To ask the Scottish Government what the size is of any backlog of cases that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has, and what the SPSO is doing to reduce any such backlog.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 26/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for a complaint to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) to be allocated to a complaints reviewer, and what the average length of time is for the conclusion of such a review.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 26/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, in each of the last five years, how many domestic abuse case trials that went ahead had been delayed by (a) between one and two years, (b) between two and three years and (c) three years or longer.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 25/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the views of north east Scotland communities and campaign groups are fully considered by the Energy Consents Unit when assessing planning applications under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 25/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Energy Consents Unit should submit planning applications under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 to be considered at a public local inquiry, where the relevant local authority has objected to the planning application.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 25/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases have gone to trial in each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Constance
(27/03/2024): This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many domestic abuse cases resulted in the accused receiving an absolute discharge in each of the last five years.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 22/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what pathways of support and treatment are available to eating disorder patients who may require non-standardised care.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 19/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scotland is reportedly the last of the four UK nations to confirm its involvement in the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 19/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to set up regional blood testing centres for Lyme disease.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 19/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had regarding and (b) consideration it has given to the use of integrated cognitive behaviour treatment (I-CBTE) for patients with eating disorders and anorexia.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 19/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been carried out of the number of eating disorder patients who are neurodivergent.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 19/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to (a) raise awareness of and (b) improve (i) diagnosis and (ii) treatment of Lyme disease.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to improve medical professionals’ understanding, recognition and treatment of Lyme disease.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland have Lyme disease.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what public awareness campaigns it (a) has held and (b) is planning in 2024 on Lyme disease, including its prevention and symptoms.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S5W-31031 by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 August 2020, whether it will provide an update on how many visits the NHS Lyme disease webpage has had since it was created.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11374 by Aileen Campbell on 28 September 2017, whether it will provide an update on what preventative action (a) Health Protection Scotland and (b) each NHS board has taken to warn of tick-related health conditions; what (i) posters, leaflets and other information have been issued and (ii) events have been organised on this topic (A) routinely and (B) since 2017, and what analysis it has carried out or plans of the effectiveness of this.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that visitors to parks and other areas for outdoor recreation are aware of the risk of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 18/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25727 by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024, whether it will provide details of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service's work to minimise the cost of producing transcripts of court cases, and what the timescales are for the completion of this work.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 17/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25728 by
Angela Constance on 4 March 2024, whether it can provide a detailed breakdown
of the £91.23 hourly cost; what its position is on whether this cost represents
value for money, and what details it can provide regarding the procurement
contract for the audio transcription service, including any consideration that
it has given to seeking alternative providers.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 17/04/2024
| |
Asda Foundation Grants Awarded to Aberdeenshire North Foodbank and Huntly and Gordon Rural Action
That the Parliament congratulates Aberdeenshire North Foodbank and Huntly and Gordon Rural Action on being awarded grants from the Asda Foundation, which supports local groups to address the rising cost of living, as well as groups working to improve the lives of children and young people; understands that Aberdeenshire North Foodbank has been awarded £750, and that Huntly and Gordon Rural Action has been awarded £2,184; recognises that both charities have been nominated by their local communities for what it sees as the important work that they do to support those who need it most, and considers that Asda is committed, through its Foundation, to making the communities around its stores better places to live and work for both colleagues and customers.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Meghan Gallacher, Craig Hoy, Jackie Dunbar, Miles Briggs, Sandesh Gulhane, Jeremy Balfour, Annie Wells, Russell Findlay, Bill Kidd, Douglas Lumsden, Tess White, Jamie Greene, Liam Kerr, Alexander Stewart, Brian Whittle, Jackson Carlaw, Sharon Dowey, Stephen Kerr, Sue Webber, Roz McCall, Maurice Golden, Pam Gosal, Clare Adamson
| |
To ask the Scottish Government when the discretionary funding that it reportedly promised to Aberdeenshire Council on the eve of the local authority's budget setting, which is reported to be in the vicinity of £3 million, will be delivered, and whether it will confirm the exact amount that the local authority will receive.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 15/04/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of applications submitted to Home Energy Scotland for energy efficiency support regarding houses with a floor area of greater than 230 square metres have been successful.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 28/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending Home Energy Scotland support to include houses with a floor area of greater than 230 square metres, which meet the other criteria for energy efficiency support.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 28/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12674 by Mairi McAllan on 14 December 2022, whether it will provide an update on which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works are (a) under construction and (b) at the planning or other stage of development, broken down by (i) the expected completion date, including the reason for any date being beyond the 2021 timeframe, (ii) the number of properties that will be protected and (iii) the (A) initial forecast and (B) final expected cost of each.
Current Status: Expected Answer date 28/03/2024
| |
North East Schools Triumph at Greenpower International Finals 2023
That the Parliament recognises that entrants from the north east of Scotland placed in the top 40 at the Greenpower International Finals 2023 event at Goodwood Motor Circuit in West Sussex on 8 October 2023; understands that the event showcases electric-powered cars that are designed and built by pupils from schools, colleges and youth groups, and that 90 Greenpower cars participated in the October event; notes that Banchory Academy had two cars in the competition, Photon and Electron, which placed 25th and 40th respectively; understands that Grampian Transport Museum Young Engineers Club placed 37th with its car Merlin, and 53rd with Spyder, and that Albyn School’s Green Arrow 1 placed 21st and Green Arrow 2 placed 33rd; commends all of those who took part, along with the teachers and schools supporting student involvement in STEM and environmentally-friendly technology, and wishes them future success.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Douglas Lumsden, Stephen Kerr, Roz McCall, Meghan Gallacher, Sandesh Gulhane, Alexander Stewart, Annie Wells, Bill Kidd, David Torrance, Douglas Ross, Miles Briggs, Colin Beattie, Edward Mountain, Jackie Dunbar, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Jeremy Balfour, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Greene, Brian Whittle, Craig Hoy, Russell Findlay, Karen Adam, Tess White, Jackson Carlaw, Pam Gosal, Clare Adamson, Sue Webber
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25840 by Siobhian Brown on 5 March 2024, how many Scottish Fire and Rescue Service officers in the North East Scotland region have received training for operational competence on lithium-ion batteries and battery storage unit sites.
Answered by Siobhian Brown
(15/03/2024): The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s (SFRS) training procedures are an operational matter for the service to consider. SFRS consults both internal and external subject matter experts to ensure that all latest technologies, developments, lessons learned, and health and safety events are captured to ensure firefighter and public safety.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many registered physiotherapists there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board.
Answered by Neil Gray
(14/03/2024): The information requested on how many registered (qualified) physiotherapists there have been in each of the last five years, broken down by NHS board can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14/03/2024
| |
Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards 2023
That the Parliament congratulates the winners of the Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards (AALDA) 2023; notes that the overall winner of the Landscape and Biodiversity Enhancement category was Moxon Architects for its Quarry Studios; further notes that the overall winner of the Conservation and Building Adaptation category was The Vinery by GD Lodge Architects; acknowledges that GD Lodge Architects was presented with the trophy for the Ian Shepherd Award, which, it understands, is awarded to the overall winning scheme in AALDA 2023, and understands that AALDA is a bi-annual scheme, run by Aberdeenshire Council, which celebrates innovative and sustainable design principles, the creation of new communities, sensitive adaptation of existing buildings and the imaginative use of materials in both residential and commercial developments.
Supported by: Tess White, Liam Kerr, Pam Gosal, Colin Beattie, Alexander Stewart, Edward Mountain, Russell Findlay, Sandesh Gulhane, Meghan Gallacher, Douglas Ross, Craig Hoy, Brian Whittle, Stuart McMillan, Annie Wells, Jamie Greene, Paul Sweeney, Sue Webber, Jeremy Balfour, Stephen Kerr, Karen Adam, Bill Kidd, Jackson Carlaw, Maurice Golden, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Lumsden, Clare Adamson
| |
Westhill's Green Pastures Café Double Award Win
That the Parliament celebrates the success of Westhill’s Green Pastures Café, which won two awards at the fourth Scottish Café and Bakery Awards 2024, which took place in Glasgow on 18 February 2024; understands that it was named Café Kitchen of the Year and took home Best Community Café for the third consecutive year; notes that Green Pastures Café is located within the Westhill Community Church, and understands that the aim of the awards is to celebrate the best in the Scottish coffee industry.
