Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson): NPA

The next item of business is a 10-minute statement by Nicola Sturgeon on Scottish Ambulance Service contact information. The cabinet secretary will take ques...

The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon): SNP

I welcome the opportunity to make a statement to Parliament on the loss during transit of a data disk containing information relating to emergency contacts t...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues that have been raised in her statement. We have almost exactly 20 minutes for such questions.

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): SNP

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Over the past few days, Margaret Curran has been all over the television, demanding a statement from the cabinet secr...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

With respect, I do not think that that is a point of order, Ms Marwick.

Tricia Marwick: SNP

I wonder whether you agree with me that that is disrespectful to the chamber.

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): Lab

On a point of order, Presiding Officer.

The Presiding Officer: NPA

This is all eating into the time that is available for questions.

Hugh Henry: Lab

Is it not insensitive that, when a member is attending a funeral, another member seeks to exploit that?

The Presiding Officer: NPA

That is not a point of order, but I am grateful to the member for putting it on the record; it should answer any possible queries about the issue, which is n...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): Lab

I thank the minister for her statement. This is the third emergency statement that she has had to make in the chamber.I understand that mistakes can be made ...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

I thank Richard Simpson for his questions. On his final question, I referred to the period covered by the data in my statement—it is February 2006 to June 20...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Con

First, I note from your statement that TNT has confirmed that its searches are continuing. Can you advise me what happened to the computerised tracking, whic...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

I remind all members to address other members through the chair.

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

On computerised tracking, TNT has undertaken a number of searches over the past few days—certainly since I was made aware of the issue—including examining al...

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): LD

I am grateful to the cabinet secretary for circulating an advance copy of her statement to shadow ministers while they were still in the chamber. That certai...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

I thank Ross Finnie for confirming that he received safely the copy of my statement that I asked to be delivered to him—that is a great relief to me. Ross Fi...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

We come to questions from back-bench members. As always, I ask members to keep questions and answers as brief as possible. If they do so, we will manage to f...

Bill Wilson (West of Scotland) (SNP): SNP

I express my relief—which may not be as great as that of the cabinet secretary—that, in contrast with the 25 million records that HM Revenue and Customs lost...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

It is in line with data protection procedures generally—the point is not specific to the Scottish Ambulance Service—for organisations to use courier companie...

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): Lab

The cabinet secretary said that this situation contrasts with the situation at HMRC—she would say that, wouldn't she? Will she reflect on comments that her c...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

I am here because I have ministerial responsibility for the Scottish Ambulance Service—no one could accuse me of trying to dodge that. However, given that al...

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): SNP

Given the importance of retaining public confidence in the way in which such matters are handled, I fully accept that the Scottish Ambulance Service has foll...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

That is a fair point. All public bodies should be asked to ensure not just that their practices are up to scratch but that they remain so over time. It is on...

James Kelly (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): Lab

I note the publication today of the data handling review. The investigation into data handling was announced on 23 November, when John Swinney told Parliamen...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

I am more than happy to ask my colleague John Swinney to respond to James Kelly in detail about the timeline in question. However, the publication here today...

The Presiding Officer: NPA

I call Ian McKee. Please be as brief as possible.

Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP): SNP

It is good to have the reassurances of the cabinet secretary today. Can she advise me whether the Scottish Ambulance Service holds a copy of the information ...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

Yes, the Scottish Ambulance Service has a copy.

The Presiding Officer: NPA

Perfect.