Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,379 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware that children under the age of five are reportedly being refused registration at dentists.
Answer · Maree Todd: It is a priority to ensure that all patients are able to access NHS dental care. We have provided over £150 million of financial support to date to maintain the capacity and capability of NHS dentistry and agreed further funding into the new year to address …
31 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what further financial support it will provide to Argyll and Bute to help tackle depopulation of rural areas and islands.
28 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with complex disabilities require the use of life-support equipment at home that depends on an energy supply, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held centrally.
28 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are recorded as having complex disabilities, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: An estimate of the number of people with complex disabilities was published by the charity Sense in a short report in May 2022, which estimated that there were around 157,000 people in Scotland that could have complex disabilities, where complex disabilities …
28 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01451 by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 October 2022, how it plans to support those with complex disabilities whose energy costs, including for the operation of life-support equipment, are not fully reimbursed.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government will continue to work with health boards to ensure, as far as possible, that support for energy costs is available to those who require it. Some patients already receive support for costs associated with home haemodialysis and the use…
27 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04274 by Humza Yousaf on 17 November 2021, what records it maintains on the (a) return and (b) disposal of unused prescribed medicines.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No data is collected on the return or disposal of medicines due to the difficult nature of quantifying and recording this information. Health Boards are responsible for ensuring unused medicines are safely disposed of, though are not required to record this d…
26 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08911 by Michael Matheson on 15 June 2022, what figure was used for (a) revenue, (b) applicable discounts, and (c) the number of household properties in the most recent calculations of the average water charge in Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The calculation of the average water charge in Scotland for 2022-23 was done prior to the start of the current financial year (in February 2022), and is therefore a forecast, which was based on the expected average charges for 2021-22, uprated by the 2022-23 …
25 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct Scottish Water to freeze water rates for 2023-24 to help with the cost of living crisis.
24 Oct 2022 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what assistance the Scottish Government is providing to those with complex disabilities to cope with the cost of living crisis.
19 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what activities it plans to hold to commemorate 800 years since Dumbarton became a royal burgh.
18 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what has been done to progress its fair work plans, including the expansion of Fair Work First criteria to include the Living Wage.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Payment of the real Living Wage has always been central to our Fair Work First approach; the policy has been applied to some £4bn of public sector funding since 2019. As committed to in the Bute House Agreement, we will introduce a requirement on public sect…
18 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to support voluntary sector employees over the coming months as living costs continue to rise.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government values the important role of those working in Scotland’s third sector to tackle tough social issues at source. We recognise the challenges faced by the third sector in the current cost crisis and we will ensure the sector is not exclud…
18 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement Living Wage uplifts to public grants and contracts to avoid any further financial pressure being placed on voluntary organisations.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The challenging funding landscape and difficult choices facing the Scottish Budget in coming years have only worsened since publication of the Resource Spending Review. As a result of inflation, the Scottish Government’s budget is now worth around £1.7 billio…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the first NHS Scotland patients were, or are expected to be, sent to the USA for mesh removal treatment by Dr Veronikis.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11633 on? 14 November 2022. 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-commi…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons has it reportedly allowed mesh survivors to be referred to the same doctors that first denied their experiences with mesh.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government designated the Complex Pelvic Mesh Removal Service in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC). This service assesses needs and, where appropriate and subject to shared decision making and informed consent, performs mesh removal surgery…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many women have requested that they want to have mesh surgery carried out by (a) Dr Veronikis and (b) Professor Hashim.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11633 on? 14 November 2022. 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-commi…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what formal referral pathways are in place for women seeking mesh removal surgery.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Complex Pelvic Mesh Service provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) offers holistic care for women experiencing mesh complications. There are a number of consultants operating in the service allowing women a choice over who is involved in thei…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for mesh surgery organised by the Complex Mesh Surgical Service in Glasgow.