Supported by: Tess White, Miles Briggs, Liam Kerr, Pam Gosal, Colin Beattie, Alexander Stewart, Edward Mountain, Russell Findlay, Sandesh Gulhane, Meghan Gallacher, Douglas Ross, Craig Hoy, Brian Whittle, Annie Wells, Stuart McMillan, Jamie Greene, Paul Sweeney, Sue Webber, Jeremy Balfour, Stephen Kerr, Karen Adam, Bill Kidd, Jackson Carlaw, Maurice Golden, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Lumsden, Clare Adamson
| |
All Roads Lead to Rome Fundraising Event to Raise Funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation
That the Parliament commends the Needing a Northerly team for the All Roads Lead to Rome fundraising event to raise funds for My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which raises awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and funds vital research into the disease; understands that former Scotland captain, Rob Wainwright, set the challenge, All Roads Lead to Rome 2024, encouraging teams of cyclists across the UK to cycle across Europe and reach Rome on 8 March, ahead of the Scotland v Italy Six Nations match on 9 March 2024; understands that the Needing a Northerly team consists of four Scottish cyclists, including Anthony Stodart, Chris Lockett, James Fisher and Aberdeenshire West constituent, Mark Morriss, who will be supported by seven others; further understands that the team will be cycling 1,650 miles and 71,400ft of ascent, which is the equivalent of two Mount Everests, from North Berwick Rugby Club on 3 March to Rome on 8 March; notes that Rob's core team, which includes rugby legends, Stuart Hogg and Gordon D’arcy, will be carrying the match ball for the Scotland v Italy Six Nations match on 9 March, and wishes both teams and all of those taking part in the event, a successful journey.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Stephen Kerr, Tess White, Craig Hoy, Bill Kidd, Alexander Stewart, Audrey Nicoll, Annie Wells, Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Greene, Jackie Dunbar, Douglas Ross, Miles Briggs, Edward Mountain, Brian Whittle, Russell Findlay, Meghan Gallacher, Liam Kerr, Pam Gosal, Kevin Stewart, Colin Beattie, Liam McArthur, Maurice Golden, Annabelle Ewing, Jackson Carlaw, Stuart McMillan, Bob Doris, Jeremy Balfour, Kenneth Gibson, Oliver Mundell, Sharon Dowey, Sue Webber, Karen Adam, Douglas Lumsden
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports that several leading mortgage lenders do not provide mortgages on houses that have had spray foam insulation installed as part of schemes administered by Home Energy Scotland (HES), and, if so, what efforts have been made to make applicants receiving grants from HES for the installation of such insulation aware of this.
Answered by Patrick Harvie
(14/03/2024): As a consumer led scheme, the choice of material for insulation measures funded through the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme is the sole choice of the applicant, and therefore some may choose to install spray foam. During the advice and application process, applicants interested in spray foam are made aware of the RICS guidance on spray foam and encouraged to discuss any proposed works with their mortgage company and/or insurer before proceeding. If you are installing solid wall, underfloor, flat roof or room-in-roof insulation through the scheme then you have to use a TrustMark or Green Deal accredited installer. Warmer Homes Scotland and the Area Based Schemes funded by the Scottish Government do not support spray foam insulation in lofts. In some circumstances spray foam insulation may be offered for underfloor insulation. Where local authorities are delivering these measures, they are asked to undertake additional monitoring and ensure that work is delivered in line with best practice guidelines as published by the UK Government The link can be found here: Retrofit Floor Insulation – Suspended Timber Floors: Guide to Best Practice (publishing.service.gov.uk) .
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 14/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a review of minor injuries units in Deeside and south Aberdeenshire.
Answered by Neil Gray
(14/03/2024): I should firstly say that the Scottish Government do not have a specific policy on the provision of Minor Injury Units in communities. It is for local health boards and integrated joint boards to get the best combination of local and specialist services that meets the needs of their population in line with the National Clinical Strategy. There is currently a Minor Injury Unit (MIU) in south Aberdeenshire at Jubilee Hospital in Huntly. The minor injury units at Aboyne Hospital and Kincardine Community Hospital in Stonehaven were paused in December 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board report demand for the minor injury service from these two units was low and with the increase in the complexity and demands on community hospital in-patient wards, NHS Grampian are prioritising services that have the greatest demand to provide the best treatment and care for local communities. NHS Grampian have confirmed that all services are subject to regular monitoring and that data is used to evidence that the care provided makes effective use of resources. For the future of minor injury service provision at Aboyne and Stonehaven, there are ongoing plans to progress this in combination with Community Treatment and Care Services (CTAC). This model would involve an appointment system rather than a drop-in service. It is worth noting that minor injury services are also available at the majority of the local GP practices.
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 14/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the impact of its current income tax policy, in light of reports that higher taxes could deter experienced professionals from moving to Scotland.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 06/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25091 by Siobhian Brown on 16 February 2024, what specialist training is required for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service officers regarding large battery storage unit sites.
Answered by Siobhian Brown
(05/03/2024): The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) undertakes Training for Operational Competence on Lithium-ION batteries as a standalone training module and has an electricity module which includes battery storage unit sites. SFRS consults both internal and external subject matter experts to ensure that all latest technologies, developments, lessons learned, and health and safety events are captured to ensure firefighter and public safety.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 05/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason transcripts of court cases are reportedly not provided to those involved in the case, free of charge, on request.
Answered by Angela Constance
(04/03/2024): The provision of court transcripts to those involved in the case, other than a person convicted at the trial, is governed by Section 94(2)(b) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 which allows for, on payment of the relevant costs, and subject to the Transcripts of Criminal Proceedings (Scotland) Order 1993, the Clerk of Justiciary to direct that a transcript be made and sent to the person who requested it. A cost is therefore incurred whenever a transcript is prepared, and in common with other parts of the UK, unless in specific circumstances, those costs currently require to be met by the requester as opposed to the wider public finances. That having been said, we have listened to campaigners and survivors on a number of concerns that have been raised about the financial challenges associated with the access to transcripts for rape and sexual offences complainers. From 1 March 2024, the Scottish Government will be in the first in the UK to launch a pilot which will allow complainers in High Court cases involving charges of rape or sexual assault to have free access to transcripts of their court cases. The pilot will improve our understanding of the reasons why applications are being made in these particular cases. This will include understanding the potential volume of applications and the extent to which cost has been a barrier for applying previously. The pilot and associated evaluation process will help inform future policy and operational development, including how the criteria for accessing free transcripts may develop, the potential implications on the public finances, and whether there is a need for a change to existing legislation.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 04/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Court of Session reportedly charges £129.29 per hour to have audio recordings of court cases transcribed.
Answered by Angela Constance
(04/03/2024): The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service outsource the provision of Audio Transcription Services and the provider offers a number of turnaround service levels depending on urgency of the requirement. The standard service used costs £91.23 per hour or £1.52 per minute of audio, plus VAT, and has a turnaround time of 15 days. The figure of £129.29 per hour is for a turnaround of 24 hours and would therefore only be used where a transcript is required urgently.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 04/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to digitise audio recordings of court cases that can be easily provided to those involved in a case, if requested.
Answered by Angela Constance
(04/03/2024): The Scottish Government continues to work with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to see how the application of new technology might help minimise the cost of producing transcripts for all those who wish to access them.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 04/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its funding schemes administered by
Energy Saving Trust (EST), whether it is aware of any viruses affecting the EST
application portal, and what information it holds on what efforts have been
taken to remove any such viruses.
Answered by Patrick Harvie
(08/03/2024): Energy Savings Trust (EST) have not reported to the Scottish Government any instance of a computer virus affecting the online application portal for Heat in Buildings Grant and Loan Schemes since the portal was introduced in December 2023. EST met the technical award criteria for cyber security requirements when the current contract was procured in 2023. In addition, their subcontractor who administers the online portal and their cloud service provider both hold Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO 27001 certifications, which include anti-virus measures.
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 08/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24855 by Gillian Martin on 6 February 2024, how many members of staff are currently working in the Energy Consents Unit; in relation to the increased staffing resource, by how many the current number of staff in the unit has increased by since 2022-23; whether it expects the unit's budget to increase in 2024-25, and, if so, by how much.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(01/03/2024): As of 23 February 2024, the Energy Consents Unit have an allocation of 35 posts. Whereas, in March 2023, the Energy Consents Unit had an allocation of 30 posts. Work to set budgets for the financial year 2024-25 is still ongoing and resourcing requirements are kept under review.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 01/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the increase in the number of storms in Scotland in recent months compared with 2022-23, whether it will increase Scottish Forestry’s budget to reflect the increase in its workload due to these storms.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(28/02/2024): Scottish Forestry has well developed arrangements in place to respond to major storms and has recently revised its Windblow Contingency Plan and initiated several multi-agency working groups to inform improvements. There are no plans to increase the Scottish Forestry dedicated budget at this time.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28/02/2024
| |
National Lyme Disease Awareness Month
That the Parliament recognises that May 2024 marks Lyme Disease Awareness Month, which aims to raise awareness of the disease in order to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment; understands that Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks; recognises that cases of Lyme disease have been reported across Scotland, but that diagnosis and treatment of the disease can be difficult and complex due to varying symptoms, including a "bullseye" bite, rash, fatigue and flu-like symptoms; notes the importance of early diagnosis and access to antibiotic treatment, as in some cases Lyme disease can have long-term symptoms impacting someone’s health, including memory problems, joint and nerve pain and heart problems, and further notes the view that there is still much more progress to be made in educating medical professionals across Scotland to help improve detection of the disease, as well as spreading public health information on how to prevent and treat Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.
