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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: S6O-04150

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle any fraud in Social Security Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-04104

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it plans to double the funding available to local authorities through its school meal debt fund from £1.4 million to £2.8 million, whether it plans to allocate the same amount of funding on a recurring basis in future Budgets.

The Scottish Government has taken steps to address the historic school meal debt accrued by local authorities by increasing the funding available through the School Meal Debt Fund from £1.5m to £2.8m in 2024/25. This increase has fully met the requests made by local authorities on school meal debt.

The 2025/26 budget will deliver a really strong deal for councils that means they can avoid families building up significant debt. This funding along with the measures outlined in the COSLA guidance on this matter, will ensure that future school meal debt is managed appropriately, as far as possible, for families.

Question reference: S6W-31939

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce any stigma for individuals accessing or wishing to access Medication Assisted Treatment.

Work on developing a Stigma Action Plan has taken place, alongside progress with the National Collaborative, who are publishing a Charter of Rights for People Affected by Substance Use on 11 December 2024.

The Charter was developed by a wide network of people with experience of substance use and aims to shift power and change culture, by empowering people affected by substance use to name and claim their rights, and be involved in decisions which impact them. It will also support service providers to understand how to realise these rights.

The purpose of the Medication Assisted Treatment standards is to improve access to treatment and enable people to make an informed choice about their care. The work that services are doing to embed the MAT standards is part of realising the right to health, and therefore very much aligns with the Charter of Rights.

Question reference: S6W-31934

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many claims have been made to the Young Patients Family fund within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-31940

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to reduce Medication Assisted Treatment waiting times.

The Scottish Government continues to support local areas provide medication assisted treatment.

The Scottish Government also has overall Drug waiting times in terms of accessing services, for which a target was set that 90% of people accessed treatment within 3 weeks.

Since the introduction of the Medication Assisted Treatment Standards in 2021, as reported in the National Benchmarking Report published in July 2024, the waiting times have dropped and show that 75% of people now wait one day or less to access a form of treatment.

Question reference: S6W-31942

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to support any people wishing to access Medication Assisted Treatment services who experience travel barriers due to cost and/or distance.

Pilots of a non-statutory support scheme began in spring 2023, with funding provided for distribution by local services to remove the barrier of transport costs for people with substance dependency, when accessing treatment. These Pathfinders, also covering people with multiple and complex needs, are taking place in 11 locations, with full implementation to support a national practice model expected to be complete in Summer 2025.

As part of their work to support implementation of the MAT standards, the 2023 National Benchmarking Report published by Public Health Scotland (PHS), detailed assessments of how areas are trying to overcome the challenges of rurality. Approaches include: high use of self-referral and telephone, ‘tele-health’ technology such as NEAR ME; wide use of bus passes, taxis, and third sector to take people to appointments. Also offering a choice of venues to be seen at, such as a GP practice, home and community hubs, as well as settings to deliver care when weather disrupts usual access.

A strength in many areas is the utilisation of informal local networks and relationships to respond to urgent presentations, even when no formal arrangements are in place. Many areas now also have formal arrangements with other Health Boards to utilise and share expertise.

Question reference: S6W-31932

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23717 by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2023, what progress it has made in identifying areas where there is the potential to further explore or support aspects of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) service development and the resource required to do this.

In May 2023 we published an analysis of survey data of health boards’ arrangements for the care and support of individuals with ME/CFS, with the aim of establishing a clearer picture of variations in service provision around Scotland.

We have since gathered updated information on ME/CFS care from every health board in Scotland and published this on 20 November 2024.

Subject to approval, the 2025-26 budget includes new investment of £4.5 million to deliver new specialist support across the country for Long Covid, ME/CFS, and other similar conditions.

This important investment will support people with these conditions across Scotland, and we are asking Parliament to unite behind the Budget to ensure this funding reaches the people who need it.

Question reference: S6W-31943

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many claims have been made to the Young Patients Family Fund in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-31937

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to specifically address the misuse of opiates/opioids.

The Drug Deaths Taskforce was set up in 2019 to provide evidence-based expert advice on tackling the misuse of drugs. Toxicology results tell us that opiates/opioids were, and still are the main substances implicated in drug deaths in Scotland, with polydrug use being a significant factor.

After January 2021 when the National Mission was launched, the Scottish Government published the MAT standards, and through their continuing implementation, transformational change has taken place in drug treatment services throughout Scotland.

Methadone remains the primary form of medication assisted treatment, as an internationally accepted and evidence-based form of opioid antagonist. In the 12-month period ending 31 March 2024, Opioid Substitution Therapy was prescribed to a minimum of 29,817 people for the treatment of opioid dependence.

Question reference: S6W-31936

Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to re-evaluate the amount that an applicant can claim from the Young Patients Family Fund.

2021-22	4,983
2022-23	8,437
2023-24	10,765