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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-13123

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11613 by Humza Yousaf on 16 October 2017, in light of it not being able to define timescales for any GRIP4 work, what assurances it can provide that the Levenmouth rail reinstatement is on course.

Transport investment decisions have to be supported by robust evidence. That is why I have instructed Transport Scotland to progress the transport appraisal work undertaken to date for the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study, in line with STAG, and in close collaboration with Fife Council. The transport appraisal work will determine if there is a rationale for progressing the Levenmouth rail link, which will be one of the options considered in the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study.

Question reference: S5W-13134

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position on whether the 40mph "buffer zone" on Doune Road in Dunblane should be reviewed, in light of its proximity to the Grant Drive/Wallace Road crossing, which is used by school children to cross.

The road to which this PQ refers is a local road and, therefore, under the jurisdiction of its relevant Local Authority - in this case Stirling Council. Local Authorities have a statutory duty to promote road safety and take steps to both reduce and prevent accidents. In this respect it is for the Council to consider appropriate measures which will safeguard road users and residents, and to determine the priority that should be given to any road safety measures. It is not for Scottish Ministers to intervene in a Local Authority’s day-to-day performance of these particular duties.

Question reference: S5W-12997

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients (a) were thrombolysed and (b) could have been eligible for thrombolysis on presentation at hospital following a stroke in 2016, broken down by NHS board.

The Scottish Government’s Stroke Improvement Plan, published in 2014, reaffirms stroke as a clinical priority for the NHS in Scotland. The Plan outlines eight key priorities and actions to improve stroke treatment and care in Scotland. NHS Boards report on progress in the implementation of the Improvement Plan priorities, and this is presented in the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme (SSIP) Report.

The SSIP report, published on 11 July 2017, indicates the number of patients receiving thrombolysis in 2016, broken down by Board on pages 39-40. The report is available at: http://www.strokeaudit.scot.nhs.uk/index.html.

The information requested for patients who could have been eligible for thrombolysis is not available centrally.

Question reference: S5W-12996

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 12 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding maintaining a national stroke registry, guideline and standard development and performance management and reporting, whether its stroke strategy is inclusive of all types of strokes and, in particular, (a) subarachnoid haemorrhages and (b) strokes in children, and how many occurrences of each of these there have been in the last year.

Through our Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) we are committed to ensuring that people who have had a stroke of whatever type have this identified as quickly as possible and receive access to the best possible care.

While there is no national stroke registry, the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) covers all admitted adult stroke patients, including those with ischaemic stroke and intracerebral haemorrhage not due to trauma (sometimes referred to as non-traumatic or primary intracerebral haemorrhage).

A subarachnoid haemorrhage is an uncommon type of haemorrhage stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the brain (such as from an aneurysm or less commonly from an arteriovenous malformation). Once identified, patients are cared for within neurosurgery and are not included in the SSCA because they have very different clinical presentations from the remainder of stroke patients. Similarly, the SSCA does not include childhood stroke, i.e. stroke among those aged under 16, because they are treated using a different pathway. We would expect clinicians to be aware of the latest professional evidence-based guidance regarding care of children including the Royal College of Paediatrics and Childhood Health's 'Stroke in Childhood' clinical guideline (2017). Healthcare Improvement Scotland include, as part of their neurological health service standards, treatment criteria for headache due to particular symptoms including subarachnoid haemorrhage; http://www.healthcareimprovementscotland.org/our_work/long_term_conditions/neurological_health_services/neurological_standards_2009.asp

The table shows the number of hospital stays for subarachnoid haemorrhage and stroke in Scotland for the financial year 2015-16. These figures include 10 hospital stays with stroke among children aged 15 years or under. There were no hospital stays for subarachnoid haemorrhages in children aged 15 years or under in the same year.

Numbers of hospital stays, by diagnosis, for all types of admission, in Scotland, all persons, for the financial year 2015-16.

Diagnosis	Number of stays
Subarachnoid haemorrhages	570
Stroke	9441

Background Notes –

Subarachnoid haemorrhage ICD-10 : I60; Stroke ICD-10: I61,I63,I64
An individual patient may have more than one stay in hospital for the same condition within this period.

Question reference: S5O-01553

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of glyphosate in farming.

The Scottish Government supports the recent five year renewal of the glyphosate licence which allows its continued use in Scotland and the rest of Europe.

Glyphosate is important to Scottish farmers who use it to control weeds, manage harvests, and reduce grain drying costs. It is also used in Scotland's forests and is the only currently approved suitable herbicide for weed control in establishing conifer and broadleaf trees.

Question reference: S5O-01513

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the accessibility of childminders for all families.

Question reference: S5W-12627

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what legislation there is regarding wearing bright or reflective clothing when walking or jogging on unlit rural roads and highways.

Legislation covering what pedestrians should wear on unlit roads and highways remains under the jurisdiction of the UK Government; however, the Scottish Government recognises that high visibility clothing can play a role in preventing pedestrian incidents in low light conditions. That is why we recommend in our Road safety Framework that the Highway Code “Rules for Pedestrians” advice be followed. This includes encouraging pedestrians to wear or carry something light-coloured, bright or fluorescent in poor daylight conditions, and, when it is dark to use reflective materials.

Question reference: S5W-12723

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance there is on the use of physical intervention and restraint in schools.

Question reference: S5W-12556

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by David Stewart (on behalf of the SPCB) on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it can take to ensure that any prepared food left over at the end of the day in the catering outlets is distributed to charitable causes.

The SPCB is very conscious of the issue of surplus food being discarded as waste and has explored the options previously in response to questions raised by Members. Unfortunately, we are unable to distribute any prepared food that is left over at the end of the day. As this food is unpackaged, served and is no longer temperature controlled, it becomes a risk for human consumption and therefore has to be classed as waste. We try to ensure that all waste is kept to a minimum and we continually monitor food production at the catering outlets. Our average amount of food waste is around 4% which is below the industry average. Any food that is left over is collected and taken away for composting which helps reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfill.

Question reference: S5F-01734

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the recently published internal staff survey from the Scottish Ambulance Service, which suggests that work pressure had affected the health of more than half of the respondents.