Supported by: Graham Simpson, Alexander Stewart, Jackson Carlaw, Craig Hoy, Murdo Fraser, Annabelle Ewing, Brian Whittle, Annie Wells, Edward Mountain, Douglas Ross, Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Greene, Miles Briggs, Russell Findlay, Colin Beattie, Stephanie Callaghan, Stuart McMillan, Sue Webber, Jeremy Balfour, Meghan Gallacher, Mark Ruskell, Tess White, Pam Gosal, Maurice Golden, Sharon Dowey, Ariane Burgess, Colin Smyth, Jackie Baillie
Current Status: Achieved Cross Party Support
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many registered pathologists there have been in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Neil Gray
(01/03/2024): The information requested on how many registered pathologists there have been in each of the last 10 years is not centrally available. Information on Chemical pathologists and Histopathology, can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Intelligence .
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 01/03/2024
| |
Calum McIlroy Named BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year
That the Parliament celebrates the success of singer, mandolin and guitar player, Calum McIlroy, who has been named BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of 2024; understands that Calum, who is from Westhill in Aberdeenshire, first learned about traditional music in his school ceilidh band, then played with the North East Folk Collective, and went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; further understands that this prestigious award has been a springboard for many Scottish traditional musicians; congratulates Calum on his achievement, and wishes him all the best in his career.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Meghan Gallacher, Craig Hoy, Colin Beattie, Alexander Stewart, Murdo Fraser, Bill Kidd, Russell Findlay, Brian Whittle, Miles Briggs, David Torrance, Stuart McMillan, Sandesh Gulhane, Tess White, Sue Webber, Douglas Ross, Fulton MacGregor, Kevin Stewart, Liam Kerr, Evelyn Tweed, Jamie Greene, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Dunbar, Annie Wells, Jeremy Balfour, Jackson Carlaw, Douglas Lumsden, Pam Gosal, Maggie Chapman, Maurice Golden, Sharon Dowey
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23198 by Maree Todd on 11 December 2023, whether it will provide clarification on whether the start of treatment for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) patients is the first initial appointment that they have following a referral to CAMHS, and, if this is the case, what the waiting times are for treatment following this initial appointment.
Answered by Maree Todd
(04/03/2024): Public Health Scotland defines ‘start of treatment’ as “when a patient’s treatment starts noting that not all people who are referred go on to have treatment. Some people attend an assessment appointment, need no further treatment, and so are removed from the waiting list. Some people are offered treatment but decide not to go ahead.” Most children and young people attend a first appointment for assessment and there are three main outcomes of that first appointment: (i) The child or young person needs no further treatment from CAMHS but is provided with personalised and meaningful signposting. At this point the reported waiting time is stopped and they are removed from the waiting list; (ii) Some children and young people are offered treatment but decide not to go ahead. At this point the reported waiting time is stopped and they are removed from the waiting list; (iii) Treatment is offered and accepted; and either treatment begins at this appointment and the reported waiting time is stopped, or a treatment appointment is offered and the reported waiting time stops when that treatment appointment happens. The waiting time to the start of treatment will depend on the complexity of each individual case, the specific intervention that has been recommended and the availability of professionals trained to provide that intervention. All children and young people offered treatment in CAMHS should meet the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) referral criteria and receive support in line with the CAMHS National Service Specification.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 04/03/2024
| |
Deeside Rugby Club U16 Team Wins League and National Plate Trophies
That the Parliament congratulates Deeside RFC U16 team on winning the Caledonia North League for 2023-24; understands that the U16 team also recently won the Scottish Rugby Union National Plate in the final on 17 December 2023; commends the team for what it sees as its exceptional success in winning both the National Plate and League trophies, and for its fantastic teamwork, which, it believes, makes the team members great ambassadors for Deeside RFC and for rugby in the north east, and wishes the team all the best for the future.
Supported by: Alexander Stewart, Annie Wells, Meghan Gallacher, Craig Hoy, Kevin Stewart, Miles Briggs, Colin Beattie, Murdo Fraser, Maggie Chapman, Sandesh Gulhane, Edward Mountain, Jackie Dunbar, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Russell Findlay, Douglas Ross, Audrey Nicoll, Jeremy Balfour, Kenneth Gibson, Paul Sweeney, Liam Kerr, Jackson Carlaw, Donald Cameron, Sharon Dowey, Sue Webber, Tess White, Fulton MacGregor, Douglas Lumsden, Pam Gosal, Maurice Golden
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce grants for medical students, similar to the Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary (PNMSB) scheme, which is administered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
Answered by Neil Gray
(26/02/2024): There are currently no plans to introduce grants for medical students similar to the Paramedic, Nursing, and Midwifery Student Bursary.
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available to medical students during placement years, when they are unable to work elsewhere.
Answered by Neil Gray
(26/02/2024): Scottish domiciled medical students are eligible for the standard student support package which is comprised of tuition fees and living cost support throughout the full duration of their medical degree. Additionally the most disadvantaged students can access up to £9,000 per year through a bursary and loans with the Scottish student support package currently the highest it has ever been. All Scottish domiciled students, irrespective of circumstances are eligible for a loan of up to £6,000 a year for the full duration of their medical degree. It should be noted that students studying on the ScotGEM programme are eligible to claim a return of service bursary of £4,000 per year. This is only available to ScotGEM students, and for each year of the bursary accepted the students is required to work in NHS Scotland for the corresponding number of years.
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26/02/2024
| |
Aberdeen and North East Rotary Clubs Raise Over £30,000 for Charities
That the Parliament congratulates the Rotary Clubs of Aberdeen and the north east, which have raised an incredible £31,686 for local good causes through their annual car raffle, with, it understands, £21,250 going to Charlie House as the primary benefitting charity; understands that the impressive sum raised for Charlie House will go towards the charity’s Big Build Appeal, an initiative to develop a support centre in Aberdeen for children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions; further understands that, once built, this facility will ensure north east families don’t have to travel more than 100 miles for vital specialist care, and understands that the remaining £10,436 will be divided equally between the 23 participating Rotary Clubs to go towards other good local causes and charities in the region.
Supported by: Annie Wells, Meghan Gallacher, Alexander Stewart, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Jackie Dunbar, Liz Smith, Craig Hoy, Kevin Stewart, Liam Kerr, Douglas Ross, Stuart McMillan, Colin Beattie, Donald Cameron, Pam Gosal, Sandesh Gulhane, Jeremy Balfour, Edward Mountain, Pam Duncan-Glancy, David Torrance, Russell Findlay, Miles Briggs, Sue Webber, Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Jackson Carlaw, Stephen Kerr, Brian Whittle, Roz McCall, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Lumsden, Maurice Golden
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what additional requirements exist for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in relation to the monitoring of large battery storage units.
Answered by Siobhian Brown
(16/02/2024): There is no additional statutory requirement on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to monitor large battery storage unit sites. SFRS continually review and develop their operational response to any new and emerging technology to keep communities safe. SFRS is committed to work in collaboration with key partners to ensure the highest level of preparedness for potential incidents involving lithium-ion batteries or similar storage facilities. In the event of incidents involving these facilities, SFRS have the ability to deploy a range of resources that can be utilised by the highly skilled crews to successfully bring the incidents to a safe conclusion.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what recent consideration it has given to funding a new health centre in Banchory.
Answered by Neil Gray
(15/02/2024): As set out in the draft Scottish Government budget, the capital funding position is extremely challenging due to the UK Government’s decision to cut our capital budget by nearly 10%. The capital budget settlement allows for Health Boards’ delegated capital budgets to be maintained at 23-24 levels, for all major projects in construction to be completed and for continued support for the national replacement programmes for ambulances and radiotherapy equipment. Given the current uncertainty regarding availability of funding, regrettably, we have advised boards to pause any new capital projects until capital funding becomes more certain. Our Infrastructure Investment Plan identified priority health capital projects for funding within that period. As a result of UK Government cuts, we will bring forward a revised Infrastructure Investment Plan in the spring. All due consideration will be given to what projects can be included to ensure the revised Plan is affordable and deliverable.
