- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an estimate of any potential savings that could result from NHS Highland restoring the vaccination services to GPs that were previously administered by them prior to 2023, and, if so, what any such estimate is.
Answer
Highland HSCP are putting in place a mixed-model for vaccinations. GP delivery is expected to be key in some aspects of this model, but the plan is for a collaborative approach rather than one that relies solely on GP delivery.
Oversight of how the mixed model is developed and deployed to deliver local and accessible vaccination and immunisation services in a cost effective way will ultimately remain the responsibility of Highland HSCP.
Health boards are funded to offer vaccination in a way that best suits the needs of their communities, supported by national frameworks, such as Public Health Scotland’s (PHS) 5-year Vaccination and Immunisation Framework and Delivery Plan. This plan specifically sets out that boards should “ensure availability of a range of flexible, responsive, and good-quality immunisation services that meet the needs of all communities, including our rural and island communities”.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when GP vaccination services will be fully restored to GPs in NHS Highland; whether it anticipates that this will happen by the end of 2025, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer
In January of this year, Scottish Minsters agreed to Highland HSCP putting in place a mixed-model for vaccinations. GP delivery is likely to be key in some aspects of this model, however, the aim is to take a collaborative approach to delivering vaccinations.
Since 2022, Health Boards have been responsible for delivering vaccination programmes. However, the Scottish Government recognises the need for flexibility to account of specific, local circumstances that might negatively affect vaccine uptake, which is why Ministers agreed to the development and implementation of a mixed model.
The Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland continue to engage with Highland HSCP to support a flexible and responsive immunisation service.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the provision of a centralised vaccination service, such as that in NHS Highland, is safe, in light of reports that NHS Highland is not able to share data with GPs on the vaccinations being provided.
Answer
Since April 2022, Health Boards have been responsible for delivering vaccines. The vast majority of adult vaccinations, including flu, Covid, RSV, shingles and pneumococcal are visible to GPs via their GP-IT system.
Currently, childhood and non-routine vaccinations do not automatically flow into GP-IT from the separate systems that record them, but this pre-dates the move from GP to Health Board delivery.
Any associated patient risk is mitigated by Health Boards providing GPs with a list of childhood and non-routine vaccinations they have administered. The Scottish Government funds GPs to manually input these into their GP systems.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what data it has collected from local authorities on the number of streets assessed for compliance with the pavement parking ban, and how many enforcement officers each local authority has allocated to enforce the ban since December 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold central data on the number of streets assessed or enforcement officers allocated. Local authorities are responsible for deciding their enforcement approach based on local priorities.
The latest Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) Report 2023–2024, published in December 2024, includes data on Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued, including those for pavement parking. The report is available at:
Decriminalised Parking Enforcement (DPE) Report 2023-2024
Transport Scotland continues to engage with COSLA and SCOTS to support effective enforcement.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Highland informed it that it could not share data on vaccinations with it prior to the board taking over responsibility for vaccinations from GPs, and whether it will publish any documentation on this matter.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39383 on 28 July 2025. 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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any fatal accident inquiries being undertaken in relation to any infant deaths due to whooping cough, and, if so, whether it will (a) publish details of these and (b) propose a ministerial statement on the matter.
Answer
The Lord Advocate has responsibility for the investigation of all sudden, suspicious, accidental and unexplained deaths in Scotland, including the deaths of children. Such investigations are conducted by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on behalf of the Lord Advocate and these investigations are carried out independently from Government.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in the event of any deaths as a result of vaccinations not being administered in NHS Highland prior to the service being shared with GPs as planned, what its position is on whether (a) it and (b) NHS Highland would be responsible for any deaths.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39386 on 28 July 2025. 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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Highland was aware that its system could not share data on vaccinations with GPs prior to the board taking over responsibility for vaccinations from GPs.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39383 on 28 July 2025. 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.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is given to dermatology services in the development of NHS workforce planning.
Answer
Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing to dermatology services are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS board.
NHS Boards are required to undertake workforce planning to ensure a full range of services are provided, including dermatology. These plans should align with the National Workforce Strategy.
In addition, they are asked to provide findings to us with regards to particular workforce shortages, where dermatology was identified.
In response, and as part of the £200 million additional funding announced as part of the Programme for Government to deliver reductions to waiting lists and improve patient flow through hospitals, we have allocated an additional £4 million funding to Health Boards to increase capacity for dermatology services, improving access to services and helping to reduce long waits. We are also implementing digital innovations such as image-based referrals to reduce face-to-face demand.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether new shareholders of ScotWind projects will be asked to submit assurances that they have not been convicted of unlawful activity, including corruption, bribery and human trafficking, as required during the initial leasing process.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-39428 on 28 July 2025. 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.