First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 23 January 2025.
Clare Haughey
Scottish National Party
In the United Kingdom, around 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with more than 800 of those losing their lives. This week marks cervical cancer prevention week, which is a week-long campaign that raises awareness about cervical cancer screening and prevention, encouraging uptake of both. Will the First Minister provide an update on the success of the human papillomavirus vaccine programme in reducing cervical cancer rates in Scotland?
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
The HPV vaccination programme has achieved great success in Scotland. Since the programme started offering immunisation to girls aged 12 to 13 in schools, research has shown that no cervical cancer cases have been detected in women who have been fully vaccinated as part of the programme. It is a remarkable achievement by the programme.
The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland and the cervical cancer elimination expert group to ensure that our measures to eliminate the diseases that are caused by HPV are available to all and effective for all, with the aim of eliminating cervical cancer. This year’s vaccination programme is under way. I strongly encourage parents to give their consent and ensure that young people receive the protection that is offered by the vaccine.
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.