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what the target timescale is for the Energy Consents Unit to log submissions made by members of the public, and whether this target is being met.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(06/02/2024): The Energy Consents Unit does not have a target timescale for logging representations. Representations may be made to the Scottish Ministers in line with statutory timeframes set out in public notices, which require to be given in accordance with applicable regulations. Representations are managed such that the material issues raised within are always taken into account before any decision is taken by Scottish Ministers.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 06/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is reportedly a three-month delay in logging submissions sent to the Energy Consents Unit, and what action it is taking to address this.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(06/02/2024): All representations submitted within statutory timeframes are logged such that the material issues raised within such representations can be taken fully into account prior to a determination being made on an application.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 06/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24619 by Mairi Gougeon on 24 January 2024, whether it will support the funding of a fish counter in the River Dee, in light of reports that a suitable site has been identified in the narrow part of the lower reaches of the river, which is less than 25 metres across.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(31/01/2024): The Scottish Government has no plans to fund a fish counter on the River Dee .
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what review SEPA is planning of the European Water Framework Directive.
Answered by Mairi McAllan
(05/02/2024): The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is not planning to review the European Water Framework Directive. The Water Framework Directive is implemented in Scotland by the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 and the Water Environment (River Basin Management Planning: Further Provision) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. Any review of this legislation would be carried out by the Scottish Government. Through the Water Framework Directive’s River Basin Management Planning process we continue to protect and improve the water environment in order to ensure the health and wellbeing of Scotland’s rivers, lochs and coastal waters.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 05/02/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources and funding it has provided to the Energy Consents Unit to manage any increase in planning applications being considered.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(06/02/2024): The Energy Consents Unit has increased its staffing resource in response to increased application volumes. Resourcing requirements are kept under review, with a view to addressing the expected intake of applications.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 06/02/2024
| |
Aberdeenshire West Businesses Awarded Scottish EDGE Funding
That the Parliament congratulates SIPit and Planner Bee VA Services on being successful in the latest Scottish EDGE competition; acknowledges that Katharine Byers received £85,000 to developer her business, SIPit, a manufacturer of structural insulated panels in Banchory; notes that Maya Vertigans received £10,000 to develop her business, Planner Bee VA Services, which is a virtual assistance service supporting sustainable and ethical businesses, based in Aberdeenshire; commends Scottish EDGE for what it sees as its continued support for Scotland’s innovative, high growth potential entrepreneurial talent, and wishes SIPit and Planner Bee VA Services further success in the future.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Stephen Kerr, Roz McCall, Clare Adamson, Annie Wells, Alexander Stewart, Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Murdo Fraser, Jackie Dunbar, Edward Mountain, Meghan Gallacher, Craig Hoy, Bill Kidd, Brian Whittle, Russell Findlay, Douglas Ross, Liam Kerr, Stuart McMillan, Sandesh Gulhane, Sue Webber, Jamie Greene, Ivan McKee, Jackson Carlaw, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Lumsden, Pam Gosal, Maurice Golden
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24242 by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024, whether it will provide further details of the delivery group that oversees and directs the delivery of the wild salmon strategy and implementation plan, including (a) who is involved in the group and (b) contact details for wider public engagement.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(24/01/2024): The Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Delivery Group was established following publication of the Implementation Plan. Information on membership of the group is available on the Scottish Government website along with a contact email address.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment to extend the fish counter network, as set out in its wild salmon strategy implementation plan published in 2023, whether it will fund a percentage of the cost of a fish counter and its monitoring for the River Dee, which is a Special Area of Conservation currently classed Grade 1, and, if so, what percentage.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(24/01/2024): The Scottish Government has no plans to fund a fish counter on the River Dee. The width of the lower Dee means that the installation of a fish counter to assess the size of the salmon stock is not feasible.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24/01/2024
| |
Elaine Barnwell and Dr Donald Cruickshank Mentioned in the New Year Honours List
That the Parliament congratulates Elaine Barnwell, who has received a British Empire Medal (BEM) for her charity work; notes that Elaine hails from Ballater and is a fundraiser for the Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity; congratulates also Dr Donald Cruickshank, GP at Braemar Medical Practice, who has been appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to medicine and the Braemar community, and notes that Dr Cruickshank has been serving the community as a GP for nearly 30 years, having started back in 1994.
Supported by: Edward Mountain, Sandesh Gulhane, Meghan Gallacher, Annie Wells, Miles Briggs, Murdo Fraser, Bill Kidd, Sue Webber, Colin Beattie, Jackson Carlaw, Jamie Greene, Jeremy Balfour, Craig Hoy, Russell Findlay, Pam Gosal, Paul Sweeney, Liam Kerr, Donald Cameron, Brian Whittle, Tess White, Stephen Kerr, Sharon Dowey, Maurice Golden, Roz McCall, Douglas Lumsden
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
Douneside House and the MacRobert Trust Raise £7,000 for Local Charities
That the Parliament congratulates the volunteers who work at Douneside House and the MacRobert Trust on raising £7,000, which was donated to well-known north east charities, Befriend a Child and Gordon Rural Action; considers that both charities do fantastic work to help families in the local area; understands that a light trail and Santa’s Grotto charity event were held at award-winning country house hotel, Douneside House in Tarland; further understands that the MacRobert Trust, the charitable trust that owns and runs Douneside House, covered all the event costs, which meant that 100% of the proceeds went to the charities; notes that a raffle on the day also contributed to the money raised, with prizes from Spar Shop Bellabeg, Top T Toe in Aboyne, Glentanar Equestrian, Village Premier Shop in Tarland, WoodWinter Wines and Whiskies, Royal Lochnagar Whisky Distillery, The Black Faced Sheep in Aboyne, Go View Media, Strong Water Co in Banchory, Macbeans Coffee and Vouchercart, and believes that this charity event shows the great community spirit of Aberdeenshire.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Edward Mountain, Annie Wells, Murdo Fraser, Alexander Stewart, Miles Briggs, Meghan Gallacher, Colin Beattie, Sandesh Gulhane, Brian Whittle, Tess White, Craig Hoy, Pam Gosal, Douglas Ross, Bill Kidd, Sue Webber, Jackson Carlaw, Jamie Greene, Jeremy Balfour, Russell Findlay, Liam Kerr, Donald Cameron, Stephen Kerr, Sharon Dowey, Maurice Golden, Douglas Lumsden
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
Deeside Rugby Club U16 Team Wins SRU National Plate Final
That the Parliament congratulates the Deeside RFC U16 team on winning the Scottish Rugby Union (SRU) national plate final at the famous Riverside Drive Pitch in Jedburgh, in blustery conditions on 17 December 2023; understands that the team won the final against Jed Thistle RFC U16s; notes that Deeside opened the scoring with a seven-minute try from scrum half, Archie Saunders, and a late first half try from left wing, Oliver Njuguna, and a conversion from fly half, Rory Smart, giving Deeside a 0-12 lead at half time; further understands that, after a very tense second half, Keir Morrow scored off a well-worked lineout move on the Jed Thistle five-metre line, which Rory Smart converted once again; understands that Deeside's Kristian Eggerton was awarded Man of the Match, and commends the team for what it sees as its exceptional teamwork in winning the club’s first national accolade, and for, it believes, being fantastic ambassadors for Deeside RFC and for rugby in the north east, with more to come from this group of players in the future.
Supported by: Annie Wells, Jamie Greene, Murdo Fraser, Edward Mountain, Craig Hoy, Alexander Stewart, Miles Briggs, Colin Beattie, Maggie Chapman, Sandesh Gulhane, Douglas Ross, Pam Gosal, Jeremy Balfour, Stuart McMillan, Meghan Gallacher, Bill Kidd, Kenneth Gibson, Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Audrey Nicoll, Liam Kerr, Sue Webber, Jackson Carlaw, Russell Findlay, Donald Cameron, Stephen Kerr, Sharon Dowey, Maurice Golden, Douglas Lumsden, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
Alford Bistro Choir
That the Parliament congratulates the Alford Bistro Choir, which was founded at the start of 2023 by the Bistro owner, John Allen, to help spread some love and joy following several years of hardship; understands that, since its formation earlier in the year, it has released a host of videos online, garnering thousands of views and an army of fans; further understands that its latest release, Pot Noodle Christmas, has been viewed more than 531,000 times on Facebook in just a couple of weeks and that members asked for shares and support to get it to the Christmas number one spot; understands that any profits made through the venture will be used to form a local charity fund to help support those most in need within the community, and believes that this project has brought light to a particularly trying time for business owners and residents alike.
