Alison Johnstone

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on publishing articles in each of the last 10 years regarding research that it has funded.

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of NHS-funded research is first published in an open-access format.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11824 on 25 October 2017. 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/parliamentarybusine…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much the NHS has spent on accessing paywalled research in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold centrally the amount spent by the NHS on accessing research papers where access fees are levied by the publisher.

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (a) last met and (b) will next meet, and when the meeting papers will be published.

Answer · Shona Robison: The last meeting of the TAGRA took place on 5 December 2016 and discussed the implementation of the recommendations of the Review of the MLC Adjustment for the Acute Care Programme in the NRAC Formula. The final report for that review is available on the TAGR…

2 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the research and development of new pharmaceutical drugs in each of the last 10 years, and which commercially-available products have been developed (a) in part and (b) wholly with this funding. 

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government invests through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) to provide infrastructure supporting the NHS in Scotland to host and participate in clinical research. Within the Scottish Government, responsibility for health research funding falls within…

22 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey on an annual basis.

Answer · Shona Robison: The first Cancer Patient Experience Survey in Scotland was run in 2015 with national results published in June 2016. The content and format of the next Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey is currently being considered and will be discussed and agreed wi…

22 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that cancer patients are able to access expert financial advice following diagnosis.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s expectation is that NHS Boards should provide all patients with the necessary advice and support they require. To support this, we have committed to invest £9 million in our cancer strategy “Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action” to s…

22 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken since the publication of the 2016 Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey to increase the number of cancer patients who are given a care plan.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s expectation is that NHS Boards should provide all patients with a care plan, where appropriate. Evaluation of the learning outcomes from the Transforming Care After Treatment (TCAT) programme, which was outlined in our cancer strate…

20 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the investigation of the circumstances that lead to the death of Kirsty Maxwell in Benidorm.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I recently met with the family of the late Kirsty Maxwell. In preparation for that meeting, Scottish Government officials obtained advice from Police Scotland about their involvement in providing support and information to her family.

20 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what protocols are in place regarding informing next of kin in Scotland of the homicide, unexplained or suspicious death of a person from Scotland in another country; what support it provides, and what discussions it has had with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office regarding this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Consular assistance, including the notification of a death abroad and subsequent advice to bereaved families, is reserved to the UK Government and the Scottish Government would ordinarily refer individuals to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Consular Aff…

8 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Scotland’s Moorland Forum will publish its best practice guidance on the sustainable management of mountain hares, as part of the Principles of Moorland Management project.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Draft guidance has been produced by the Moorland Forum’s Guidance Group and is currently being considered by its Principles of Moorland Management (POMM) Steering Group. The POMM Steering Group is expected to publish the guidance when Moorland Forum members h…

8 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, when it will publish its standardised counting method for mountain hare populations.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) aims to publish the final report of its study into standardised counting methods for mountain hare populations before the end of 2017. The study has compared a number of methods and it is anticipated that the report will make r…

8 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what reports it has made to the EU Commission in the last 10 years regarding the population status of mountain hares, and what summary conclusions these included regarding the species' health.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is required to report to the European Commission (via the UK Government) under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive on a 6-year basis. The first assessment of the conservation status of mountain hares covered the period 2001–2006 and w…

5 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how safe staffing legislation would help to (a) project future workforce need and (b) commission (i) pre-registration training places and (ii) post-registration education and training.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2017-18 made a commitment to introduce a Safe Staffing Bill to enshrine NHS staffing in law, starting with nursing and midwifery. The application of the nursing and midwifery workload and workforce methodolo…

5 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans for safe staffing legislation will reflect a requirement for post-registration education and continuing professional development.

Answer · Shona Robison: We recognise the importance of ongoing education and professional development to ensure staff continue to have the right knowledge and skills over the course of their career and expect employers to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to support …

5 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans for safe staffing legislation will reduce NHS reliance on agency and bank staff.

