- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15995 by Christina McKelvie on 11 April 2023, how many times the working group has met since 29 June 2022.
Answer
As detailed in my reply to question S6W-15995, on 11 April 2023, the Ministerial Working Group met on 29 June 2022.
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
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Elena Whitham on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the opening of overdose prevention centres.
Answer
Following detailed partnership working between the Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, Police Scotland and the Crown Office (COPFS), facilitated by the Scottish Government, details of a new service specification have been developed and shared with COPFS.
The specification, which seeks to meet the parameters set out in the Lord Advocate’s statement from November 2021, will now be considered by COPFS.
If appropriate, it will then be referred to the Lord Advocate for consideration of any related statement of prosecution policy
We have worked carefully with partners to help them develop a sustainable approach which will allow for any such facility to operate to maximum effect.
Parliament will be notified when further updates become available.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects purposeful activity levels in Scottish prisons to be restored to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
SPS is using learning from the pandemic to reshape its delivery model for purposeful activity as part of our 5-year Corporate Plan which is due to be published in Summer 2023.
Although purposeful activity hours have increased since the pandemic, focus will now shift to qualitative improvements rather than quantitative improvements. SPS recognise the importance of an individual's rehabilitation and reintegration and will structure pathways to support progress towards release.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the decision of Glasgow City Council to write off school meal debt, and whether it will commit funding to help other local authorities introduce similar measures.
Answer
I welcome the innovative approach that Glasgow City Council have chosen to take on school meal debt.
Councils have the power to make discretionary offers of free school meals to families, where they are experiencing financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances, who do not meet the regular eligibility criteria.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with (a) COSLA and (b) local authorities to discuss school meal debt.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with COSLA on a range of issues, which has included school meal debt.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) investigate and (b) improve NHS treatment pathways for those experiencing chronic urinary tract infections, in light of reports of patients in England and Wales turning to private clinics due to a lack of specialist treatment being available through the NHS.
Answer
The Scottish Government expects all NHS healthcare workers in Scotland to follow best practice when providing care for people with UTIs. In support of this, guidelines on management of suspected UTIs were developed by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) in 2020. These support clinicians to provide advice to patients and carers on appropriate treatment, risks and lifestyle and behaviour issues which can support management and prevention of UTIs.
We have supported the development of many urinary tract infection (UTI) resources to support people with these conditions and reduce the risk of infection. This includes evidence-based information and support available on the symptoms, treatment, and prevention of UTIs on NHS Inform . We have also supported local access to support through the development of Pharmacy First in community pharmacies across Scotland which allows women with less complex UTIs to access free advice or treatment where appropriate .
In addition, we continue to work intensively with NHS Boards to maximise capacity and to clear remaining waits as soon as possible, with a specific focus on specialities and areas where there are greater numbers of people waiting, including Urology.
Our Endoscopy and Urology Diagnostic Recovery and Renewal Plan , published on 30 November 2021, and backed by £70m investment , focusses on key areas such as Balancing Demand and Capacity; Workforce Training and Development; and Infrastructure Innovation and Redesign. This will be achieved through the implementation of key actions that are focused on reducing the waiting times back to the 6-week target during the lifetime of this Parliament.
The Renewal Plan will develop and implement clinical pathways that optimise the value of endoscopy and urology diagnostics in each patient's care, in partnership with the Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD).
- Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, following its commitment to increase thrombectomy funding for 2023-24, whether it will provide a breakdown of what that money will be spent on, broken down by NHS board, and how it will ensure equity of access across NHS Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service in Scotland.
Work is ongoing to establish the most effective means of further expanding the national thrombectomy service, including how funding will be broken down by NHS Board. Thrombectomy services are run on a regional basis with North, East and West of Scotland hubs. The Scottish Government has asked that regions provide spending forecasts, including workforce plans, which reflect the most effective means of further expanding access to thrombectomy and to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from this treatment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S6W-00020 by Ash Denham on 27 May 2021, how many fatalities have resulted from house fires since 2020-21, and what assessment it has carried out of the statistics.
Answer
According to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Incident Statistics, in 2020-2021 the total number of dwelling fire fatalities was 46. For 2021-22 the total number of fatal casualties from fires in dwellings were 30.
SFRS Fire and Rescue Incident statistics are published annually and include figures on fire fatalities and trends. These can be found here https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/about-us/fire-and-rescue-statistics.aspx .
Any death from fire is one too many and that is why effective fire safety, to prevent fires and reduce their impact, remains a priority for the Scottish Government and SFRS. Whilst fire safety priority groups, themes and actions are operational matters for SFRS, the Scottish Government actively supports measures to reduce fires and fire fatalities.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15682 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 March 2023, whether Education Scotland school inspection guidelines are enforced, and, if so, whose responsibility it is to do so, in light of this information not being published on the Education Scotland website.
Answer
The purpose of the guidelines which HM Inspectors publish are designed to support schools to prepare for an inspection. The guidelines describe how inspection teams work in particular sectors or areas of provision. This guidance sets out what to expect from an inspection and outlines the types of activity undertaken by inspection teams. This guidance is published on Education Scotland’s website.
Education Scotland has a complaints handling procedure that sets out what providers and stakeholders can complain about in relation to inspection and how a complaint is dealt with.
Scottish Ministers’ powers relating to inspection of educational establishments and services are set out in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Under this legislation, any person who wilfully obstructs HM Inspectors in the pursuance of their inspection duties is committing an offence. This is the only aspect of the conduct of inspection that is enforceable.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on maintenance services for socially rented properties in each year since 1999.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. Individual social landlords are responsible for their own maintenance costs.
Social landlords are required, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, to keep houses they let fit for human habitation and ensure that any repairs are carried out when they are needed.
We work closely with social landlords in our shared ambition to provide quality, affordable social homes and continue to have constructive engagement with them on a range of matters.
