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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-08709

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee meeting on 29 March 2022 to provide the number of whole-time equivalent GPs since 2019, whether it holds this information and, if so, whether it will publish it.

For ease of reference, the most recent estimate for whole time equivalent of GPs can be found in the General Practice Workforce Survey 2019 which estimated that there were 3,613 GP whole time equivalents (WTE) in Scotland in 2019. The GP (excluding Specialist Trainees) WTE increased from an estimated 3,520 in 2017 to an estimated 3,613 in 2019, based on 8 sessions per week being one WTE. These are the most recent available published data for GP whole time equivalent due to impacts of the pandemic on surveys.

In our helpful discussion at the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 29 March 2022, I undertook to look further at options for attaining and publishing whole-time equivalent data. I can confirm that I have now commissioned NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) to run this important survey afresh, and the General Practice Workforce Survey 2022 issued to practices in week commencing 30 May 2022. Further, I can confirm the Scottish Government is making arrangements for this survey to take place on an annual basis in future.

I agree that updated data are essential in understanding capacity in general practice, and I expect a full report on t T his year’s data to be published in the Autumn. I will be pleased to write to the Committee Convenor with that report when it is available.

Question reference: S6W-08991

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the (a) Women's Scholarship and (b) Children's Scholarship programmes in Pakistan, in each year since 2017.

Women and Girls face the largest barriers to accessing secondary and undergraduate education in Pakistan. Since the scholarships were first launched in 2013, over 1,400 young women have been supported to study at University through the Scotland Pakistan Scholarship Scheme. In addition, over 13,000 children have been supported to go to school. The Scottish Government is proud to fund the scholarships.

The amounts the Scottish Government has spent on Women’s Scholarship in Pakistan each year since 2017 are as follows: £175,000 in 2017-2018; £175,000 in 2018-2019; £200,000 in 2019-2020; £200,000 in 2020-2021; and £200,000 in 2021-2022.

The amounts the Scottish Government has spent on Children’s Scholarship in Pakistan each year since 2017 are as follows: £150,000 in 2017-2018; £150,000 in 2018-2019; £200,000 in 2019-2020; £200,000 in 2020-2021; and £200,000 in 2021-2022.

Question reference: S6W-08921

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time to access chronic pain services has been in each NHS board in each year since 1999.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05286 on 10 January 2022. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

A set of data tables for the most recent Chronic Pain Waiting Times publication, which was released on 8 March 2022, can be found at https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/chronic-pain-waiting-times/chronic-pain-waiting-times-quarter-ending-31-december-2021

Data is available from the quarter ending 31 December 2015 to the quarter ending 31 December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-08899

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the National Records of Scotland report stating that alcohol-specific deaths increased by 17% in 2020, what (a) short-, (b) medium- and (c) long-term actions have been taken to reduce harm and prevent further deaths.

The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework sets out our priorities for preventing alcohol-related harm. It contains 20 actions building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, including our world-leading minimum unit pricing policy.

We take a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

Key actions in the framework include:

? Consulting on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland this year

? reviewing the level of minimum unit pricing

? progressing a review of Alcohol Brief Interventions

? working with the UK Government on the forthcoming Alcohol Treatment Guidance

We are also exploring the evidence around Managed Alcohol Programmes and are delighted to be able to contribute to the running of the innovative model being piloted in Glasgow by Simon Community Scotland and its evaluation.

Question reference: S6W-08917

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the current level of debt on school meals is in each local authority.

Information about the levels of debt on school meals across Scotland is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The handling of school meal debts is a matter for local authorities, taking into account the local needs and circumstances of all families within their respective local areas.

The Scottish Government recognises the work which has been undertaken by Aberlour on this issue and the First Minister has committed that officials will work with COSLA to understand this issue more fully.

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.

Question reference: S6F-01223

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022

To ask the First Minister, in light of summer officially commencing next week on 21 June, what action the Scottish Government is taking to promote responsible access to Scotland’s countryside.

Question reference: S6F-01224

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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's analysis is of the potential risks to Scotland’s economy of the UK Government's proposed legislation to override the Northern Ireland Protocol.