5W-23651

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of medical graduates need to become GPs to address the reported GP shortage.

To meet the goal of increasing the numbers of GPs by 800 in the next ten years, we need to take a number of actions, including increasing the number of medical places at universities, and taking steps to encourage medical graduates to choose general practice. To that end, between 2015-16 and 2020-21 the Scottish Government will have increased the annual intake of medical places in Scottish universities from 848 to 1038 (190 places, a 22% increase) including funding Scotland’s first Graduate Entry Medical programme (scotGEM) and widening access places.

We have also announced 85 additional medical school places to be shared between three universities: Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. The new courses will focus on general practice offering a new route for experienced healthcare professionals to enter medicine. 25 of these places will be available at the University of Edinburgh.

AY 15-16	AY 16-17	AY 17-18	AY 18-19	AY 19-20	AY 20-21
848	898	898	953	1,013	1,038

Question reference: S5W-23642

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of (a) medical students, (b) nurses, (c) dentists and (d) allied health professionals in each year since 1999 have been domiciled in Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-03430

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce and phase out the use of plastic cutlery and straws in the public sector.

The Scottish Government is committed to reducing use of single use plastics. The EU Single-Use Plastics Directive will lead to a ban on these items across the EU and we continue to look at how we can lead by example following our ban of single use beverage cups from the Scottish Government estate. Zero Waste Scotland provides a range of tools and supports that can assist any public sector organisation looking to make progress on these issues.

Question reference: S5O-03445

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support third sector groups to help address loneliness among older people.

Question reference: S5W-23640

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations applying to it for funding in the last year have had their applications rejected.

The Scottish Budget authorises expenditure to support policy objectives, including funding to public bodies and grant schemes for particular activities. Individual Ministerial portfolios can provide funding in response to funding applications within their portfolio area. Information on such applications and funding is not collated centrally.

The Scottish Government annual accounts report on funding at a portfolio level: the 2018-19 accounts are currently in preparation and will be available by the end of September 2019. The Scottish Government publishes all Scottish Government spend over £25,000, on a monthly basis on its website.