Supported by: Annie Wells, Alexander Stewart, Colin Beattie, Jeremy Balfour, Douglas Ross, Pam Gosal, Sandesh Gulhane, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Miles Briggs, Bill Kidd, Sue Webber, Kevin Stewart, Maggie Chapman, Meghan Gallacher, Russell Findlay, Roz McCall, Paul Sweeney, Brian Whittle, Jackson Carlaw, Fulton MacGregor, Stephen Kerr, Sharon Dowey, Tess White, Maurice Golden, Douglas Lumsden, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
Gordon Rural Action Receives £50,000 from UK Government Community Ownership Fund
That the Parliament congratulates Gordon Rural Action on receiving £50,000 in funding from the UK Government Community Ownership Fund; notes that this is part of an £8 million fund from the UK Government to 17 community projects in Scotland to help to transform town centres throughout the country; understands that this funding will be used by Gordon Rural Action to secure the future of the Bikery shop and workshop in Huntly; further understands that the Bikery will sell new and recycled bikes and parts at a discounted price and will also offer maintenance and repairs through its workshop; commends that Gordon Rural Action will also provide a training space for trainee mechanics and young people to learn new skills in the Bikery; believes that this is an excellent project that will bring substantial benefit to the local community, and wishes it every success.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Roz McCall, Stephen Kerr, Sandesh Gulhane, Alexander Stewart, Edward Mountain, Meghan Gallacher, Douglas Ross, Jamie Greene, Miles Briggs, Murdo Fraser, Russell Findlay, Pam Gosal, Brian Whittle, Annie Wells, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Jackson Carlaw, Jeremy Balfour, Sue Webber, Maurice Golden, Sharon Dowey, Tess White, Douglas Lumsden, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what the safety regulations are for large battery storage units, including any requirements of the emergency services, and when these regulations were last updated.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(18/01/2024): A range of legislation makes up the regulatory framework for the safety of grid scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). Health and safety is a reserved matter with applicable UK legislation including: the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002; the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989; and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Relevant regulations are updated as and when deemed necessary, with input from all relevant authorities. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s regulator in this regard, and their remit includes health and safety in the workplace as well as public assurance on safety matters. HSE considers there to be a robust regulatory regime covering the fire risks associated with BESS.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to conducting a revaluation of Council Tax bands across Scotland.
Answered by Tom Arthur
(31/01/2024): The Scottish Government has no plans for a Council Tax revaluation.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 31/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassifying Atlantic salmon as "Endangered" in Great Britain, what assessment it has made of the state of salmon stocks in Scotland, including the differing genetic components, in rivers that are Special Areas of Conservation for this species, including the River Dee; what its recovery plans are for these stocks, and how these plans will be carefully monitored across the species' whole lifecycle.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(15/01/2024): An assessment of the conservation status of Atlantic salmon is carried out annually for 173 separate inland water assessment areas, including the 17 Special Areas of Conservation where Atlantic salmon are a primary or secondary qualifying feature. Each assessment area is assigned to one of three grades based on the probability of the stock meeting an internationally agreed conservation limit over a five-year period. The assessment informs regulation that determines where the killing of salmon by fisheries is permitted outside of the spring season. The results of the latest assessment are available on the Scottish Government website - Overview - Salmon fishing: proposed river gradings for 2024 season - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot ). NatureScot has initiated a project to update the site condition assessment, which includes differing stock components, of the 17 Special Areas of Conservation in Scotland where Atlantic salmon is a qualifying feature, and a final report will be published in due course. The main expression of genetic diversity of Atlantic salmon in Scottish rivers is when the fish return to the river. Populations of early running fish are assessed to be particularly vulnerable across Scotland and are therefore protected by regulations that prevent the killing of Atlantic salmon before 1 April each year. District Salmon Fishery Boards and the River Tweed Commission have statutory powers and duties for the protection and improvement of fisheries, and the increase of salmon within their districts. At the national level, the Scottish wild salmon strategy was established in 2022 in response to the long-term downward trend in the number of Atlantic salmon returning to Scottish waters. In 2023 we published the wild salmon strategy implementation plan, which sets out over sixty actions to tackle the wide range of pressures affecting the species throughout their life cycle. A delivery group oversees and directs the delivery of the strategy and implementation plan and will also review and shape the programme of work considering new evidence and other policy developments. The delivery group is supported by a Scientific Advisory Board, established to coordinate and harmonise research and monitoring activities across science organisations and regulators
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to flood resilience in the financial years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22, (d) 2022-23, (e) 2023-24 and (f) 2024-25.
Answered by Mairi McAllan
(16/01/2024): The Scottish Government has allocated (a) £42m in 2019-20, (b) £42m in 2020-21 (c) £52m in 2021-22 (d) £63m in 2022-23 (e) £61m in 2023-24 and (f) £88.5m in 2024-25 to local authorities through the general capital grant to invest in flood protection and resilience measures.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what public awareness campaigns it has undertaken in
the last 10 years to ensure that recreational activities, such as paddle
boarding, kayaking, cycling, fishing and camping, do not impact on the
biodiversity of National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific
Interest.
Answered by Lorna Slater
(18/01/2024): Each year, NatureScot undertakes activity to promote the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) with specific campaigns across a range of topics and settings, including National Nature Reserves. This work has been complemented in recent years by a greater co-ordination of messaging through the visitor management strategy led by VisitScotland: https://www.visitscotland.org/about-us/what-we-do/working-in-partnership/visitor-management-plan . In 2023, NatureScot also refreshed the SOAC education resources for schools and young people. Wildlife disturbance is a key element of current campaign activity with a range of key messages promoted to support the recently revised guidance prepared by the National Access Forum on “Managing public access in areas of wildlife sensitivity in Scotland” : https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/doc/guidance-managing-public-access-areas-wildlife-sensitivity-scotland . Social media plays an increasingly significant part of NatureScot’s campaign work, with the SOAC campaign in spring 2023 delivering 1.7 million social media impressions and 51,000 plays of videos on wildlife disturbance at Forvie National Nature Reserve. NatureScot also work closely to align and promote messages with a range of governing bodies for these activities. They have contributed funding to the Ramblers #RespectProtectEnjoy films which are aimed at young people, with key messages on leaving no trace, avoiding lighting fires and wildlife disturbance. These films have delivered over 8.6 million impressions and 161,000 full viewings.
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the reopening of Historic Environment Scotland sites following the completion of work to make them safe for the public, including when the remaining sites will reopen.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10/01/2024
| |
Atlantic Salmon Classified as Endangered by IUCN
That the Parliament acknowledges that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, which was published on 11 December 2023, classified the UK’s population of Atlantic Salmon as "endangered", and global Atlantic salmon populations were reclassified from "least concern" to "near threatened"; understands that Scottish rivers are home to a significant proportion of the UK’s Atlantic salmon population, but that the species is at risk largely due to climate change effects, which are seeing water temperatures rise, along with other threats, including predators and pollution; notes reported concerns that the majority of Scottish rivers are classified as being in poor conservation status; understands that the number of salmon surviving to spawn in Scotland’s rivers and the number of wild Atlantic salmon returning to Scotland’s coast have severely declined since 2010; believes that this has severe implications for national and rural economies and local businesses; commends conservation efforts, such as that by the River Dee Trust and partners, who are planting one million trees to provide shade and shelter for salmon and other wildlife, and urges the Scottish Government to commit to protecting and restoring Scotland’s Atlantic salmon.
Supported by: Roz McCall, Stephen Kerr, Douglas Lumsden, Paul Sweeney, Tess White, Katy Clark, Meghan Gallacher, Alexander Stewart, Sandesh Gulhane, Annie Wells, Jamie Greene, Miles Briggs, Douglas Ross, Craig Hoy, Liam Kerr, Jeremy Balfour, Colin Beattie, Pam Gosal, Jackson Carlaw, Murdo Fraser, Russell Findlay, Sue Webber, Monica Lennon, Donald Cameron R, Brian Whittle, Ariane Burgess
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of recreational activities, such as paddle boarding, kayaking, cycling, fishing and camping, on the biodiversity of National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest, particularly in relation to protected species such as otters and birds.
