- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) discussions it has had with and (b) advice it has received from (i) the Scottish Medicines Consortium and (ii) other bodies regarding the drug, Orkambi, being made available on the NHS for the treatment of cystic fibrosis.
Answer
Decisions made by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) are independent of Ministers and Parliament and are based on clinical and cost-effectiveness at a national population level for all Scotland.
The SMC did not accept Orkambi® for routine use in Scotland in May 2016 because the submitting company’s justification of the treatment’s cost in relation to its health benefits was not sufficient.
I have written to the manufacturer of Orkambi® to encourage them to undertake discussions with colleagues in National Health Services Scotland (NSS) and I understand those discussions are underway. I hope as part of these discussions the manufacturer can make their best offer on price and indicate they will re-submit an application for Orkambi® to the SMC.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Mark McDonald on 19 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of (a) private and (b) public sector employers registered with the Scotland Childcare Voucher Scheme.
Answer
By funding and actively participating in the Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership, the Scottish Government promotes a wide range of family friendly working policies to employers, including in relation to childcare.
For parents and carers, the Scottish Government provide information on childcare vouchers and other types of support for childcare on the mygov.scot website: https://www.mygov.scot/help-paying-for-childcare/other-help/
This brings together information on various schemes that people in Scotland can take advantage of at both a UK and Scotland level.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase the (a) postnatal and (b) antenatal support available for multiple pregnancies.
Answer
It is important all women have early and timely access to appropriate, safe and effective antenatal and postnatal care, that is tailored to their needs. The Scottish Government works with NHS boards to continually improve the quality and safety of postnatal and antenatal support for all women.
The Scottish Government would expect boards to ensure that maternity care services have processes in place to monitor adherence to and implementation of appropriate national pathways, guidelines and models of care, such as National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 July 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what reviews have been carried out of the Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007.
Answer
The Infant Formula and Follow-On Formula (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (as amended) implement current EU requirements (Directive 2006/141/EC) for relevant products.
I am advised by Food Standards Scotland (FSS) that following a European Commission review of the legislation covering foods for particular nutritional uses, which include the current EU Directive on formula and follow-on formula, a new regulatory approach was introduced. Regulation (EU) 609/2013 on foods for specific groups replaced the previous foods for particular nutritional uses approach, with a narrower range of products. The composition, labelling and advertising requirements for infant formula and follow-on formula are included in the foods for specific groups category. While these requirements remain broadly unchanged they will be detailed in a separate EU Regulation which is due to apply around 2020-2021. The current rules continue in the interim. As part of the review, the Commission also produced a report on ‘young child formula’ (growing-up milk) which confirmed that the general framework of EU food law is sufficient to adequately regulate the composition of young child formula.
FSS also advise me that Codex is currently reviewing their standard for follow-up formula (products aimed at babies aged 6-12 months and children aged 12-36 months). FSS will monitor developments in this area, including any subsequent discussions at EU level. (The Codex Alimentarius Commission is sponsored by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation to develop food standards to protect consumers’ health and ensure fair international trading practice in food and agricultural products).
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its current and developing position is on the introduction of a 50p rate of income tax.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2017
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2017
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Welsh Government regarding organ donation since the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 came into full effect in December 2015.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2017
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 21 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what projections it has made regarding the potential uptake over the next five years by women from Northern Ireland accessing NHS abortion services in Scotland, and what its position is on whether offering this will lead to an increase in so-called health tourism.
Answer
The Scottish Government is continuing to consider the issues associated with providing abortion services for women from Northern Ireland in Scotland including what the likely uptake of such a service would be .
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on home reports mainly being used for valuations and alterations, as opposed to providing energy efficiency information, given they are not as detailed as Scheme 2 surveys.
Answer
The Home Report was introduced to provide information on the condition, valuation and energy efficiency of a property upfront, and contains three documents – a single survey, which is broadly equivalent to a Scheme 2 survey and includes condition and valuation information; an Energy Report, which in practice is delivered through an Energy Performance Certificate; and a property questionnaire, which provides useful information on the property.
The 5 year review found that the Home Report’s objectives remain valid. The Scottish Government encourages home owners to make use of all of the information available to them within the Home Report. As part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme the Scottish Government will be further considering how to encourage action on energy efficiency in owner occupied housing.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it will reconvene the Home Report Implementation Group to consider the findings of the five-year review of the Home Report.
Answer
The Scottish Government is considering the best ways to engage with stakeholders to consider the findings of the five year review of the Home Report within the wider context of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme, given the potential role of the Energy Report in raising awareness of energy efficiency improvements amongst home owners at the point of sale. A decision on how to involve the Home Report Implementation Group as part of this wider process will be taken following discussion with key stakeholders, taking account of the responses to the current consultation on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the recommendations in the five-year review of the Home Report.
Answer
The Scottish Government believes it is important to consider the Home Report within the wider work to take action to improve the energy efficiency of Scotland’s properties as part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme. We therefore intend to work with stakeholders later this year to consider the recommendations of the review within that wider context.
