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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: S5W-24244

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Life at Age 12: Initial Findings from the Growing Up in Scotland Study, which stated that over 50% of 12-year-olds say that they feel pressured at school, what action it is taking to address this issue.

We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. The wellbeing of school pupils is vitally important, and we recognise the impact that pressure at school can have on children and young people. That is why health and wellbeing is a key priority of the Curriculum for Excellence. All adults working in schools are responsible for supporting and developing mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing to support successful learning and happy lives.

All schools should help young people to develop resilience and personal coping skills, and should have measures in place to support young people who experience stress. Opportunities should be available through the school year for young people to have regular conversations about their learning and progress.

Question reference: S5W-24494

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a recent YouGov poll, which found that the cost of childcare has risen, what it is doing to ensure that childcare is provided through a diverse range of sources.

Question reference: S5W-24122

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which three projects have been funded through the £2.7 million announced in the Race Equality Action Plan - Year 1 highlight report, and how much of this was directed towards BAME communities.

To date, 26 projects are being supported through the Screening Inequalities Fund. This includes a number of activities specifically tackling inequalities of access to cancer screening programmes within BAME communities. Examples of this work include the creation of an innovative new Outreach Service targeting women less likely to attend screening services; and raising awareness of breast and cervical screening within the Chinese community in Scotland.

We have also established a Screening Inequalities Network which will oversee the development of a national screening inequalities strategy and will include a 3 year programme of action.

Question reference: S5W-24315

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to introduce quality standards for caring for people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Question reference: S5W-24201

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Northern Ireland reportedly having nearly double the percentage of home-domiciled students than Scotland, 89.0% against 52.4%, what steps it is taking to ensure that the percentage of Scottish-domiciled student equals that of the rest of the UK.

Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data shows that in 2017-18, 53.8% of full-time first degree medical enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) were Scottish domiciled. At Northern Irish HEIs, 66.5% of full-time first degree medical enrolments were Northern Irish domiciled.

Evidence shows that Scots domiciled graduates remain working in NHS Scotland in the longer term at a significantly higher rate than graduates from elsewhere in the UK or overseas. Following discussion with universities, a new target for Scottish domiciled and the rest of EU medical intake for 2019-20 was introduced in line with Scottish Government guidance to increase retention of medical students. This will enable 100 rest of UK medical students to be replaced with 100 Scottish domiciled/EU students on a phased basis over the next three years.

Question reference: S5W-24261

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of harms reported by ME patients instructed to undertake graded exercise therapy, whether it will ask NHS National Services Scotland, in collaboration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, to issue a safety alert to all NHS boards and local authorities in Scotland in this regard.

Question reference: S5W-24260

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the current NICE guidelines on ME being under review, whether it plans to issue guidance to all NHS boards and GP practices so that reference is made to the Scottish Good Practice Statement when treating patients.

Question reference: S5W-24314

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve early diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Question reference: S5W-24270

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure early detection of Lyme disease, especially in cases where patients miss early treatment because they do present symptoms, including a tick-bite or rash, and develop a chronic illness.

Increasing awareness amongst health care professionals of the symptoms of Lyme disease is an on-going priority for the Lyme Borreliosis Group, which is part of the Scottish Health Protection Network (SHPN). The group has produced a suite of educational resources to aid health care professionals in the early detection and treatment of Lyme disease which can be accessed here:https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-theme-initiative/public-health/health-protection/gastrointestinal-infection-and-zoonoses/ticks-and-lyme-disease.aspx

On 14 June 2019 the Chief Medical Officer wrote to all NHS Health Boards and GP practices highlighting the availability of these resources to staff and in February 2019, the SHPN hosted a clinician focussed, national Lyme disease educational event.

The majority of Lyme disease cases can be diagnosed and treated in primary care without the need for specialist input, however where specialist input is needed such cases would be cared for by Infectious Disease Consultants.

Question reference: S5W-24229

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 25 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Mental Health Foundation's written submission to the Health and Sport Committee's 2017 inquiry, Technology and Innovation in Health and Social Care, which states that "people living in poverty, BAME groups and young people amongst others are less likely than the general population to receive treatment and support for mental health symptoms", what action it has taken to tackle this issue, and what the outcomes have been.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland has equal access and support from mental health services. Through the establishment of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce and the Youth Commission on Mental Health, we have significantly prioritised the mental health of young people since 2017.

Following the publication of the Taskforce’s delivery plan in December the, Scottish Government announced additional investment of £4m to improve access to CAMHS and to support the development of prevention and early intervention services.

As we take forward the final recommendations of the Taskforce and the Youth Commission we will give particular priority to the needs of those groups of young people at risk of not being able to access mental health services. This work will be progressed by the new Programme Board announced on 4 th July 2019.

Our 10 year mental health strategy has been assessed for equalities impact and we will publish a refreshed equalities impact assessment in the next month, which includes updated analysis of poverty, race and age. We will make use of this analysis to inform our future Mental Health Strategy approach.