– in the Scottish Parliament at on 14 March 2024.
Beatrice Wishart
Liberal Democrat
March is brain tumour awareness month. I thank the First Minister for agreeing to join in the Brain Tumour Research “Wear a hat” day photo call immediately after First Minister’s Question Time, and I hope that all MSPs here will be able to join us, too.
Brain tumours kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other cancer. Despite that devastating impact, this area of cancer research is underfunded, and there are more than 150 different types of brain tumour. What can the First Minister say about increasing funding to find improved treatments and, ultimately, cures?
Humza Yousaf
Scottish National Party
I thank Beatrice Wishart for all her efforts in this regard, and I look forward to the photo call shortly after First Minister’s Question Time.
I put on record my thanks to all those who seek to use their own experience to speak out about brain tumours, the need to be cautious and the need to be conscious of getting support where necessary. I think of the case of Glenn Campbell, the BBC journalist who is well known by members right across the chamber. He has used his experience and his voice to raise awareness of brain tumours.
I am more than happy for the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care to write to Beatrice Wishart with further details, but I note that we are increasing funding to the national health service this year to more than £19.5 billion, which is record funding for the NHS. I know just how seriously our NHS colleagues right across the country take the issue of tackling all cancers, including neurological and brain cancers.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