Answered by Lorna Slater
(17/01/2024): NatureScot undertakes a rolling programme of monitoring of the natural features for which our protected areas have been designated. This programme of Site Condition Monitoring looks at around 5,500 such features on nearly 1,900 protected areas across Scotland on a 10-year cycle. This includes all National Nature Reserves (NNRs). The assessment includes recording negative impacts on these natural features, which includes ‘recreational’ pressures where they occur. The published Official Statistics for 2023 ( https://www.nature.scot/doc/proportion-scotlands-protected-sites-favourable-condition-2023 ) indicated that a total of 308 Sites of Special Scientific Interest features are impacted negatively by a ‘recreational’ pressure. 47 of these features were on NNRs. There are 35 reported instances of recreational activities impacting bird features on NNRs and two impacting otters. Overall, 118 instances of negative recreational impact on birds occur on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, and four in relation to otters. Further information on pressures and feature condition can be found at https://informatics.sepa.org.uk/ProtectedNatureSites/ . Recreational disturbance is the fourth most common negative pressure recorded on protected areas after invasive species, over-grazing and water-management. Where there are potentially significant pressures that have been highlighted or suspected, NatureScot may put in place targeted monitoring to assess likely impacts and inform interventions. On NatureScot managed NNRs examples include monitoring access around breeding terns and seal haul-outs on Forvie NNR, bird numbers and incidents of waterborne access at Muir of Dinnet and Loch Leven NNR and breeding success of black-throated divers at Beinn Eighe NNR. This has informed the development of Local Access Guidance for these sites to manage pressures, for instance by restricting access to certain areas/zones at the most sensitive periods. At present, no specific access measures are considered necessary for otters. The effectiveness of these measures are reviewed each year with changes made as required in accordance with the recently revised guidance prepared by the National Access Forum on “Managing public access in areas of wildlife sensitivity in Scotland” : https://www.outdooraccess-scotland.scot/doc/guidance-managing-public-access-areas-wildlife-sensitivity-scotland .
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 17/01/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassifying Atlantic salmon as "Endangered" in Great Britain, and what action it will take to protect this species, particularly with regard to threats from predators.
Answered by Mairi Gougeon
(21/12/2023): The Scottish Government takes the issue of declining wild Atlantic salmon populations very seriously and is committed to working with our partners, both domestic and international, to safeguard this iconic species. The Scottish wild salmon strategy was established in January 2022 in response to the long term downward trend in the number of Atlantic salmon returning to Scottish waters. In February 2023 we published the wild salmon strategy implementation plan, which sets out over sixty actions to tackle the wide range of pressures affecting the species throughout their life cycle.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing statutory designation for the sites of important historic battles.
Answered by Christina McKelvie
(13/12/2023): The Scottish Government recognises the importance of our many varied cultural and historic sites, which includes battlefields. We deliver support for the historic environment through our sponsorship of Scotland’s lead public body for the historic environment, Historic Environment Scotland. Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for protecting sites of national historic significance through designations including listing buildings, scheduled monuments, and maintaining the Inventory of Historic Battlefields. In 2019, Scottish Ministers issued a Direction which requires notification of any new applications for non-householder development that may affect designated historic battlefields to be given to Scottish Ministers. This allows additional considerations for the significance of the site to be taken into account during decision making and informs a national overview of development in the planning system that affects designated historic battlefields.
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions relating to rural crime there have been in each local authority area in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023 to date, also broken down by the crimes that were in relation to (i) livestock theft, (ii) machinery theft, (iii) fuel theft and (iv) livestock worrying.
Answered by Angela Constance
(19/12/2023): The latest available information on convictions is for the financial year 2021-22. (i),(ii),(iii) The Scottish Government does not hold data that allows us to distinguish between rural and urban crime, or theft of specific items. These offences are likely to be charged under broader crimes of Attempted theft and theft and/or Theft of a motor vehicle. (iv) Information on the number of people convicted for livestock worrying, by LA, is provided in the following table. People convicted under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, section 1(1)&(6), where main charge, by Local Authority, 2021-22. | 2021-22 | Aberdeen City | 1 | Angus | 1 | East Ayrshire | 1 | Highland | 2 | Perth & Kinross | 1 | West Dunbartonshire | 1 | Total Scotland | 7 |
Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings database. Please note that data for 2020-21 and 2021-22 are affected by the pandemic, subsequent court closures, reduced court capacity due to physical distancing measures and delays to cases where key participants were forced to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19, and should not be considered indicative of long term trends.
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what the appeal process is for Historic Environment Scotland land designations.
Answered by Christina McKelvie
(13/12/2023): Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to the appeal process for land designations, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland. There is information available on the Historic Environment Scotland website regarding the designations process, however I have also asked Historic Environment Scotland to write directly to the member with a response to his question.
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 13/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that supporting refugees and asylum seekers has had on local health services in NHS Grampian.
Answered by Michael Matheson
(14/12/2023): NHS Grampian is responsible for providing care in its area and making any assessment of the impact supporting refugees and asylum seekers has had on local health services.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether additional resources are being provided to NHS Grampian to help manage any additional workload to support refugees and asylum seekers.
Answered by Michael Matheson
(14/12/2023): The UK Government has not provided any consequential funding to the Scottish Government to enable additional resources to be provided to NHS boards where the Home Office has chosen to procure contingency asylum accommodation. The Scottish Government provides funding to GP practices upon registration of new patients (including asylum seekers) for ongoing costs.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33611 by Mairi Gougeon on 4 December 2020, whether it will provide the information for (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23 and (c) 2023-24 to date regarding the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.
Answered by Angela Constance
(19/12/2023): Information on the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 for 2021-22, 2022-23 and April to September 2023 is provided in the following tables. Data for the full year of 2023-24 will be published in June 2024. Offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by local authority, 2021-22 to 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Aberdeen City | 3 | 2 | Aberdeenshire | 9 | 9 | Angus | 6 | 2 | Argyll & Bute | 8 | 14 | Clackmannanshire | 3 | 1 | Dumfries & Galloway | 22 | 17 | Dundee | - | - | East Ayrshire | 5 | 7 | East Dunbartonshire | - | 1 | East Lothian | 1 | 4 | East Renfrewshire | - | 3 | Edinburgh City | 9 | 3 | Falkirk | - | 3 | Fife | 3 | 11 | Glasgow City | - | 1 | Highland | 17 | 24 | Inverclyde | - | - | Midlothian | 3 | 8 | Moray | 7 | 3 | Na h-Eileanan Siar | 4 | 6 | North Ayrshire | 6 | 1 | North Lanarkshire | 7 | 7 | Orkney Islands | 1 | 2 | Perth & Kinross | 5 | 8 | Renfrewshire | 2 | 1 | Scottish Borders | 14 | 10 | Shetland Islands | 4 | - | South Ayrshire | 1 | 2 | South Lanarkshire | 5 | 8 | Stirling | 10 | 9 | West Dunbartonshire | 2 | 2 | West Lothian | 2 | 2 | Total | 159 | 171 |
Source: Recorded Crime in Scotland National Statistics, 2022-23 Offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by local authority, April to end September 2023 | Apr - Sept 2023-24 | Aberdeen City | 1 | Aberdeenshire | 6 | Angus | 2 | Argyll & Bute | 7 | Clackmannanshire | 1 | Dumfries & Galloway | 12 | Dundee | 0 | East Ayrshire | 3 | East Dunbartonshire | 0 | East Lothian | 0 | East Renfrewshire | 0 | Edinburgh City | 2 | Eilean Siar | 0 | Falkirk | 1 | Fife | 2 | Glasgow City | 0 | Highland | 11 | Inverclyde | 0 | Midlothian | 2 | Moray | 5 | North Ayrshire | 4 | North Lanarkshire | 2 | Orkney Islands | 0 | Perth & Kinross | 5 | Renfrewshire | 2 | Scottish Borders | 6 | Shetland Islands | 1 | South Ayrshire | 1 | South Lanarkshire | 3 | Stirling | 0 | West Dunbartonshire | 1 | West Lothian | 4 | Total | 84 |
Source: Recorded crime in Scotland: year ending September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government how many crimes have been recorded in each local authority area classed as rural in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023 to date, also broken down by the crimes that were in relation to (i) livestock theft, (ii) machinery theft, (iii) fuel theft and (iv) livestock worrying.
