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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-31715

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £34 million Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund was allocated in each year of its operation.

Question reference: S6W-31820

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is assessing the impact of the four new mobile endoscopy units on faster diagnosis for inflammatory bowel disease.

The additional mobile endoscopy units have supported patients to be clinically prioritised for endoscopy, ensuring that a range of conditions, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease, are diagnosed and managed timeously.

To provide further support for timeous diagnosis, the Scottish Government commissioned Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) will shortly publish a newly developed Inflammatory Bowel Disease pathway to support earlier identification and management of the disease.

This is all part of our programme to drive up productivity and tackle waiting lists, supported by the CfSD. Together, our actions will further enable NHS Scotland to maximise capacity, build greater resilience, reduce variation and deliver reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for diagnosis and treatment.

Question reference: S6W-31824

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many appointments by ministers to positions on (a) public bodies and (b) NHS boards there have been in each year since 2007 in which the appointee has declared a political affiliation, broken down by political party declared.

Announcements of ministerial appointments to all public bodies, including NHS boards, since 2020 can be found on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/collections/public-appointments-announcements/. Each announcement includes a declaration of any political activity within the five years preceding appointment.

This information is not available for appointments prior to 2020 and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Question reference: S6W-31821

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any costs that it has incurred through legal action that it has been party to in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-31760

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of repairs to the MV Caledonian Isles has been to date, broken down by year, and what the total anticipated costs are going forward.

The maintenance costs for MV Caledonian Isles for the past three years are included within the following table:

Contract Year	Period	£000's
CY 6	01-10-2021 - 30-09-2022	1,955
CY 7	01-10-2022 - 30-09-2023	1,977
CY 8	01-10-2023 - 30-09-2024	8,310	*
		12,242	*
* includes £6.8m of additional steelwork and gear box repair work.

The anticipated costs going forward for MV Caledonian Isles are included within the following table:

Contract year 9 costs	£000s
P7	596
P8	131
24-25 overhaul costs (deferred**)	1,071
Open POs	1,143
Total committed and incurred costs CY 9	2,941
*included in the above is £1.1m of additional costs.
**incurred in preparation of overhaul being completed in January/February 2025.

Question reference: S6W-31766

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average percentage pay increase in (a) real and (b) nominal terms has been for public sector staff in each year since 2010-11.

The Scottish Government does not record the historic average percentage pay increase for public sector staff due to the complexities associated with calculating the impact of in year promotions, progression increments within pay scales and the large volume of new starts and leavers.

The pay metrics of the Scottish Government's public sector pay policy provides a reasonable basis for assessing the average nominal increase for public sector staff and those metrics are shown in the table below for the years requested.

There is no single way of calculating real terms increases in pay as there are numerous potential indices such as the Consumer Prices Index (CPI), Consumer Prices Index including Owner Occupiers’ Housing Costs (CPIH), and the Consumer expenditure deflator. Information on inflation indices can be found in the links below:

Inflation and price indices - Office for National Statistics

Final consumption expenditure deflator: SA - Office for National Statistics

Public Sector Pay Policy table

The public sector pay policy applies directly to the pay of the Scottish Government's core directorates and its associated departments, agencies, non-departmental public bodies, public corporations and NHS Scotland senior managers (grades A to C). Other parts of the devolved public sector such as NHS Agenda for Change, Police, Fire & Teachers are expected to use the pay policy metrics as a reference point for their pay negotiations.

Year	Public Sector Pay Policy Metrics
2010-11	1.00%
2011-12	0%; £250 underpin for lower paid
2012-13	0%; £250 underpin for lower paid
2013-14	1%; £250 underpin for lower paid
2014-15	1%; £300 underpin for lower paid
2015-16	1%; £300 underpin for lower paid
2016-17	1%; £400 underpin for lower paid
2017-18	1%; £400 underpin for lower paid
2018-19	3% up to £36,500; 2% between £36,500 & £80,000; £1,600 if above £80K
2019-20	3% up to £36,500; 2% between £36,500 & £80K; £1,600 if above £80K
2020-21	£750 if below £25K,; 3% up to £80K,; £2,000 if above £80K
2021-22	£800 if below £25K; 2% up to £40K: 1% above £40K: £800 if above £80K
2022-23	5%
2023-24	5% from 1 April plus 2% or 0.5% from 1 Jan
2024-25	£1,500 if below £30K; 2% if above £30K from 1 April plus further 1% from 1 Jan

Question reference: S6W-31759

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the MV Caledonian Isles was withdrawn from service, and when it is expected to return to service.

The MV Caledonian Isles entered dry dock for her annual overhaul at Dales, Greenock on 4 January 2024. The vessel moved to Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead on 11 February 2024 for additional steel works to be undertaken. She departed there on 14 September 2024 and was due to return to service on the on 23 September 2024. However, engineers identified metallic debris in the oil filter for the Port propulsion gearbox and she has remained off service. The vessel is currently at James Watt Dock Greenock undergoing further investigative works. As a precaution and to allow contingency measures to be put in place on affected routes CalMac have planned for the vessel being unavailable for the duration for the winter timetable period which ends on 27 March 2025.

CalMac anticipate having a more detailed estimate of the timing of the required work in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-31887

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 13 November 2024, what specific work it is undertaking in relation to reforming the current reporting system for salmon mortalities.

The Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 already places a legal obligation on salmon producers to report increases in mortality levels to Scottish Ministers or a veterinarian. This applies to unexplained mortality, and there is a voluntary agreement in place with aquaculture production businesses for any instances of mortality above specified thresholds to be reported to Scottish Ministers as part of wider aquatic animal health surveillance. This agreement is a requirement of the Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture. Fish farm operators are also legally obliged to keep records of site mortality levels and these are periodically inspected by the Fish Health Inspectorate during their risk-based inspections.

Question reference: S6W-31819

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards exist for patients with suspected inflammatory bowel disease who remain on the endoscopy waiting list past its target of six weeks, and how it has assessed the effectiveness of any such safeguards.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis are able to 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.

To specifically support scope based diagnostics we have published an Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan backed by £70 million. The plan focuses on key areas such as: Balancing Demand and Capacity; Workforce Training and Development; Infrastructure; and Innovation and Redesign.

Long waits are regrettable and patients continue to be seen based on their clinical urgency, for example, those referred with an urgent suspicion of cancer continue to be prioritised for scope-based diagnostic tests. If a patient feels that their condition is deteriorating in any way, they should contact their GP who can provide a clinical update to their Specialist Consultant. The GP can also provide support and management advice to patients.

Third sector organisations like Crohn’s and Colitis UK also provide information and support for those living with or affected by IBD including on safeguarding: Crohn's & Colitis UK

Question reference: S6W-31677

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to CALL Scotland's 2023-24 annual report.

We welcome CALL Scotland’s 2023/24 annual report and value the ongoing work they do to provide specialist expertise in support of children and young people with additional support needs who need Inclusive Digital Technology and/or Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

The Scottish Government grant fund CALL Scotland £367,177 per year to have a positive and enabling impact on the provision of support to children and young people with these specific learning needs.

CALL Scotland are represented on the ASL Network and the National Strategic Commissioning Group, and we value their input and expertise in this important area of support for children and young people.