Part of First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 June 2024.
Kate Forbes
Scottish National Party
The question that Tess White asked is important. I understand in detail the challenges that our rural GPs face, but it is precisely because of the challenges in recruitment that we have invested in the pioneering Scottish graduate entry medicine programme. The first cohort is coming through ScotGEM just now.
We recognise that there are distinct challenges when it comes to rural and island areas, which is reflected in the budget that has been committed: £3 million for the national centre for remote and rural health and care, which was launched in October and is being delivered by NHS Education for Scotland. Tess White will also know that we incentivise GPs to take up rural positions through the £10,000 golden hello scheme, and are also investing £1 million in bursaries for GP trainees.
There is agreement on the pressures facing our rural GPs. The point is that we are taking action right now to try to support our rural GPs as far as possible because we recognise their importance.
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.
