Jackie Baillie

27 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has withdrawn funding for community safety advocates from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and, if so, for what reason.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government provided funding of £412.2 million the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) for 2025-26. Decisions on how this funding is spent is a matter for the SFRS Board and Chief Officer.Prevention activities are carried out by personne…

27 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason community safety advocates, employed by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, are reportedly being made redundant.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Staffing and recruitment are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The Scottish Government understands that the roles being referred to were fixed term temporary positions that have come to the end of their contract.

22 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported reduction in the Mental Health Services budget line in the 2025-26 Autumn Budget Revision to £133.9 million, to include a £120 million internal transfer to local government for the Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan, whether the subsequent &p…

Answer · Tom Arthur: The 2025-26 direct mental health programme budget remains as originally published at £270.5 million. There is no reduction to that budget. In keeping with normal practice, some of this budget is transferred to other portfolios for mental health projects…

9 Oct 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Breast Screening Modernisation Programme Board will publish its findings and recommendations.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I welcome the Breast Screening Modernisation Board’s report, which was submitted to the Scottish Government earlier this year, and which we expect to publish by the end of November.The report includes a number of important recommendations to strengthen …

29 Sep 2025 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported comments from the chair of the British Medical Association in Scotland, that Scotland's NHS is "dying before our eyes".

29 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the Thrombectomy Advisory Group's update paper to the National Planning Board in August 2019, stating that “five essential components must all be provided for any given catchment population to receive a full thrombectomy service".

Answer · Jenni Minto: We would expect the components outlined in the paper to be included in the on-going planning work to align the governance and delivery of thrombectomy with similar national programmes. NHS National Services Scotland have been commissioned by Scottish Governme…

22 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the economic impact of migraine on Scotland’s economy and workforce productivity.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has made no specific estimate of the economic impact of migraine on Scotland’s economy and workforce productivity, however information regarding the impact of migraine on workplaces and the economy has been published by organisat…

22 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a plan to monitor the number of patients who receive thrombectomy, and, if so, whether this data will be published.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme report provides information on thrombectomy procedure numbers, and the latest report can be found at: Scottish stroke improvement programme annual report 2025 - Scottish stroke improvement programme - Publications - P…

22 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards are providing thrombectomy to eligible stroke patients through one of the thrombectomy hub centres.

Answer · Jenni Minto: All NHS Boards, apart from NHS Orkney and NHS Shetland, have the ability to refer patients for thrombectomy procedures at hub hospitals.Scottish Government officials and NHS planners have been asked to work at pace on developing a plan for the next steps for …

22 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to investigate any disparity between NHS boards in thrombolysis rates.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme plays an important role in driving forward improvements in Stroke care, including thrombolysis, throughout Scotland. Regular reviews are held with the stroke services in every NHS Board, and improvements in thrombolys…

19 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of many unresolved equal pay cases in the Scottish public sector, what plans it has to reform the equal pay statement duty, to require public bodies to evidence what steps they are taking to ensure equal pay for equal work.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government is aware of the ongoing concerns regarding unresolved equal pay cases within the Scottish public sector. We recognise that transparency and accountability are essential to ensuring equal pay for equal work for everyone across all publi…

19 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact on women working in the Scottish public sector whose employers will not be covered by the UK Government’s commitment to introduce mandatory gender pay gap action plans, in light of reported concerns that they may be left behind if equivalen…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: While inter-governmental discussions are ongoing, and while we are developing PSED-related improvement proposals, we have not yet made an assessment of the likely impact on women of the UK Government’s commitment but we are making stringent efforts to r…

19 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the evidence set out in the Close the Gap briefing, From data to action, what plans it has to strengthen the Scottish-specific duties of the public sector equality duty by introducing mandatory gender pay gap action plans for listed public bodies.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to advancing equality and tackling the structural barriers that contribute to the gender pay gap. We recognise the concerns raised in Close the Gap’s From Data to Action briefing, particularly the need to improve the…

15 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement by NHS England in July 2025 that the triple combination medicine vanzacaftor–tezacaftor–deutivacaftor (Alyftrek) is to be made available to patients with cystic fibrosis, including some with rare forms of the disease who will now be eligible for …

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has received an abbreviated submission from the marketing authorisation holder, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, for vanzacaftor–tezacaftor–deutivacaftor (Alyftrek®), for the treatment of cystic fibrosis in peopl…

15 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps NHS Scotland is taking to address any workforce pressures facing the haematology workforce.

Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answers provided for S6W-39724 and, S6W-39726 on 14 August 2025, S6W-39725 on 20 August 2025 and S6W-39723 on 21 August 2025.To reiterate again we are working with NHS Scotland to address staffing as a matter of urgency, working clos…

15 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S6W-39725 by Neil Gray on 20 August 2025, what steps it is taking to ensure that the haematology workforce is included in the Future Medical Workforce project and other medical workforce plans, and whether it will meet the British Society for Haematology…

Answer · Neil Gray: We're gathering insights from doctors, residents, and senior clinicians through a series of focus groups. These are open to doctors at all career stages, from trainees to consultants, including Haematologists. The invitation to join focus groups has been open…

15 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-39723 by Neil Gray on 21 August 2025, how many speciality training places have been funded in haematology in each year since 2014, and how many places were recommended by the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group as part of expansion efforts.

Answer · Neil Gray: In line with recommendations made by the Scottish Shape of Training Transition Group following annual reviews (since 2014) of the number of specialty training places needed in order to meet anticipated future service demand and consultant need, the Scottish G…

4 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to address any shortfalls in the radiology workforce and the impact that any such shortfalls might have on cancer patients.

Answer · Neil Gray: Whilst Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing are the responsibility NHS Boards. NHS Boards take account of national, regional, and local priorities, and we expect NHS boards to …

4 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendations in the Sarcoma UK report, Unique Among Cancers, what steps it is taking to avoid any issues with workforce succession for cancers that require highly specialised care, such as sarcoma.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has funded the creation of hundreds of additional specialty training places for doctors in training in Scotland across multiple different specialties (including cancer-related specialties), since 2014. These training places have been c…

4 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment on 26 June 2025 to engage with the recommendations in the Sarcoma UK report, Unique Among Cancers, what assessment it has made of the level of sarcoma care in NHS Scotland.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We continue to consider the findings of Sarcoma UK’s recent report and recognise the recommendations made within it.We are working to improve access to timely and accurate diagnosis and on improving referral pathways to specialist care. We published the…

4 Sep 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct an urgent review of sarcoma care and treatment in NHS Scotland.

Answer · Jenni Minto: All cancers, including Sarcoma, remain a priority for the Scottish Government and wider NHS Scotland.The Scottish Government published our Cancer strategy 2023 to 2033 - gov.scot along with an initial three year Cancer action plan 2023 to 2026 - gov.scot in J…

1 Sep 2025 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce NHS waiting lists, in light of new analysis reportedly showing that waits of over two years are now more than 800 times higher in Scotland than in England.

29 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has in place to monitor NHS boards' responses to Significant Adverse Event reviews.

Answer · Neil Gray: Significant Adverse Event Reviews (SAERs) are conducted at a local level within each NHS Health Board. NHS Boards are required to notify Healthcare Improvement Scotland on a monthly basis of the number of SAERs that have been commissioned, including the event…

29 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to make Significant Adverse Event reviews more accessible to relevant communities of practice.

Answer · Neil Gray: Work is underway to support health boards to share learning from SAERs locally and nationally, to make them more accessible to healthcare professionals. In February this year Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) published an updated version of A national fra…

29 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to integrate the findings of Significant Adverse Event reviews into professional development and training for hospital staff.

Answer · Neil Gray: Significant Adverse Event Reviews are conducted at a local level within each NHS Health Board and the learning and improvement actions that are identified as part of that review process are considered within the Health Board to reduce the risk of the same eve…

29 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make Significant Adverse Event reviews accessible to the public as is the case in other health systems, such as Norway.

Answer · Neil Gray: The purpose of a Significant Adverse Event Review (SAER) is to find out what happened, how it happened and why, and identify learning to reduce the risk of the same event happening again. Due to the nature to SAER reports, they often contain personal and clin…

26 Aug 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly downgrading fire station services across the country, including in Helensburgh.

25 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the recommendations of the review of governance of NHS endowment funds, in order to increase the funding available to the NHS.

Answer · Neil Gray: How the recommendations are taken forward will be determined following consultation with stakeholders, including NHS Boards and OSCR. Consultation will ensure no unintended consequences as well as appropriate consideration of capacity, as significant work wil…

21 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service have been responded to (a) within (i) under 10, (ii) 10 to 29, (iii) 30 to 59 and (iv) 60 to 120 and (b) after over 120 minutes in each year since 2021-22, broken down by triaged category of call.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. You should, instead, request this from the Scottish Ambulance Service directly.

5 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many credit unions there currently are in Scotland, and how this compares with five years ago.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The number of credit unions in Scotland is publicly available through the Bank of England’s annual statistics, which are published online.For example, the latest figures (financial year 2024) can be found here: Credit union annual statistics - 2024 | Ba…