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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: S6F-02515

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that Scottish Water has issued bonus payments to executives in excess of public sector pay rules.

Question reference: S6F-02510

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government is offering to NHS Lothian to contact the parents and guardians of the over 23,000 children who reportedly may have received substandard testing to identify deafness, including support to identify any other young children who have not received the required standard of auditory brainstem response testing.

Question reference: S6F-02511

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to alleviate poverty in Scotland, in light of reports that the UK is in violation of international law in relation to poverty levels.

Question reference: S6F-02500

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02501

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-22757

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans' Recognition Scheme.

In May 2021 the Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans Joint Group – Strategic Oversight Group set a priority to develop a Veteran aware GP accreditation programme, now called the General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans Recognition Scheme (“the Scheme”). The aim of the scheme is to raise awareness among General Practice of some of the health challenges that veterans and Armed Forces Families face as a result of military service and improve person centred outcomes and care for the armed forces community.

Following the incorporation of feedback from practices who agreed to be part of an initial pilot, I can confirm that the Scheme will be open to all General Practices in Scotland on 6 November 2023.

General Practices who wish to sign up to the Scheme, should contact gp-afv@gov.scot for more information.

Question reference: S6W-22215

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the (a) Stirling and (b) Clackmannanshire Council area have received the Scottish Child Payment since its introduction to date.

As of 30 June 2023, (a) 2,345 parents or carers in the Stirling local authority area, and (b) 2,160 parents or carers in the Clackmannanshire local authority area had received at least one Scottish Child Payment since its introduction on 14 February 2021.

These figures are based on secondary analysis of the most recently published statistics on Scottish Child Payment published by Social Security Scotland. Whilst these include information on the number of children currently benefitting from Scottish Child Payment by local authority area, we do not currently produce a breakdown of the total number of parents or carers who have received payment.

The latest Scottish Child Payment Official statistics publication can be found at:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications .

The next release of Scottish Child Payment statistics which will cover the period to the end of September 2023, is due to be published on 28 November 2023.

Question reference: S6W-22311

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of what impact the proposed Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways programme is likely to have on dispensing appliance contractors (DACs) contracted to the NHS to dispense stoma and incontinence care appliances against prescriptions issued by GPs and specialist nurse prescribers.

When launched, the initial iteration of the solution will replace the paper prescription with a digital solution. We will achieve this by developing an end-to-end digital solution for in-hours prescribing from general practices through to community pharmacy dispensing. Appliance items which are prescribed from in-hours general practice for community pharmacy dispensing, will come under the new process at this time.

If NHS health boards have alternative arrangements in place for appliance prescribing and dispensing, then these may be included in subsequent phases of the programme. Appliances for patients will continue to be prescribed and dispensed during any period of change.

Work is also underway to produce an Equality Impact Assessment which will provide a wide view of how the digital solution will affect people. These findings will be used to ensure that we can mitigate against any challenges or issues in the design of the DPDP digital solution while ensuring that it is inclusive and accessible.

Question reference: S6W-22270

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to enhance people's understanding of menopause, including menopause symptoms and how to mitigate them, and what help is available to patients.

The Women’s Health Plan recognises that it is important all women know about the menopause and have access to consistent information and care when they seek help with menopause symptoms.

The Scottish Government continues to promote the comprehensive menopause resource on the NHS Inform Women’s Health Platform . This resource was launched in October 2021 to ensure women have access to information on menopause, including the signs and symptoms of perimenopause. The resource includes 11 videos including common myths around the menopause, and personal stories. The resource is accessible in five language translations, British Sign Language translation and an Easy Read version of the content.

To raise awareness of the symptoms of menopause – and how to mitigate them – work has recently begun on the development of a menopause public health campaign.

The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), in partnership with the Scottish Government, have hosted a series of webinars to raise awareness about the menopause, focussing on menopause myth busting, menopause and the workplace and menopause, sex and relationships. Recordings of the webinars can be accessed online here: Resources - Policy and research (alliance-scotland.org.uk)

Additionally, to mark World Menopause Day on 18 October 2023, the Scottish Government and the ALLIANCE, hosted a virtual ‘Talk Menopause’ panel discussion with experts in menopause to provide more information on menopause to those who need it.

Question reference: S6W-22312

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it is planning to have with the British Healthcare Trades Association, on behalf of its dispensing appliance contractor members, regarding the design and development of the proposed Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways programme.

Governance for the programme is provided by the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Programme Board which met for the first time in November 2021. The Board has met regularly since then and stakeholder representation includes:

NHS Board Primary Care Leads
NHS Board Directors of Pharmacy
NHS Board e-Health Leads
Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland
Scottish General Practitioners Committee (of the British Medical Association)
Community Pharmacy Scotland
Non-Medical Prescribers Group
NSS Contractor Prescribing Payments team

At each meeting, the Board discusses key issues and interdependencies such as appliance supply. This will ensure that we continue to develop and adapt as necessary through the life of the programme. At the appropriate time, we will consider engaging with other stakeholders, such as the British Healthcare Trades Association.

If stakeholders wish to keep up to date on progress, including a quarterly newsletter, the latest information can be found on the NSS’ website . The programme also welcomes any feedback and comments, and these can be submitted by emailing: NSS.digitalprescribing@nhs.scot.