- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which elements of the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project it now plans to deliver through the contract with hub North Scotland, and within what timescale.
Answer
The procurement route for the school and leisure element of the campus is the decision of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, this is currently being procured by the local authority through hub North Scotland.
The project is expected to be delivered by April 2026.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce its proposed Circular Economy Bill in the Parliament.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-17582 on 16 May 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
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether any guidance is being developed for local authorities on the implementation of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, and, if not, whether it plans to initiate any such work.
Answer
The updated ‘Cycling by Design’ document was published in 2021 and provides guidance for cycling infrastructure design on all roads, streets and paths in Scotland. It includes design guidance for incorporating cycle facilities past bus stops, with bus stop bypasses as one option. A series of training sessions on the guidance has been undertaken throughout 2022 and early 2023, with attendance by the majority of local authorities.
To inform the design guidance further, Transport Scotland commissioned Living Streets in 2021 to investigate issues of inclusion where bus stop bypasses have been introduced, primarily to accommodate cycle facilities. The study is due to report late summer 2023.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported student petitions protesting cuts to further and higher education budgets.
Answer
We currently face the most difficult public spending environment since devolution and as a government have had to make tough decisions. However, despite the unprecedented fiscal challenge, we have maintained college and university resource budgets at last year’s levels and our 2023/24 budget allocates nearly £2bn to Scotland’s universities and colleges, demonstrating our continuing commitment to tertiary education.
The Scottish Government recognises that students are being adversely affected by the current industrial action in sector and I urge all involved to quickly resolve this dispute so that students get the due reward for all their hard work
However, while the Scottish Government is not directly involved in the national collective bargaining process, I expect management and unions to make every effort to reach a settlement that is fair and affordable. I have reflected this expectation during my meetings with both sides, in recent weeks.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the current waiting time is for routine assessments for menopause in each NHS board.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this data.
It is important that women are provided with consistent information and care when they seek help with menopause symptoms, be it through primary or specialist care.
Through the delivery of the Women’s Health Plan , we want to ensure that all women have timely access to menopause support and services when required, and more information about the progress we have made on delivering this action can be found in our Women’s Health Plan: A Report on Progress .
Through the Women’s Health Plan we are working to improve collection and use of data, including qualitative evidence of women’s lived experiences to inform service design and improve healthcare services and women’s care and experiences.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided to date to support the application process for the Young Persons' (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme, including (a) customer service, (b) technical support, (c) logistics and distribution of the cards and (d) marketing and promotion costs.
Answer
The Scottish Government provided funding to a number of delivery partners to support the delivery and operation of the application process for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme which includes costs associated with customer service, technical support, card production and distribution, marketing and other operational activities. The breakdown of funding is as follows;
- The Improvement Service has been provided funding of £2,382,100 for activities relating to the online application process, support for local authorities, customer service, and other operational costs.
- The National Entitlement Card Programme Office (NECPO) has been provided funding of £1,352,332 for activities relating to the management of application systems and processes, card production and distribution, and other operational costs.
- Young Scot has been provided funding of £159,000 for activities relating to customer service, marketing and promotion, and other operational costs.
The funding outlined is correct as of 25 May 2023 but is subject to change pending conclusion of financial reconciliations.
The Scottish Government spent a total of £1,173,257 on the communications, marketing and promotion of the scheme and its application process.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how often the Scottish Government-led Lyme Disease Awareness Raising Group meets; when the last meeting was held, and what minutes are available from any such meetings.
Answer
The Scottish Government-led Lyme Disease Awareness Raising Group has met regularly since being set up following a Ministerial round table event held in June 2021.
The meetings are informal and provide members with the opportunity to share information and to collaborate on ideas of how best to raise awareness of Lyme disease. The Group have met 4 times, most recently on 16 March 2023.
The group co-designed the Scottish Government led Lyme Disease awareness raising campaign which ran in July 2022, and were most recently involved in the 2023 campaign which has seen posters and information cards in all community pharmacies across Scotland throughout May. The group were also involved in the proposal to run a follow up campaign, which will see posters in GP practices, libraries and leisure centres in the summer.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any requirements for CCTV in psychiatric hospitals to include sound.
Answer
There are no current or planned future requirements for CCTV in psychiatric hospitals in Scotland to include sound.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands has to meet with shellfish businesses in Inverclyde, including Inverclyde Shellfish and its 13 staff, regarding its plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas.
Answer
It has always been our intention to develop these ambitious proposals in close collaboration with those impacted by them – in particular, people living and working in our island and coastal communities.
Prior to the consultation, we met with over 20 stakeholder groups representing a wide range of marine industries and users. We also ran ten online information sessions from February - April to help anyone wishing to provide a response to our consultation. These meetings included fisheries organisations such as the Communities Inshore Fisheries Alliance.
We continue to engage with communities and industry as we consider the many thousands of responses to our initial, broad consultation.
Local representatives of Scotland’s fishing industry are an important part of that.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the Scottish Academy Trainee Doctors' Group, and what was discussed.
Answer
Scottish Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with a wide range of stakeholders, including the Scottish Academy Trainee Doctors' Group, to discuss areas of mutual interest.