First Minister’s Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 23 January 2025.
Michael Marra
Labour
I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am a member of the GMB union.
In October last year, I raised with the First Minister the case of NHS Tayside district nurses who have been waiting six years for their job grading to be honoured. Shona Middleton and Cathy Fugaccia toiled through the pandemic and served the public of Tayside day in, day out, and they are with us in the public gallery today. Shona has said:
“We are nurses not political campaigners and would much rather not have to go to Holyrood but we refuse to give up. It is not just about us. It is about all NHS Scotland staff being treated with fairness and respect. Managers should not be allowed to choose which of their promises to keep and which to break.”
Surely the First Minister can tell them today that six years of delays and excuses are entirely unacceptable, and that NHS Tayside should finally get its act together.
John Swinney
Scottish National Party
Obviously, I want those issues to be resolved. Health boards have a responsibility to exercise their functions properly in that respect. I will seek an update from NHS Tayside on that question and share it with Mr Marra. In my previous exchange on the issue with Mr Marra, I made the point that, as the case may well reach an employment tribunal, I have to be careful about what I say in that respect but, with that caveat, I will try to give Mr Marra as comprehensive a reply as I can on the current situation in relation to the case.
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.
