- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the conviction on 10 October 2024 of the master of a
scallop diving vessel in breach of the South Arran Marine Conservation Order,
whether the accused was offered a fixed penalty notice (FPN) prior to referral
to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), and, if so, what the
value was of any such FPN; how many scallops were removed as a result of the
offence, and what happened to them; what the value was of the scallops taken
during the offence, and, in the event that they were sold, who received the
money.
Answer
The master of the vessel convicted of fishing in the South Aran Marine Protected Area was initially offered a £10,000 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), the maximum permitted under the FPN scheme. This consisted of £4,000 for the "access offence" and £6,000 for the value of the catch, as determined when the catch was inspected by Marine Directorate Officers at the time of landing. The FPN was not paid and the case was reported the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service and the case went to trial where the master was fined £4175 by the Sheriff.
The catch consisted of 914kg of king scallops, which was sold to a merchant. The merchant provided the Marine Directorate with a salenote stating the value of the catch was £4548.50. The value of the catch would have been paid to the owner of the vessel.
Further details of the FPN are available - Marine compliance: fixed penalty notices - gov.scot
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what most recent assessment it has made of the value for money of media training provided to (a) ministers and (b) civil servants.
Answer
Media training offers Ministers and civil servants skills to represent the Scottish Government professionally and effectively in media appearances. Since 2016, all media training for Ministers or civil servants has been provided by Scottish Government Communications Division staff at no additional cost. Executive Agencies are responsible for their own training provision and information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines it has regarding the provision of media training to (a) ministers and (b) civil servants, including how costs are approved and monitored.
Answer
On appointment, all Ministers are offered media training options as part of their induction. Civil servants who may carry out media interviews in the course of their duties can request media training through the Scottish Government’s Communications Division. Courses are provided by Communications Division staff at no additional cost. Executive Agencies are responsible for their own training provision and information is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many so-called Golden Hello payments for new GPs each NHS board has made in each since these were introduced,
Answer
NHS Boards are not required to inform the Scottish Government of the number of Golden Hello payments that made to GPs in each financial year. NHS Boards are responsible for all contractual arrangements with their GP practices. The Scottish Government does not routinely monitor these arrangements.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what it plans to do to tackle the reported rising number of uterine cancer diagnoses.
Answer
The rise in reported number of uterine cancer diagnoses can largely be attributed to an increasing ageing population and is in-line with a long-term trend of increasing number of uterine cancer diagnoses over time. It is encouraging to see that the majority of cases diagnosed in Scotland (64%) were found at the earliest stage (Stage I) where there is a greater chance of positive outcomes.
Obesity is one of the single largest modifiable risk factors for uterine cancer. We have published our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan setting out ambitious and wide-ranging actions to deliver our vision of a Scotland where everyone eats well and has a healthy weight, reducing their cancer risk.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline a timetable for the cancer strategy for children and young people beyond the current strategy’s designated period, which ends in 2026.
Answer
The implementation of the Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021–2026 is managed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC) into 2026. Scottish Government is working with the MSN CYPC to consider the development of any future children and young people’s national cancer strategy approach required ahead of the strategy end date in 2026.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking through its draft Budget 2025-26 to increase local access to thrombectomy for people who have had a stroke in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
The delivery of a national thrombectomy service has already received over £38m of investment. Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and Galloway Community Hospital are both now able to refer suitable patients for thrombectomy procedures.
We have recently provided funding for thrombectomy nurse posts in spoke sites with high rates of ischaemic stroke, including in NHS Dumfries and Galloway, and this will support maximising access to thrombectomy across Scotland.
Work is ongoing to establish how the £16 million funding announced in the Scottish budget, once scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament, will be best used to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from thrombectomy.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what data it collects on the distances that children and young people under 25 with cancer have to travel for their treatment, including on the number of individuals treated outside of Scotland for any part of their care.
Answer
Scottish Government does not collect this data.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it is raising awareness and understanding of uterine cancer as the most common gynaecological cancer.
Answer
Our most recent Detect Cancer Earlier campaign – Be The Early Bird – first launched on March 2023, aiming to reduce fear of cancer and empower those with possible symptoms to act early. Following successful independent evaluation, the campaign re-ran in September 2023 and August 2024 to prompt health-seeking behaviour.
In parallel, a Detect Cancer Earlier roadshow visited communities across Scotland in March and September 2024 to reinforce key messages, with further activity planned for March 2025.
We continue to work with NHS Scotland to ensure that the NHS Inform website provides cancer information that best meets patient needs, including symptoms and treatments for uterine cancer.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult with charities and healthcare providers (a) as part of any evaluation of the current cancer strategy for children and young people and (b) on the development of any future dedicated cancer strategy for children and young people.
Answer
The implementation and evaluation of the Collaborative and Compassionate Cancer Care The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland 2021–2026 is managed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer (MSN CYPC).
The MSN CYPC works collaboratively with a range of stakeholders in the delivery of children and young people’s cancer services across Scotland. This approach will continue in informing any future national cancer strategy, beyond 2026.