Answer · Shona Robison: The safe staffing legislation will require NHS Boards to demonstrate that they have applied evidence based workload and workforce planning tools and taken account of professional judgement, local context and quality measures in making decisions on staffing le…

5 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans for safe staffing legislation will improve the quality of staffing and care in social care settings.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2017-18 commits to introduce a Safe Staffing Bill to enshrine NHS staffing in law, starting with nursing and midwifery. A public consultation on proposals to place the nursing and midwifery workload and wor…

5 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its plans for safe staffing legislation go beyond placing nursing and midwifery workforce and workload planning tools on a statutory footing and will improve workforce planning and patient care, given that these tools indicate that the baseline nursing establishment needed to meet th…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Government 2017-18 includes a commitment to introduce a Safe Staffing Bill to enshrine NHS staffing in law, starting with nursing and midwifery. The safe staffing legislation will require health boards to adopt a natio…

4 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for a waiver from the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) Regulations 1967 ministers have received in the last five years, and how many of these were approved, broken down by the regulation waived.

Answer · John Swinney: In the last 5 years, Ministers have received 4 applications for dispensation from regulations 7 and 8 of the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, all of which were approved after careful consideration.

30 Aug 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Fair Work Framework applies to NHS Lothian.

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has examined the incidence of so-called holiday hunger among school children and their families over school holiday periods.

Answer · John Swinney: Local authorities have the statutory powers to provide meals to children outwith term time and some choose to use these powers to provide lunch/activity clubs. Local authorities are best placed to examine what holiday provision may be required in their local …

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve social awareness of carers and caring.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government provides funding to seven national carer organisations to represent carers, their caring roles and specific issues they might face. Their initiatives include an annual National Carers Week, which we also support, to raise awareness of …

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to reduce loneliness among unpaid carers.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We are working with local partners and national carer organisations to prepare for implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act in April 2018, which will help identify and address the personal outcomes important to individual carers, including tackling lonelin…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish data on take-up of devolved benefits.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government’s intention is to build a social security system that is transparent and accountable; committed to continuous improvement. Collecting and publishing data are key to these aims. The process for collection and publication of statistics …

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is developing a strategy for the collection and publication of high-quality statistics relating to applications for and payment of devolved benefits and associated appeals.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government’s intention is to have a social security system that is transparent and accountable; a system that is always trying to improve. Collecting and publishing data are key to these aims. The process for collection and publication of statis…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will continue the practice of recovering benefit overpayments (a) through private debt collection agencies and (b) from the estates of deceased benefit recipients.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As set out in paragraph 251 of the policy memorandum that accompanies the Social Security (Scotland) Bill, the Scottish Government’s policy on recovery of overpayments will be different to current UK Government practice, will be based on the principles of fai…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage people to claim benefits that provide an exemption from the benefit cap.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has made a clear commitment to maximise family income, a key component in tackling poverty and is opposed to the benefit cap. Statistics published by DWP on 3 August 2017 show that in May 2017, 3,705 households and around 11,400 childr…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it considered when it proposed to retain for devolved benefits the UK Government's mandatory internal view of benefit decisions.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are not proposing to retain the UK Government’s approach to Mandatory Reconsideration. Our approach to decision making will focus on getting it right first time. However, where an individual wishes to challenge a decision, they will be able to request a re…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the charter to be produced under the sections 2-6 of the Social Security (Scotland) Bill to be justiciable.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In line with the findings of the Consultation on Social Security in Scotland, the Scottish Government has committed to co-designing the charter, starting with a ‘blank sheet of paper’ and working in close partnership with stakeholders and those with direct, l…

9 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to allow (a) applicants and (b) claimants of devolved benefits to allow a friend, family member or other advocate to act on their behalf.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have made a commitment to work closely with people with direct experience of benefits through our users, Experience Panels and stakeholders to co-design the detailed operational processes as part of service design. We recognise that individuals may wish t…