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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: S6W-19200

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve cancer services in the future.

Today, we have published our 10-year Cancer Strategy for Scotland , with an underpinning three-year Cancer Action Plan for Scotland . Our strategy sets out our long term vision for cancer services in Scotland. It takes a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. The action plan takes stock of the current pressures faced by the NHS and identifies how we can progress to our final vision. In 10 years’ time we see a Scotland where more cancers are prevented, and where our compassionate and consistent cancer service provides excellent treatment and support throughout the cancer journey, and improves outcomes and survival for people with cancer. We will continue to work closely with the NHS to ensure there is appropriate capacity to respond to patients’ needs. Notably, we aim to reduce later stage disease (stages III and IV) by 18 percentage points. This will ensure patients are being diagnosed earlier, which makes cancer easier to treat and ultimately improves outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-19016

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 750 additional nurses, midwives and allied health professionals from overseas, as announced in October 2022, with associated funding of £8 million, have been recruited by NHS boards across Scotland.

As a result of intensive work by Health Boards the target has been exceeded and an additional 800 staff from overseas have been recruited of which 293 are already in posts across the country to date, and a further 507 in train due to arrive, with the majority taking up posts in the first quarter of this financial year. This builds on the previous year where 200 staff were recruited from overseas, meaning an additional 1,000 staff have been recruited in the last 18 months, bolstering our existing workforce.

Question reference: S6O-02363

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that rural communities, including Dumfries and Galloway, benefit from current and future renewable energy projects.

Question reference: S6O-02350

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government through which means rural communities can object to any of its proposed policies that would have a direct impact on their local sources of employment, culture or natural environment.

Question reference: S6W-18161

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the handling of COVID-19.

On 27 April 2023 the National Incident Management Team (NIMT) met to discuss the latest position on COVID-19 in Scotland. In the light of their latest assessment the NIMT has proposed, and the Chief Medical Officer has agreed, that they will no longer meet. As the WHO has made clear, the COVID-19 pandemic is not over but our view is that it does now appear to be in the calmer phase of the pandemic which was discussed in COVID-19 Scotland’s Strategic Framework Update published in February 2022. Scotland no longer produces a separate threat level for COVID, and the UK no longer produces an alert level. Public Health Scotland now reports on COVID-19 alongside its surveillance of other respiratory disease pathogens. Other countries have also recently moved away from emergency responses standing apart from normal measures to protect public health.

COVID-19 has not gone away, and we continue to encourage the Scottish population to take sensible precautions, including taking up the offer of vaccination when invited, to protect themselves and others. As part of our enhanced surveillance system we continue to monitor, assess and be ready to respond to COVID-19 and other threats to the health of the population of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02255

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to lay regulations to restrict the marketing and advertising of vaping products, following the publication of the responses to its consultation, Tightening rules on advertising and promoting vaping products, on 27 September 2022.

Question reference: S6O-02202

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the delivery of the Rural Crime Strategy.

Question reference: S6W-17225

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what involvement it has had with the proposed Scottish Power Energy Networks Glenmuckloch to Glenglass Reinforcement Project; whether it has carried out any environmental and nature impact assessment, and whether it assessed the feasibility of undergrounding the project, either in part or in full.

Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) submitted an application for consent for the Glenmuckloch to Glenglass Overhead Line (OHL) Reinforcement Project to Scottish Ministers on 16 January 2023.

The application was accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) which assesses the significant environmental effects of the project and contains the consideration of alternatives to the chosen route (including undergrounding).

This is a live application and therefore it would not be appropriate for Scottish Ministers to take any views on it.

Question reference: S6W-16212

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give consideration to directing all planning authorities, including through the fourth National Planning Framework regulations, to proceed to determine all wind farm applications within the 50km safeguarding zone at Eskdalemuir, and to use suspensive conditions, where needed, to resolve any outstanding objections by the Ministry of Defence.

Planning authorities are required to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise, so ensuring all relevant planning matters are considered before a decision is made. The Scottish Government does not have the power to direct planning authorities to proceed to determine all wind farm applications located within the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array Consultation Zone.

Applicants for planning permission do have a right to appeal to the Scottish Ministers, or to a local review body, where their application is not determined within statutory timescales, or any extension to such timescales they may have agreed with the planning authority. Details can be found in paragraphs 4.2, 4.90 to 4.96 of Planning circular 3/2022: development management procedures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The Scottish Government is in the process of reforming the Eskdalemuir Working Group, refining its membership with the aim of developing a guidance document for development of onshore wind within the Eskdalemuir Consultation Zone.

Question reference: S6O-02070

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to propose the scheduling of time for a ministerial statement on the Green Jobs Workforce Academy.