Jackie Baillie

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the risks are to older people, those with health conditions and for children this winter in the event of a shortage of flu vaccinations.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Seasonal flu vaccination is offered to all those at increased risk of the complications of flu on the basis of advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Eligible individuals who were unable to be vaccinated would be at higher risk of co…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when GP practices can expect to receive sufficient flu vaccinations for (a) adults and (b) children.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Deliveries of flu vaccines to GP practices begin in September and continue throughout the season.

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to engage with GP practices to ensure that they receive the correct quantities of the flu vaccination this year and in subsequent years.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Scottish Government, including the CMO, and partners such as HPS and National Procurement produce and distribute specific communications for GPs in the run up to the season to assist practices in planning. This year communications included updates to GPs high…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is a reported shortage of flu vaccinations available to GP practices this year.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: More vaccine was ordered this season than last in Scotland, but there can be local mismatches between supply and demand for a variety of reasons. Health Protection Scotland coordinates a national group to smooth any local supply issues for GPs, within the ove…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on which influenza strains are likely to be prevalent this winter and what percentage of the population is protected against each.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The World Health Organisation (WHO) have recommended that quadrivalent vaccines for use in the 2018-2019 northern hemisphere influenza season contain the following:an A/Michigan/45/2015 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus;an A/Singapore/INFIMH-16-0019/2016 (H3N2)-like vir…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that people who are entitled to a flu vaccination receive it this winter, and when it expects the programme of vaccinations to be complete.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The seasonal flu vaccination programme runs from October to March however it is expected that the vast majority of vaccinations will have taken place by end November. Central to the programme is our social marketing strategy. On 1 October the programme launc…

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on developing guidance for local authorities regarding providing support for veterans aged (a) under 65 and (b) 65 or over who feel lonely or isolated.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government is developing its national strategy for tackling social isolation and loneliness and will publish this before the end of 2018. The strategy, A Connected Scotland, takes a whole population approach but we recognise that particular grou…

17 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce orthopaedic and ophthalmology waiting times in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what services it has in place to help people suffering from withdrawal from anti-depressants.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Support for people coming off antidepressant medication is available from a range of sources. In the first instance, individuals should go to the prescriber, or their GP for help. Problematic medication withdrawals are best managed by routine, day time servic…

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on concerns that there is an increased level of prescribing anti-depressants, and what action it will take in this regard.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has worked hard to reduce the stigma faced by people with mental health problems. As this stigma declines we would expect more patients to seek help from their GPs for problems such as depression. People with mental illness should expe…

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has updated its guidance to health professionals regarding withdrawal from anti-depressants.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: To help inform future policy we are currently convening a Scottish short life working group, comprised of leading experts in their fields, which will discuss drug prescribing which may cause discontinuation syndrome and examine prescribing trends in Scotland.

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the level of prescribing anti-depressants was for the last year that its previous performance target was in place and in each year since.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The answer to this PQ is available in SPICe (BIB No 60200)

15 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its previous performance target was for the prescribing of anti-depressants, and (a) when and (b) for what reason this performance target was ended.

Answer · Clare Haughey: In 2008, Scottish Government issued guidance for the development of local delivery plans, which included a target for NHS Boards to reduce the annual rate of increase of defined daily dose per capita of antidepressants to zero by 2009/10, and put in place the…

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the key findings from the consultation, Shaping the future of your water and waste water services, will be presented to (a) Ministers and (b) the Parliament.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Water will present the finalised consultation report to a multi-stakeholder group (Water Industry Commission for Scotland, Scottish Government, Customer Forum, SEPA, DWQR and Citizens Advice Scotland) on 25 October and will publish the report on its …

8 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the discount structure for Scottish Water customers and, if so, whether it will undertake a full poverty impact assessment before doing so.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to answer to question S5W-19172 on 23 October 2018. The Scottish Government will undertake additional consultations and impact assessments before implementing any changes to customer charges. All answers to written parliamentary questions …

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been raised from the sale of Scottish Enterprise property in each year since 2010-11, and how much it expects to be raised in (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20.

Answer · Derek Mackay: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have passed your query on to Steve Dunlop, the Chief Executive, and asked him to respond to you directly.

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14941 by Keith Brown on 8 March 2018, whether the figures for October 2017 to September 2018 are available and, if (a) so, whether it will publish them and (b) not, by what date they will be published.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The figures for October 2017 to September 2018 will be included in the Office for National Statistics 'Regional Labour Market Statistics in the UK January 2019' publication, which is due for release on the 22nd of January 2019.

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what proportion of people who register as self-employed each year do not start their own businesses.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14943 on 8 March 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-14942 by Keith Brown on 8 March 2018, what the figure was for 2017.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The 2017 business births figure is not currently published. The 2017 figure will be published in the Office for National Statistics 'Business demography: 2017' publication, which is scheduled for release on the 21st of November 2018.

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish Businesses in Scotland 2018.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Businesses in Scotland 2018 will be published on 7 November 2018.

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the board of Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL), also broken down by the date (a) of their appointment and (b) that their appointment is scheduled to cease.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to the Appointed for Scotland website. I attach the link to the appropriate page that provides appointment details of the Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd Board. http://www.appointed-for-scotland.org/about-public-bodies/directory-of-public-…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what professional external interests have been declared by (a) the chair, (b) each member of the board of and (c) each senior executive staff member of Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL), including interests that have ceased in the last five years.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The following table details the professional external interests of the current Executive and Non-Executive Directors of Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd:- Director    Erik Østergaard April 2013 - Current Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Limited Director D…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how often ministers meet Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL), and when they (a) last met and (b) will next meet.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity last met the Chair and the Chief Executive Officer of Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) on 1 November 2018. Ministers meet the full CMAL Board annually, and have more frequent meetings …

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what governance arrangements apply to Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL).

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) is a limited company wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers and therefore subject to the governance requirements of the Companies Act 2006 regulated by Companies House. CMAL is also classified as a public corporation and…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring together Ferguson Marine and Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL) to resolve the issues relating to the current ferry contract.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has engaged with Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) and Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL) on an on-going basis since the award of the two shipbuilding contracts. Whilst contractual issues are a matter for FMEL and CMAL, Ministe…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many residential customers have received single person discounts from Scottish Water in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Information on single person status discounts is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 60136) .  

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to remove discounts for residential customers of Scottish Water.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has no plans to remove discounts for customers. I am currently considering whether it is appropriate to reduce the level of the single occupant status discount and increase the support provided to customers who receive Council Tax Redu…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its review of Scottish Water discounts will (a) conclude and (b) be published.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Our consultation on investment priorities and charging principles closed on 28 September 2018. I am currently analysing the responses and expect to publish a summary in due course.

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total value of discounts given to residential customers of Scottish Water has been in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Information on discounts, exemptions and reductions is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 60136).

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the social and demographic profile of residential customers of Scottish Water.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As the majority of households in Scotland are Scottish Water customers, profiles can be obtained from the Scottish Household Survey. The member may wish to review this for further information https://beta.gov.scot/publications/scottish-household-survey-key-f…