Answered by Angela Constance
(19/12/2023): (i),(ii),(iii) The Scottish Government does not hold data that allows us to distinguish between rural and urban crime, or theft of specific items. These offences are likely to be charged under broader crimes of Attempted theft and theft and/or Theft of a motor vehicle. (iv) Information on the number of police recorded offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by LA, is provided in the below tables. Data for the full year of 2023-24 will be published in June 2024. Offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by local authority, 2021-22 to 2022-23 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | Aberdeen City | 3 | 2 | Aberdeenshire | 9 | 9 | Angus | 6 | 2 | Argyll & Bute | 8 | 14 | Clackmannanshire | 3 | 1 | Dumfries & Galloway | 22 | 17 | Dundee | - | - | East Ayrshire | 5 | 7 | East Dunbartonshire | - | 1 | East Lothian | 1 | 4 | East Renfrewshire | - | 3 | Edinburgh City | 9 | 3 | Falkirk | - | 3 | Fife | 3 | 11 | Glasgow City | - | 1 | Highland | 17 | 24 | Inverclyde | - | - | Midlothian | 3 | 8 | Moray | 7 | 3 | Na h-Eileanan Siar | 4 | 6 | North Ayrshire | 6 | 1 | North Lanarkshire | 7 | 7 | Orkney Islands | 1 | 2 | Perth & Kinross | 5 | 8 | Renfrewshire | 2 | 1 | Scottish Borders | 14 | 10 | Shetland Islands | 4 | - | South Ayrshire | 1 | 2 | South Lanarkshire | 5 | 8 | Stirling | 10 | 9 | West Dunbartonshire | 2 | 2 | West Lothian | 2 | 2 | Total | 159 | 171 |
Source: Recorded Crime in Scotland National Statistics, 2022-23 Offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by local authority, April to end September 2023 | Apr - Sept 2023-24 | Aberdeen City | 1 | Aberdeenshire | 6 | Angus | 2 | Argyll & Bute | 7 | Clackmannanshire | 1 | Dumfries & Galloway | 12 | Dundee | 0 | East Ayrshire | 3 | East Dunbartonshire | 0 | East Lothian | 0 | East Renfrewshire | 0 | Edinburgh City | 2 | Eilean Siar | 0 | Falkirk | 1 | Fife | 2 | Glasgow City | 0 | Highland | 11 | Inverclyde | 0 | Midlothian | 2 | Moray | 5 | North Ayrshire | 4 | North Lanarkshire | 2 | Orkney Islands | 0 | Perth & Kinross | 5 | Renfrewshire | 2 | Scottish Borders | 6 | Shetland Islands | 1 | South Ayrshire | 1 | South Lanarkshire | 3 | Stirling | 0 | West Dunbartonshire | 1 | West Lothian | 4 | Total | 84 |
Source: Recorded crime in Scotland: year ending September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what the average daily traffic flow volume has been on the A96 trunk road between Aberdeen and Inverness in each year since 2017.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop
(15/12/2023): A table containing the average daily traffic flows on the A96 in each year since 2017 has been lodged with SPICe, BIB number: 64765
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15/12/2023
| |
The Bailies of Bennachie Conservation Group Wins the Community Initiative Award at RSPB Scotland's Nature of Scotland Awards 2023
That the Parliament congratulates the Bailies of Bennachie Conservation Group on winning the Community Initiative Award at RSPB Scotland’s Nature of Scotland Awards 2023, in its 50th anniversary year; understands that the Bailies of Bennachie is a voluntary conservation charity dedicated to protecting the unique and much-loved Bennachie hill range for future generations and encouraging further natural and cultural research to stimulate public interest in Bennachie; congratulates the over 2,000 members of the Bailies of Bennachie Conservation Group and its chair, Peter Stock; understands that this was the only Nature of Scotland Award chosen exclusively by the public, and believes that this public recognition is a testament to the charity’s outstanding work in protecting Bennachie throughout the last 50 years.
Supported by: Craig Hoy, Alexander Stewart, Meghan Gallacher, Jeremy Balfour, Sandesh Gulhane, Jamie Greene, Pam Gosal, Bill Kidd, Stuart McMillan, Russell Findlay, Miles Briggs, Annie Wells, Jackson Carlaw, Christine Grahame, Karen Adam, Douglas Lumsden, Paul Sweeney, Sharon Dowey, Brian Whittle, Maggie Chapman, Sue Webber, Ruth Maguire, Tess White, Liam Kerr, Maurice Golden, Stephen Kerr, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it will provide for employers to release staff to become on-call firefighters.
Answered by Siobhian Brown
(07/12/2023): On call firefighters are exceptional individuals who step up to protect their communities when needed most. The Scottish Government continues to recognise the vital role they play and appreciates the cooperation and understanding of their primary employers. Whilst the recruitment, terms of employment and retention of on call firefighters is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), the Scottish Government will carefully consider any proposal put forward by SFRS on this issue. SFRS works closely with employers and has an Employers Recognition Scheme to fully recognise their efforts in supporting their employees to become on call firefighters. SFRS also have an On Call Guide for Employers which enables employers to learn more about what is involved and how they can support their employees to become on call firefighters.
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 07/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) there is a shortage of ADHD medication in Scotland and (b) any patients who receive ADHD medication have been instructed to halve their dosage as a result of any such shortage.
Answered by Jenni Minto
(13/12/2023): The Scottish Government is aware that there are ongoing global supply issues with products which are licensed for the treatment ADHD. At present, it is anticipated that most of the global shortage of ADHD medicines will be resolved between the end of December 2023 and January 2024. Scottish Government officials will continue to monitor the situation for any further developments. It is for NHS Boards and healthcare professionals to determine how best to treat patients, including any changes to prescribing practice and prescribing medications, or to advise patients of any anticipated medicine supply issues. A UK-wide National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA) was issued on 27 September for medicines used for the treatment of ADHD. This notified healthcare professionals in both primary and secondary care about the ongoing supply issue, and guidance has been issued advising prescribers to not initiate new patients on products affected by this shortage until the supply issues resolve; to identify all patients currently prescribed these products and establish how much supply they have remaining; and providing clinical information on alternative suitable medication when appropriate.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 13/12/2023
| |
Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards
That the Parliament congratulates the winners of the 2023 Aberdeenshire Architectural and Landscape Design Awards (AALDA); acknowledges that the awards highlight sustainable design principles, and the creative use of materials and existing buildings in residential and commercial developments; applauds GD Lodge Architects for winning the Ian Shepherd Award, and overall winner of the scheme, for the Vinery; notes that the judges chose the Vinery, by GD Lodge Architects, as an excellent example of reusing unusual buildings in development, rather than building a brand-new structure; congratulates all category winners, including Quarry Studios by Moxon Architects, in the Business and Community Enterprise category and in the Landscape and Biodiversity Enhancement category, The Old School, Ballater, by Ian Rodgers, in the Building Communities for the Future category, the Steading by Allison Joy Architects, in the Innovative Single House Design category, the Vinery by GD Lodge, in the Conservation and Building Adaption category, and wishes them well in their future architectural and landscape design efforts.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Sharon Dowey, Douglas Lumsden, Alexander Stewart, Craig Hoy, Bill Kidd, Miles Briggs, Brian Whittle, Stuart McMillan, Sandesh Gulhane, Pam Gosal, Jeremy Balfour, David Torrance, Colin Beattie, Jackson Carlaw, Jamie Greene, Annie Wells, Meghan Gallacher, Edward Mountain, Russell Findlay, Karen Adam, Sue Webber, Stephen Kerr, Clare Adamson, Tess White, Liam Kerr
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of Aberdeenshire secondary school parent councils calling for changes to the Teacher Induction Scheme.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 07/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what protections and restrictions there are on land that receives money from the peatland restoration programme.
Answered by Gillian Martin
(11/12/2023): Scottish Government fund peatland restoration via the Peatland Action partnership. The individual delivery partners that make up this partnership apply their own grant offer terms and conditions regarding protections and restrictions on the land that receives money from them for undertaking peatland restoration. I would refer the MSP to those organisations for further information. At a programme level, the Peatland ACTION Monitoring Strategy ( https://www.nature.scot/doc/peatland-action-monitoring-strategy ) is putting in place a structured approach to monitoring sites that have had their peatland restored to evidence whether we are delivering effective restoration.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11/12/2023
| |
River Dee Trust’s Campaign Wins the Nature and Climate Action Award
That the Parliament congratulates the River Dee Trust’s Million Trees campaign on winning the Nature and Climate Action Award in the 2023 Nature of Scotland Awards; notes that the Trust’s campaign focuses on planting native trees along the river to provide shade for salmon and other wildlife in the ecosystem; understands that the River Dee faces several threats to its wildlife, including floods, droughts and high temperatures; commends the River Dee Trust for the creation of the Million Trees campaign to safeguard the salmon population and preserve the habitat for other threatened species; applauds those involved in this project, including the Dee District Salmon Fisheries Board, landowners, NatureScot, the Cairngorms National Park Authority, and members of the public, and wishes them all success in their nature and climate efforts.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Meghan Gallacher, Jeremy Balfour, Kenneth Gibson, Monica Lennon, Craig Hoy, Pam Gosal, Foysol Choudhury, Alexander Stewart, Douglas Ross, Miles Briggs, Colin Beattie, Sandesh Gulhane, Kevin Stewart, Brian Whittle, Jamie Greene, Stuart McMillan, Annie Wells, Russell Findlay, Bill Kidd, Douglas Lumsden, Audrey Nicoll, Sharon Dowey, Tess White, Jackson Carlaw, Karen Adam, Maurice Golden, Sue Webber, Liam Kerr, Stephen Kerr, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22263 by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023, which businesses Food Standards Scotland has communicated with regarding proposed EU changes to labelling requirements for blended honey.
