Parliamentary questions
Sandesh Gulhane
385 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many food (a) incidents, (b) crimes and (c) recalls have been recorded by Food Standards Scotland in each year since 2018-19.
Answer · Jenni Minto: 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Incidents 112 98 94 120 139 Crimes 3 2 5 0 5 Recalls (Total) 141 145 125 115 123 Recalls (FSS Led) 17 8 3 4 11 The recalls (total) includes those recalls that are UK wide and although led…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on (a) prescribed and (b) non-prescribed contraceptives in each year since 2018-19, broken down by (i) type of contraceptive and (ii) the number of contraceptives distributed.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Prescribing Information System (PIS) holds information on medicines and devices dispensed in the community, and the Hospital Medicines Utilisation Database (HMUD) holds information on medication provided in secondary care settings. Contraceptives are acce…
24 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to increase breast cancer screenings amongst women in socially deprived areas, and when the breast cancer quality performance indicators will next be published.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government welcomes the latest statistics publication from Public Health Scotland that reported a small improvement in screening uptake in the most deprived areas in comparison to last year. However, we recognise that there is still work to be do…
10 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a policy regarding care homes and whether they require to have access to an internet connection, and a minimum internet speed.
Answer · Maree Todd: Extending digital connectivity is vital to communities, businesses and public services. That is why the Scottish Government strategy, A changing nation: how Scotland will thrive in a digital world , sets out a series of measures to ensure that Scotland will f…
9 May 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the withdrawal of £46 million of funding for colleges and universities has had on their ability to deliver courses.
9 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland that black and minority ethnic people in Scotland are 4.8 times more likely to be compulsively sectioned during times of crisis than their white counterparts.
Answer · Maree Todd: We know the pandemic has exacerbated pre-existing structural inequalities within our society, putting some communities and groups within the population disproportionately at risk for more adverse impacts on their mental health. That is why we have committed t…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 36 recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services (a) have been implemented in the year since the audit review and (b) are still to be implemented, and what the estimated timescales are for completion of the recom…
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress on the (a) high and (b) medium status recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 36 of the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, how many children have been identified in each of the five local authorities affected.
Answer · Jenni Minto: A detailed update against each of the BAA recommendations was included in a recent NHS Lothian Board meeting, these can be accessed at NHS Lothian Board Papers 05 April 2023.pdf NHS Lothian have confirmed that at the time of the BAA audit, the PCHI registe…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the recommendations in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, how many children have been recalled for behavioural testing since December 2021.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 24 in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, what progress has been made on reviewing auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing undertaken in the previous five years, and when any report on this will be published.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 36 in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, how many children have since been recalled following the review of the permanent congenital hearing impairment (PCHI) record.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 24 in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, how many children have since been identified as potentially impacted by late diagnosis of hearing difficulties and recalled for behavioural testing.
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
4 May 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding recommendation 24 in the British Academy of Audiology report into NHS Lothian paediatric audiology services, how many additional children have been diagnosed as deaf, or with serious levels of hearing difficulties, since the review of auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing …
Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17864 on 23 May 2023. 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/…
3 May 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage housebuilding in Scotland.
13 Apr 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to reform the NHS pension contribution structure, which it reportedly pledged to do by 1 April 2023.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Reform of the employee contribution structure in the NHS Pension Scheme (Scotland) was postponed from 1 April 2023 because of ongoing concerns about the cost of living pressures affecting NHS staff. We will shortly publish a revised consultation on proposals …
13 Apr 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15841 by Humza Yousaf, whether it will provide details of the confirmed funding to NHS boards for the purchase of small hot food appliances for all hospital doctors in training, specifically including (a) how much funding has been allocated for this…
Answer · Michael Matheson: £4,346 was allocated during 2022-2023 to NHS Health Boards for the provision of small hot food appliances for all doctors in training. Health Boards were invited to liaise with their local British Medical Association representative with regards to the number …
30 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the findings of its Health and Wellbeing Census, showing how frequently S2-S4 pupils use e-cigarettes, will be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15719 on 22 March 2023. 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-committee…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to 2C GP practices in each financial year since 2007-08, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government allocates commensurate funding to Health boards for 17J, 17C and 2C practices as part of the wider Primary Medical Services allocation. It is anticipated that Boards will fund 2C practices from this funding.
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been removed from NHS waiting lists without receiving treatment since 1 January 2022.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Between 1 January and 31 December 2022, 360,525 new outpatients were removed from NHS waiting lists, for reasons ‘referred back to GP’, ‘transferred’, ‘treatment no longer required’, and ‘other reasons’. Similarly, for inpatients and day cases, 53,585 patient…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its latest estimate is of the number of (a) dentists, (b) dental practices in total and (c) dental practices carrying out NHS procedures, in Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Information on the number of dental practices is not held centrally. NHS Boards will hold information on the number of dental practices in their areas. Information on the number of dentists can be found at the National Education Scotland Data Intelligence we…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all correspondence that it had with (a) the Royal College of Nursing, (b) the Royal College of Midwives, (c) GMB, (d) UNISON, (e) Unite the Union and (f) the Royal College of Physicians, regarding a pay deal for NHS staff.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Pay negotiations are held in a confidential space through the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee and it would not be appropriate for the Government to publish correspondence between Ministers and individual parties. The full scope of the agreement, conta…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of its (a) ministers and (b) officials will give evidence to the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, and within what timeframe.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is co-operating fully with the work of the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry, this will include participating, as required, in public hearings. It is a matter for the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry as to who they call to give evidence and when.
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met with the chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry.
Answer · Shona Robison: Portfolio responsibility for COVID-19 Inquiries rests with the Deputy First Minister. There have been no meetings between other Ministers, including the former Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and the Chair of the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry, the H…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the COVID-19 Inquiry to date.
Answer · Shona Robison: Publication of information about the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry’s costs is a matter for the Inquiry. The Inquiry has decided to provide quarterly reporting of its costs on its website at https://www.covid19inquiry.scot/inquiry-costs .
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much long Covid support funding was allocated to each NHS board in 2022-23.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Information on the level of funding made available to NHS Boards through the long COVID Support Fund for 2022-23 can be found on page 2 of the Scottish Government’s 20 December 2022 letter to the Scottish Parliament’s COVID-19 Recovery Committee. This is acce…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many payments have been offered to GPs as part of the Golden Hello Scheme in each year since 2007, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information: Health Boards are responsible for making Golden Hello payments to eligible GPs.
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with the British Medical Association (BMA) regarding any potential strike action by junior doctors in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: On 8 December 2022, the BMA Scottish Junior Doctor Committee (SJDC) officially announced their intention to ballot for industrial action. Since this date, the Scottish Government has exchanged correspondence with the BMA on the following dates: • 12 and 15 D…
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of a survey by the Medical and Dental Defence Union Scotland (MDDUS) that one third of junior doctors cannot access nutritious food at work and say that this contributes to burnout, whether it plans to introduce standards in NHS Scotland similar to NHS England's…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023 . 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-committe…
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13011 by Humza Yousaf on 21 December 2022, whether it will directly address whether it plans to provide support to facilitate the provision of nutritious food at NHS workplaces.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS employers should take steps to ensure that wherever possible staff have access to nutritious food, out of hours catering and rest spaces. In March 2023 we confirmed funding to Health Boards for the purchase of small hot food appliances for all hospital D…