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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: S6W-08784

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what current delays there are to the issuing of bowel cancer screening invites, broken down by NHS board, also broken down by the average length of delay.

Following the pause on all adult screening programmes in March 2020, due to COVID-19, the Scottish bowel screening programme resumed issuing home testing kits from 12 October 2020. All those who were due to be sent a bowel screening kit during the pause were sent one after the programme restarted.

Bowel screening continues to operate in line with pre-COVID performance; the same number of invitations are being issued. However, because of COVID-19, individuals have been receiving their bowel screening kits 6 months later than in previous screening rounds. This is likely to continue until the end of the year, at which point all screening kits will go back to being issued 2 yearly as in the pre-Covid period. It should be stressed that invitations for first screenings (which are issued to participants as they turn 50 and become eligible for the programme) have continued to be sent out on time since the programme restarted and have not been affected by the pause.

As test kits are posted nationally, there is no variation on delays across the programme, and therefore it is not possible to provide figures broken down by Health Board.

We continue to emphasise the importance of being aware of the signs and symptoms of cancer, and to report any concerns to a GP as soon as possible so that these can be investigated. More information on the symptoms of bowel cancer can be found on the NHS Inform website at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/cancer/cancer-types-in-adults/bowel-cancer#signs-and-symptoms-of-bowel-cancer

Question reference: S6W-08801

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the establishment of an invasive non-native species inspectorate in the Animal and Plant Health Agency of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and whether it plans to establish a similar body.

Following approval by the UK Non-Native Species Programme Board, a four-countries collaborative group which directs action to implement the Invasive Alien Species Regulation across Great Britain, the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat which is located in APHA but provides specialist support to all four devolved nations, led the establishment of an Invasive Non-native Inspectorate as a pilot for 2021-22 across all of Great Britain. Following a successful initial year for the Inspectorate, resourcing has been continued for 2022 to extend the pilot for an additional year. During this time the Scottish Government will be reviewing whether to provide continued support for the GB Inspectorate.

Question reference: S6W-08800

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement of trials in England and Wales to monitor excessive noise from car exhausts in towns, whether it will introduce a similar initiative.

My officials in Transport Scotland are aware of the DfT Roadside Vehicle Noise Measurement trials and will be monitoring their progress and effectiveness. Setting of legal limits for noise levels from vehicles is reserved to UK Government via the Construction and Use Regulations. Prioritising the management of transport noise is a key component in protecting our environment. Scotland’s Transport Noise Action Plan sets out how we seek to manage noise levels where necessary and practicable and aim to preserve environmental noise quality where it is good.

Question reference: S6W-08783

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00898 by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2021, what action it is taking to ensure that people who missed bowel cancer screening due to the COVID-19 pandemic will now receive invites for screening.

Question reference: S6W-08807

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08560 by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022, what information the register records regarding the subsequent (a) destination of any tenants leaving properties that have exited, including the homeless presentations made to their local authority, and (b) use of those properties, including use as (i) PRS stock, (ii) owner-occupied homes, (iii) second homes, (iv) empty homes and (v) short-term lets.

The propose of the Landlord Register is to enable Local Authorities to complete checks on private landlords. Most private landlords are required to apply for registration with their local authority under Part 8 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 . The applicant must provide information to help local authorities assess whether they are a fit and proper person to let houses.

The fit and proper person test is intended to provide a level of assurance that the owner of a let property is a suitable person to let privately rented property. It is a standard that all private landlords are required to uphold throughout the time that they operate as a private landlord.

The Landlord Registration System is an administrative system used primarily to manage these registration of landlords and rental properties by Local Authorities. It does not collect data regarding landlords and properties no longer registered. It does not include data on individual tenants, either those in a property or their destination on exit.

Question reference: S6W-08831

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05262 by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022, whether it has met with the Blood Cancer Alliance to explore how further improved outcomes for people diagnosed with blood cancers can be achieved, and, if so, what the outcome was.

Scottish Government Officials met with the Blood Cancer Alliance on 18 January. The Blood Cancer Alliance agreed to provide officials with details on how data collection on blood cancers would be useful for patients and to support the review and redesign of the Detect Cancer Early public facing website getcheckedearly.org. Officials agreed to collaborate with them to ensure experiences of those living with blood cancers are reflected in national cancer improvement programmes and they will be included in stakeholder engagement for developing any new national cancer strategy.

Question reference: S6W-08791

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to implementing a primary care community audiology service, and, if so, what steps it is taking to introduce this.

Question reference: S6T-00781

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its nursery recruitment targets.

Question reference: S6T-00784

Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it will take, in light of recent reports that nearly £2 million in Pupil Equity Funding has been spent on police officers in schools since 2018.

Question reference: S6F-01228

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle the reported growing use of locum staff in the NHS.