Answered by Maree Todd
(11/12/2023): The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and standards matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). They have advised that in August 2023, they contacted a range of interested parties to seek initial views on the proposed changes at EU level. This included eleven trade associations and honey producers along with the 32 Scottish Local authorities. FSS included a statement in the letter issued stating that stakeholder data would be anonymised, and we are therefore unable to disclose the specific details of the businesses included for data protection reasons. Responses are currently being considered and this will help inform policy thinking ahead of a review of the domestic honey regulations and working with the other departments with food labelling and composition standards responsibilities across the UK.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22263 by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023, whether it will provide evidence of what communication Food Standards Scotland has had with stakeholders, including local authorities, businesses and consumers, on the effectiveness and suitability of the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015.
Answered by Maree Todd
(11/12/2023): The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and standards matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). They have advised that stakeholders were consulted in 2019 on the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015, to ensure the regulations remained operable and effective after the UK had left the EU. This included a specific focus on proposed changes to how country of origin would be labelled after the UK left the EU. The views of stakeholders including Scottish honey producers were considered to ensure the rules remained relevant in Scotland. FSS notes Mr Burnett’s interest in this area and would welcome the opportunity to meet with him if he would find that helpful.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that most local authorities in Scotland did not publish their audited accounts for the financial year 2022-23.
Answered by Tom Arthur
(30/11/2023): The Accounts Commission oversees the audit of local authority Annual Accounts. Audit Scotland would advise the Accounts Commission of any concerns who would then investigate and advise the Scottish Ministers if required. All local authorities have published their unaudited 2022-23 Annual Accounts and these are publicly available for inspection. The Scottish Government is aware of minor delays to the completion of some local authority Annual Accounts audits, primarily as a continuing consequence of the pandemic. These challenges apply across the UK with only 5 out of 467 local authority Annual Accounts audits for 2022-23 in England having been completed in line with the statutory deadline. Audit Scotland were anticipating that most audits will be completed by 30 November, following which local authorities will be able to publish their audited Annual Accounts.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 30/11/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding modulator therapies to treat cystic fibrosis, such as Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio, being funded on the NHS.
Answered by Jenni Minto
(11/12/2023): I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22774 on 21 November 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers. The other two medicines alluded to in that answer are Orkambi ® , and Symkevi ® . If any cystic fibrosis medicine is not recommended in the final multiple technology appraisal (MTA) guidance, clinicians in Scotland will be able to request the use of that medicine on a case-by-case basis for individual patients using the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process. National guidance explicitly states that Health Boards should not take account of the cost of medicines when considering applications using the PACS Tier Two system.
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for mental health services for children in each of the last five years, and what review it has undertaken on whether current resourcing is fit for purpose.
Answered by Maree Todd
(11/12/2023): Net mental health expenditure is published on the Public Health Scotland website Scottish health service costs under data files mental health expenditure Excel workbook . This information is available for financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 for each NHS Board in Scotland, split by various types of expenditure including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Please note that expenditure data is collected by broad specialties and therefore categories may include multiple services. Scottish Government continues to provide overall increases to mental health spending. Between the Scottish Government and NHS boards we expect spending on Mental Health to be well in excess of £1.3 bn in 2023/24. Expenditure on CAMHS rose from £88m in 2020-21 to £97.6m in 2021-22, an increase of £9.3m or 10.6% - representing 0.66% of total NHS expenditure.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11/12/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of (a) waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and (b) how to address any backlogs in these services.
Answered by Maree Todd
(11/12/2023): We are now seeing significant and sustained improvements in CAMHS waiting times. In the quarter ending September 2023, 75.6% of CAMHS patients started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, up from 67.9% in same quarter the previous year, and 13 out of 14 CAMHS Services had effectively eliminated their long waits (where 3% or fewer of all waits are over one year). We continually monitor CAMHS waiting times performance and backlogs and are directing tailored support to those Boards with the longest waits, providing access to professional advice, ensuring they have robust improvement plans in place and monitoring their implementation. We have commissioned all Boards to submit performance trajectories up to March 2024, including a timeline for clearing long waits. These will be updated annually and used to inform further targeted improvement work to ensure all Boards consistently meet the CAMHS waiting times standard. We have allocated £48.6 million of supplementary funding to Boards this year via the Mental Health Outcomes Framework to improve the quality and delivery of mental health services for all. This is in addition to £36.7 million allocated to Health Boards via the Outcomes Framework in 2022-23; and to the total package of core funding that Health Boards receive.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11/12/2023
| |
Wellie Boots Childcare Services Graded Excellent
That the Parliament congratulates Sharon and Peter Stoneman for being graded "excellent" by the Care Inspectorate for their childminding service; notes that their childminding service, Wellie Boots, was one of two childcare providers in Scotland to receive the highest grading in November 2023; understands that Wellie Boots has been run from their home for 11 years and prioritises the children’s inquisitive learning process, allowing children to explore ideas that interest them, rather than following a pre-made plan; applauds Sharon and Peter’s commitment to allowing children to engage with the world around them through time spent outdoors in Aberdeenshire; commends their efforts to involve parents in tailoring their childminding services to the needs and interests of each child, and wishes them well as childcare providers.
Supported by: Paul Sweeney, Roz McCall, Jeremy Balfour, Jackie Dunbar, Meghan Gallacher, Craig Hoy, Kevin Stewart, Annie Wells, Douglas Ross, Edward Mountain, Pam Duncan-Glancy, Sandesh Gulhane, Alexander Stewart, Colin Beattie, Stuart McMillan, Russell Findlay, Douglas Lumsden, Sharon Dowey, Jamie Greene, Brian Whittle, Jackson Carlaw, Marie McNair, Bill Kidd, Pam Gosal, Maggie Chapman, Miles Briggs, Tess White, Karen Adam, Maurice Golden, Sue Webber, Liam Kerr, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
Voluntary Service Aberdeen Best of Care Ball Raises £120,000
That the Parliament congratulates Voluntary Service Aberdeen (VSA) Cancer Support on raising over £120,000 at the VSA Best of Care Ball on 3 November 2023, at the P&J Live; understands that more than 250 people attended the event and that it was generously supported by Ithaca Energy, GSR Nursing, General and Technical Flooring Services, Energy Voice, ITC Hydraulic Services, Maritime Developments and CSG; further understands that the money raised will contribute to its health and social care services to support people across the north east of Scotland, which includes its child and family services, mental health and wellbeing support, a learning disability service and its later years in life support, as well as financial support grants; commends VSA for what it sees as the tremendous work that it does to help vulnerable people across the north east, and wishes VSA continued success in its fundraising efforts.
Supported by: Alexander Stewart, Craig Hoy, Sandesh Gulhane, Colin Beattie, Douglas Ross, Meghan Gallacher, Jackie Dunbar, Bill Kidd, Pam Gosal, Stuart McMillan, Kevin Stewart, Annie Wells, Russell Findlay, Brian Whittle, Liam Kerr, Miles Briggs, Sue Webber, Tess White, Sharon Dowey, Paul Sweeney, Karen Adam, Jackson Carlaw, Douglas Lumsden, Maurice Golden, Stephen Kerr, Clare Adamson
Current Status: Fallen on 15/03/2024
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with Social Security Scotland to help with the heating costs of households in the north east.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30/11/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what oversight it has of Stagecoach and any investigations that the company carries out to ensure that its vehicles have maximum fire safety protections.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop
(30/11/2023): Bus and coach operators are required to hold Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licenses. The PSV licensing is a reserved power to the UK Government and is managed by the Traffic Commissioner, the main purpose of the regime is to ensure safe and proper use of vehicles. The Scottish Government has no oversight of investigations carried out by operators in relation to maintenance and safety of vehicles.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30/11/2023
| |
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the reason for four out of five local authorities not publishing their audited accounts in the financial year 2022-23.
Answered by Tom Arthur
(30/11/2023): In line with the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014, all local authorities have published their unaudited 2022-23 annual accounts on their websites by 30 June 2023 and these are available for inspection. Local authorities were required to publish their audited 2022-23 annual accounts by 31 October 2023 and are required to publish the audit report of those accounts by 30 November 2023. As part of routine discussions between the Scottish Government and Audit Scotland, some audit delays have been identified, primarily as a continuing consequence of the pandemic. Audit Scotland have raised no concerns and expect most local authority audits to be completed by 30 November 2023.
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 30/11/2023
| |