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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-24614

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what proof of residency in Scotland is required when applying for the free bus pass offered to older people.

Question reference: S5W-24502

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce the National Child Measurement Programme in Scotland, which was introduced in England in 2005, in order to tackle childhood obesity.

In Scotland, as part of the wider Child Health Programme , a system is in place for collecting and reporting on obesity levels in children.The most recent report ‘Body Mass Index of Primary 1 Children in Scotland’ is available here .

The purpose and key components of the Scottish programme are similar to that of the National Child Measurement Programme in England: to inform local planning and delivery of services for children; gather population-level data to allow analysis of trends in growth patterns and obesity; increase public and professional understanding of the importance of healthy weight in children and be a vehicle for engaging with children and families about healthy lifestyles and weight issues.

Consistent with action 3.11 of the Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan , we are exploring options for an additional measurement point to improve data and support beyond primary 1. This includes providing more support to parents and the frontline practitioners who work with them, to have effective conversations about their child’s weight, in a way that is non-stigmatising. We will take learning from the National Child Measurement Programme in England, and practice further afield, to inform our decisions.

Question reference: S5W-24509

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23848 by Jeane Freeman on 5 July 2019, what it is doing to mitigate the effects on local communities of contracts being handed back.

Local authorities have the statutory responsibility to provide social care services that meet the local needs of their population, as per the direction and ambition provided within their partner Integration Authority’s Strategic Commissioning Plan. If a contract is handed back, it is the duty of the local authority to seek alternative arrangements.

The Scottish Government and COSLA have recently launched a national programme to support local reform of social care to ensure social care is sustainable for the future. Part of this programme relates to improving commissioning and procurement practices. Scotland Excel is currently developing a national framework agreement for care at home services which will increase consistency in the way this support is commissioned, purchased and delivered, as well as strengthening the focus on person centred and outcomes-focused practice and fair work practices.

Question reference: S5W-24523

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 August 2019

The Scottish Government holds no information on the suicide rates within the veterinary profession for the years 2016 – 2019 as the annual published statistics do not include a breakdown by individual occupation. The Scottish Suicide Information Database publication shows that for the period 2011 - 2017 the total number of people aged 16-64 years old and in a professional occupation is 315 - this will include those in the veterinary profession.

Question reference: S5W-24436

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 14 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the role that emerging technologies can play in helping people live independently for longer.

The Scottish Government recognise the benefit of evidence based implementation of technology. For example, in the latest social care statistics published, 132,000 people are already using telecare to manage their health and wellbeing and this continues to grow. Scotland's Digital Health and Care Strategy also identified the need to ensure we monitor the role that emerging technologies can play within health and social care and we will continue to review any developments. There have been a number of commissioned reviews to look at this. These include:

A report into the role of telecare within Scotland - https://sctt.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Telecare-Feasibility-Study-Report-FINAL.pdf

The Scottish Government's partner, The Digital Health and Care Institute (DHI) also undertake a number of studies. These include:

A review of emerging trends in digital health and care - https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/67860/1/Rooney_etal_DHI_2019_Review_of_emerging
_trends_in_digital_health_and_care.pdf
Making technology meaningful in social care - https://futurehealthandwellbeing.org/
making-tech-meaningful-in-social-care/
The Future of Housing – A Guide to the Emerging Market of Smart House Developers - https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/69029/1/Morrison_DHI_2018_Supporting_health_and
_wellbeing_can_smart_housing_help_revolutionise_health_and_carepdf.pdf

The Scottish Government's Technology Enabled Care Programme have also recently commissioned Alzheimer Scotland to look at what every day technologies (mobile phones, voice recognition technology etc) can do to support people to live longer healthier lives at home and we are awaiting the final report from that.

Question reference: S5W-24710

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline Annual Report 2017-2018, how it plans to help women who "feel unsupported and let down during legal proceedings" regarding child contact and residence arrangements.

Question reference: S5W-24414

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 13 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-23871 by Kevin Stewart on 15 July 2019, what immediate action it is taking in response to reports that at least one young person each week goes straight from a care home to homelessness.

Whilst the most recent statistics published in June show a very small reduction in the number of young people leaving care straight into homelessness, there has been a 70% reduction over the last 10 years.

However, we are very clear that no one leaving care should find themselves homeless and preventing homelessness for care leavers is a key focus for the Scottish Government.

As indicated in my response to your question S5W-23872 on 15 July 2019, a working group has been convened, chaired by CELCIS, which is already looking at the actions needed to prevent homelessness for people with experience of care. We expect this group to report in the Autumn.

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: S5W-24702

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 12 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 9 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Reform Scotland briefing, Closing the early years gap, which states that 50% of children are not guaranteed two years of funded early years education, what action it is taking to remedy this.

Question reference: S5W-24666

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport approved the payment of £11.6 million made by NHS Lothian to Integrated Health Solutions Lothian to facilitate resolution of issues at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services project; what other options were considered, and who it informed of the existence of the payment following the Scottish Government's approval in August 2018.

Question reference: S5W-24412

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for a hysterectomy operation, broken down by NHS board.