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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-12608

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many registered doctors in NHS Scotland have applied to the General Medical Council for certificates of good standing in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-12615

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of NHS staff have been agency staff in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-12619

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP surgeries have closed in each year since 1999.

As at 1 st October 2021, there were 922 GP Practices. This data was published on 14 th December 2021 – ( GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2011 - 2021 - Publications - Public Health Scotland ).

The Scottish Government does not hold figures for how many GP Practices have closed. However, the slight decrease in practice numbers shown in the report is largely driven by practice mergers and a trend towards larger practices with more GPs serving a larger number of patients.

Question reference: S6W-12491

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any Scotland-specific analysis of AposHealth footwear has been commissioned, and whether it will consider offering this as a treatment option in each NHS board region.

AposHealth for osteoarthritis of the knee is being reviewed by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The draft medical technologies guidance on AposHealth is currently out for consultation with an expected publication date of March 2023.

Whilst NICE medical technology guidance does not have official status in Scotland, the Scottish Government will await publication of the NICE guidance before deciding next steps. This could include commissioning the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) – who provide the equivalent of NICE medical technology assessments for Scotland – being asked to review and adapt guidance for NHS Scotland.

SHTG has a remit to provide evidence support and advise NHSScotland on the use of new and existing health technologies. However, it is ultimately a decision for individual NHS Boards to decide whether to offer this as part of their treatment options for patients or not.

Question reference: S6W-12504

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that the adjustable car ramp on the Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert ferry services returns on all sailings in the spring and summer in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-12542

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents have been recorded of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) escaping from (a) onshore and (b) offshore power generation sites in each of the last three years.

The Scottish Government does not hold recorded information on the number of leakage incidents of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) from onshore and offshore power generation sites that have been recorded in the last three years.

The Scottish Government is aware of the impact of this potent greenhouse gas on the environment and of the risk of leakage incidents. We are currently working with the UK and Welsh Governments to review the F-gas Regulation. We have already done a retrospective assessment of the Regulation and will publish an assessment report on the findings in the coming weeks.

Following the report, we will jointly consider policy options to ensure our regulations continue to support our ambitious Net Zero targets. As part of this, we will also consider other important issues including leakage. We expect to publish a joint consultation on these future policy proposals in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12520

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated timeline on the forthcoming consultation process for the Review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland (The Sludge Review).

The legislative changes recommended by the completed review of the Storage and Spreading of Sewage Sludge on Land in Scotland (‘The Sludge Review’), are being implemented via the forthcoming Integrated Authorisation Framework (IAF) regulations.

The proposed changes are designed to strengthen SEPA powers to ensure effective management practices are implemented and followed by operators within the industry.

A consultation on proposed IAF regulations is due to be published early next year and stakeholders will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals relating to sewage sludge.

Question reference: S6W-12522

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide (a) an updated estimated cost to decarbonise homes and workplaces and (b) the methodology behind that estimate, which it calculated to be "in the region of £33 billion" in its Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, in light of increased levels of inflation and other increased costs since publication.

Information setting out the requested methodology is in the public domain: Heat in building strategy modelling: EIR release - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

We are committed to delivering a just and fair transition to net zero, where the distribution of costs and impacts protects those in the most vulnerable circumstances while also optimising benefits for everyone. This means continuing to take account of changes in the external environment so that our modelling of funding and support remains appropriate. We are currently reviewing our cost estimates to deliver the heat transition on this basis, and will provide a further update in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12439

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £108.729 million allocated to Digital Health Care in its 2022-23 budget, which was announced on 9 December 2021, has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date, broken down by expenditure.

The original published budget for Digital Health and Care was £112.9 million, not £108.729 million. See https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2022-23/pages/5/ . Since the budget was published in December 2021 there has been a Scottish Government wide Emergency Budget Review and the agreed corporate savings from this exercise have resulted in a budget of £99.6 million being allocated to Digital Health and Care in 2022-23.

This budget provides funding for the delivery of ‘ Care in the Digital Age’ , with individual activities as set out in the accompanying Delivery Plan . Funds that are allocated are based on need, and final confirmation of spend will be included as part of the Scottish Government provisional outturn.

Question reference: S6W-12664

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients are currently receiving treatment for brain tumours in Scotland.