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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-18196

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported concerns of farmers that an emergency authorisation for the limited and controlled use of Asulox is at risk of not being made in time to control bracken during the 2023 season, whether it has come to a decision regarding any such authorisation, and, if not, when it expects to do so.

HSE, as the UK regulator for pesticides, is responsible for assessing emergency authorisation applications on behalf of governments across the UK, including for the Scottish Government. Recognising the importance of a timely response, the Scottish Government considered and promptly responded to HSE's recommendation on the application for the use of Asulox during the 2023 season. HSE will issue their decision to the applicant once all other UK governments have responded.

The Scottish Government recognises the role that Asulox has played in recent years in the control of bracken in Scotland. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders and NatureScot to consider options for sustainable bracken management.

Question reference: S6O-02371

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any impact that its fiscal policy platform will have on Scottish businesses, including tourism and hospitality businesses.

Question reference: S6O-02334

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the introduction of whole life sentences as an option for judges in relation to the most serious offences.

Question reference: S6W-17908

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that everyone diagnosed with ovarian cancer has access to the best possible support.

Question reference: S6W-17906

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure there is support in place for GPs to interpret and act on CA125 blood test and ultrasound results.

Question reference: S6W-17907

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any regional variation in access to treatment for ovarian cancer.

Question reference: S6W-17905

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 30 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to improve awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

Question reference: S6W-17818

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Addressing Depopulation Action Plan will be published.

The Ministerial Population Taskforce has committed to publishing the Addressing Depopulation Action Plan in Autumn 2023, which will include a place-based focus on a mixture of rural, island, and select urban locations across Scotland which are experiencing depopulation.

The Scottish Government is committed to taking a genuine partnership approach to the development of the Action Plan, and will continue to engage closely with local authorities, COSLA, agencies and local communities throughout summer 2023, prior to its publication.

Question reference: S6W-17819

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Ministerial Population Taskforce.

The Ministerial Population Taskforce continues to meet quarterly to provide oversight and cross-portfolio focus to the addressing of Scotland’s long term demographic challenges, set out in the 2021 Population Strategy.

As Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for population and the new Chair, I will be convening a meeting of the Taskforce with a new ministerial membership in June.

A number of key policy commitments are being taken forward by the Taskforce in 2023, including the commitment to launch a Talent Attraction and Migration Service and to publish an Addressing Depopulation Action Plan.

Question reference: S6W-17575

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the policy of moving away from a vaccination model based on GP delivery, and whether it is considering reviewing this policy and returning to more locally-administered vaccinations at GP surgeries.

Five years on from the joint agreement between Scottish Government and the British Medical Association (BMA) on the 2018 GP contract, we have made significant progress in the implementation of Primary Care Improvement Plans (PCIPs). The Vaccination Transformation Programme element of the 2018 GP contract is complete.

While the Scottish Government will seek continuous improvement of our vaccination services, I would envisage neither a return to a model of default GP provision nor local models based on optional GP participation. This is because the aim of the Vaccination Transformation Programme was to ensure that GP practices are able to focus on the work only they can do, such as complex care and diagnosing undifferentiated presentations. Vaccinations can be administered in a wide range of different settings by a wide range of healthcare professionals.

The GP profession voted as a whole in 2018 in favour of not providing vaccinations and this position remains extant. There will always be exceptions to this of course, in rural areas and where the need to vaccinate quickly is paramount. Notwithstanding these exceptions, I would not anticipate making any fundamental changes to our vaccination model which are counter to our 2018 agreement with GPs about the future of the profession.