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Public Health Scotland does not publish data at the level of detail requested. However, statistics relating to the waits patients experience for inpatient or day case treatment at specialty level are published up to 31 March 2022 and can be found here: Stage…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS Scotland patients have been referred to the designated providers in (a) Bristol and (b) the USA for mesh removal surgery.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: A number of women have been assessed at the specialist service in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and have subsequently requested onward referral to the independent providers. It is the responsibility of the patient’s local Health Board to make that referral an…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the Transvaginal Mesh Removal Reimbursement Scheme beyond December 2023, in light of reports that very few, if any, NHS Scotland patients have been referred to designated providers in Bristol and the USA for mesh removal surgery.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The reimbursement scheme established under the Transvaginal Mesh Removal (Cost Reimbursement) (Scotland) Act 2022 is concerned with the reimbursement of costs associated mesh removal surgery arranged by women privately, where such arrangements were made on or…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for women to receive a first appointment at the Complex Mesh Surgical Service in Glasgow.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11635 on? 14 November 2022. 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-commi…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to respond to recent research into Local Child Poverty Action Reports by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights published in its report Black and Minority Ethnic Chid Poverty in Scotland: a review of the Local Child Poverty Action Reports 2020/21, which found that…
Answer · Shona Robison: Evidence and data play an important part in efficient policy delivery. Our commitment to continue to improve on our data and evaluation efforts is highlighted as part of the revised evaluation strategy to tackle child poverty. The Scottish Government publish …
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to provide financial support to the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Edinburgh Filmhouse.
Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-11493 on 26 October 2022 and S6T00915 on 25 October 2022. The answer to Topical Question S6T-00915 can be found here: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-i…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to ensure that local authorities are tackling and reporting on Black and minority ethnic (BME) poverty at a local level, given recent research by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights published in its report Black and Minority Ethnic Chid Poverty in Scotlan…
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is refreshing the non-statutory guidance for Local Child Poverty Action Reports (LCPARs) to support local authorities and health boards to deliver focused reporting on their actions to support priority families. CRER and other stakehol…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent research by the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights published in its report Black and Minority Ethnic Chid Poverty in Scotland: a review of the Local Child Poverty Action Reports 2020/21, which found that most Local Child Poverty Action Reports lack fo…
Answer · Shona Robison: This government welcomes CRER’s assessment of Local Child Poverty Action Reports (LCPARs) which recognises the vital role which local authorities, health boards and local partners play in our national mission to tackle child poverty. Tackling child poverty i…
17 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) First Minister and (b) Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture last had (i) a meeting and (ii) correspondence with the (A) Edinburgh International Film Festival and (B) Edinburgh Filmhouse, and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Neil Gray: As the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Edinburgh Filmhouse were both part of the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), any meetings and correspondence would have been with the CMI. The last meeting the First Minister had with the CMI was as part of the…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any additional funding to the £10 million Long COVID Support Fund, announced for 2022-23 to 2024-25, will be made available to NHS boards in the forthcoming budget for the treatment of Long COVID, in light of the reported increase in the number of people with the condition.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In 2022-23, funding of £18 billion is provided for health and social care. This substantial investment is already benefitting a range of services that are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID. Health funding for 2023-24 will be confirmed thr…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to VAT liability regarding the creation of the National Care Service.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We awarded a contract through a competitive tender for independent VAT advice from Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP. AAB have been commissioned to provide advice and support to SG on VAT implications. This work is ongoing. We will engage with the wider sector an…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the creation of the National Care Service, whether it is the case that VAT free status will only apply to those care services that are delivered by local authorities.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: After competitive tender, a contract was awarded to Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP to obtain expert independent advice on the implications of VAT on the NCS and associated Care Boards. This work is ongoing. No decisions have been made at this point and a full …
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what conversations it has had with Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP regarding any implications of VAT in delivering the National Care Service.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We awarded a contract through a competitive tender for independent VAT advice from Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP. AAB have been commissioned to provide advice and support to Scottish Government employees on VAT implications, to produce an options paper explor…