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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-02014

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many libraries have closed in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Library and Information Council to provide independent advice to the Scottish Government on library and information services and to act as a leadership body for the sector. Details of library closures for all parts of the UK since 2010 is provided in the following table:

	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	Change over the period	Percentage (%)
Scotland	619	610	606	609	602	-17	-2.75
England	3469	3320	3261	3226	3169	-300	-8.65
Northern Ireland	126	127	122	122	*	-4	-3.17
Wales	378	327	324	325	288	-90	-23.81
UK	4592	4384	4313	4282	4059	-533	-11.61

*No return in 2014-15. Libraries across NI operate as single service. Confirmed current figure is 98.

(information provided by SLIC utilising CIPFA data)

SLIC can provide information on the local library landscape in Scotland, and can be contacted using the details below:

Pamela Tulloch

Chief Executive Officer

Scottish Library and Information Council

Suite 2.4

Turnberry House

175 West George Street

Glasgow

G2 2LB

t: 0141 202 2999

e: p.tulloch@scottishlibraries.org

w: www.scottishlibraries.org

Question reference: S5W-02016

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the guidance to NHS boards regarding the provision of fertility preservation and the cryopreservation of eggs, sperm, and embryos for cancer patients.

NHS funded fertility preservation is currently offered to patients diagnosed with cancer on a case-by-case basis. This is for clinical reasons, and referring clinicians should take into account a patient's diagnosis, prognosis of cancer treatment and age.

A Scottish Government led working group is being set up to look at access and draw up protocols for fertility preservation for patients with serious medical conditions, prior to fertility compromising treatment or surgery.

Question reference: S5W-02363

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 12 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.

Question reference: S5W-02105

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 12 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01490 by Aileen Campbell on 26 July 2016, to what factors it attributes the decline in care home places since 2000, and what its position is on this matter.

In line with our vision, Scottish Government policies are enabling more people to live longer and more independently in their own homes, which results in fewer people needing residential care.

Our legislation to integrate health and social care has provided a platform for health boards and local authorities, along with third and independent sectors, to work together to ensure people are supported to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible, in their own homes.

Question reference: S5W-01938

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full breakdown of the cost to NHS Grampian of the suspensions of Professor Zygmunt Krukowski and Doctor Wendy Craig.

Question reference: S5W-02031

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 9 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent announcement by the UK Government, whether it plans to cap the salary of its special advisers.

Appointments of special advisers will continue to be made in line with the requirements of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 and the Scottish Government Ministerial Code. There are no plans to change these arrangements. This is consistent with practice in the UK Government.

A list of special advisers in post, their paybands and the total salary cost is published on an annual basis. I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00837 on 20 June 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5O-00131

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the quality of urban broadband.

Question reference: S5W-01937

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to remove the barriers that prevent patients from Scotland being able to access addiction Tier 4 facilities in the (a) rest of the UK and (b) European Economic Area.

Question reference: S5W-01936

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that there is suitable aftercare available for patients with alcoholic liver disease following acute hospital treatment, and what its response is to the reported concerns that this is not being made readily available.

It is the role of the Scottish Government to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NHS boards to support them in delivering services that meet the assessed needs of their resident populations. The provision of healthcare services is the responsibility of local NHS boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment. Within this context, Scottish Government expects all NHS boards to ensure there is suitable aftercare available for people with alcoholic liver disease following acute hospital treatment.

If appropriate services and/or standards of care is not being provided to patients, this should be raised with individual NHS boards in the first instance. Scottish Government expects boards to listen, and act on, feedback in relation to the provision of services and/or standards of care.

Question reference: S5W-01869

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 7 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were given electroconvulsive therapy against their will in the last year for which information is available.