Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-01285

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its COVID-19 recovery planning will include measures to improve access to interpreters and translators for people using public services.

Question reference: S6O-01286

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its cross-government Covid Recovery policies will take account of the recommendations of its COVID-19 Ventilation Short-Life Working Group.

Question reference: S6O-01298

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve water quality in Scotland's rivers.

Question reference: S6W-09040

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many Ukrainian refugees have been refused a place through its Super Sponsor scheme due to (a) unspent convictions, (b) spent convictions, (c) unspent cautions and (d) sex offender notifications.

Question reference: S6W-09002

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many hospital beds there have been in NHS Fife in each of the last 10 years.

A set of data tables for the most recent and historical hospital bed numbers for each board is available in the annual PHS publication, which was released on 28 September 2021, which be found at https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual-annual-year-ending-31-march-2021/

Data is available from financial year 2011-12 to financial year 2020-21. Hospital beds data is presented in the Table 4 – beds data file, and the measure of interest is Average Available Staffed Beds for All Specialties.

A set of data tables for the most recent and historical hospital bed numbers for each board is available in the annual PHS publication, which was released on 28 September 2021, which be found at https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual-annual-year-ending-31-march-2021/

Data is available from financial year 2011-12 to financial year 2020-21. Hospital beds data is presented in the Table 4 – beds data file, and the measure of interest is Average Available Staffed Beds for All Specialties.

Question reference: S6W-09027

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that every person being treated for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia has equal access to a clinical nurse specialist from the point of diagnosis so that they have the tailored support that they require.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are able access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

The Transforming Cancer Care Programme (TCC), where the Scottish Government is working in partnership with Macmillan, aims to ensure that every cancer patient in Scotland has access to a specialist key support worker, who can provide emotional, financial and practical support to those who need it most.

This service will also benefit clinicians, by freeing up time that may have been spent providing this support, and means they will have more time to offer direct medical and clinical support to patients.

Question reference: S6W-09080

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps NHS Grampian is taking to clear waiting lists for oncology patients to ensure that treatment can always begin within recommended guidelines.

NHS Grampian, like all boards, continues to see an increasing number of eligible cancer referrals and our priority is to ensure these patients receive cancer diagnosis and treatments safely and based on their clinical urgency.

We’re investing £40m over 5 years to support cancer services and improve cancer waiting times, with a focus on clearing any long waits and on the most challenged cancer pathways including urology, colorectal and breast.

Question reference: S6W-09079

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for oncology patients in the NHS Grampian area to begin their treatment post-diagnosis.

Question reference: S6W-09045

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for implementation of the decarbonised railway line between Stranraer and Girvan; what work has been carried out on this, and what progress has been made.

Question reference: S6W-09006

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the #LiveableNHSBursary campaign led by medical students, which includes calls for access to full maintenance loans for medical students in line with other professional healthcare courses, access to the NHS Learning Support Fund for medical students and a review of Travel and Dual Accommodation Expenses, in light of the cost of living crisis.

The #LiveableNHSBursary campaign is focused on the situation faced by latter years medical students studying in England which is something we are unable to comment on. Scottish domiciled medical students are eligible for the standard student support package which is comprised of tuition fees and living cost support throughout all 5 or 6 years of their medical degree. Furthermore in February 2002 a £350 loan uplift for 2022-23 for higher education students was announced. This means that the most disadvantaged students can access £8,100 per year through bursary and loan and the Scottish Government remains committed that the total student support package reaches the equivalent of the Living Wage over the next three years.

In Scotland medical ACT is currently used to fund Travel and Subsistence for students in all regions and this is monitored in light of the changing economic climate and impact of locus of student placements in remote/rural settings.

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