- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly procured a civic mediation service to facilitate dialogue between anti-abortion campaigners who gather at abortion clinics and those who are affected by such activities; who was consulted on this approach, and how people will be identified and invited to participate.
Answer
All women in Scotland should be able to access timely abortion care without judgment or intimidation. Last year, a Ministerial-led working group was formed to explore possible ways to solve the problem of women being harassed outside abortion clinics as quickly as possible. The working group is made up with partners including CoSLA, Police Scotland and affected councils and Health Boards to look at how to address the protests and vigils that take place outside of abortion clinics. A number of pieces of work have been commissioned by the group to explore views in this area, including this work and research to develop a detailed picture of women’s experiences as a result of the protests.
Those leading this work met separately with various parties to hear their views. This work has now concluded.
This is one of a number of actions being taken. Subject to the detail of a forthcoming Supreme Court judgment, the Scottish Government will also support Gillian Mackay MSP with the development and drafting of her proposed Members Bill to protect safe access for women to healthcare facilities that provide abortion services.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what recent work has been undertaken by its dedicated Food Security Unit.
Answer
The First Minister announced the Programme for Government 2022 to 2023 on 6 September 2022, which set out the action to ‘Establish a dedicated Food Security Unit within the Scottish Government with a view to monitoring ongoing supply chain vulnerabilities and linking with future food security work’. The Food Security unit is in the process of being established.
Work is also being taken forward on other recommendations from the Short Life Food Security and Supply Taskforce Report and Supply Taskforce Report, some of which have already been completed such as the launch of a digital gateway, specifically designed for the food and drink sector to access additional business support.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a dedicated restoration fund for Scotland's rainforest, and what discussions it has had with partners and funders about long-term investment in Scotland's rainforest.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to protecting and restoring it’s rainforest. We are currently delivering this via the Forestry Grant Scheme which focuses on the eradication of Rhododendron ponticum , and the recently established Nature Restoration Fund. Officials have had a number of helpful discussions with a range of organisations and public sector bodies to determine how we could scale up support in the longer term, including on the scope to further attract responsible private investment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to safeguard patients and staff within NHS Lanarkshire, in light of reports of the NHS board returning its risk level to Code Black.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2022
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government by what date access to universal free school meals will be made available to children and young people in (a) primary 6, (b) primary 7 and (c) secondary schools.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to funding the expansion of free school lunches to all children in primary and special schools during the course of this parliament. We will also establish a pilot of the provision of free school lunches to secondary school pupils.
As the First Minister stated, during her statement to Parliament on our Programme for Government on 6 September, having delivered free school meals for all pupils in primary 1 to 5, we can now announce that we will start work with local authorities to extend universal provision to all pupils in primary 6 and 7. This work will be supported by £30 million of capital funding during this academic year to support the expansion of catering and dining facilities to accommodate increased uptake.
Where families do not meet the regular eligibility criteria for receiving free school meals, local authorities have the flexibility to make discretionary offers of free school meals where families are experiencing financial hardship due to exceptional circumstances. We would encourage any families experiencing difficulty with meeting the cost of school meals to contact their local council to enquire about what assistance may be available.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 21 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what work has been undertaken on plans for a Future Generations Commission in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government committed in the Programme for Government, to explore how to ensure the interests of future generations are taken into account in decisions made today.
Ministers and officials have been engaging with a wide range of organisations who have an interest in embedding sustainable development, wellbeing and the interests of future generations in policy. I have held a series of meetings with key stakeholders in this area.
The Scottish Government is also considering the case for a Future Generations Commission alongside other ways of embedding the interests of future generations in policy, such as placing duties on public authorities to take account of the impact of their decisions on wellbeing and sustainable development and future generations.
The Scottish Government will take this into account as part of the development of a proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill.
We intend to set out more detailed proposals later this year.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 21 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be any changes to the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme, and when this was last discussed.
Answer
As the First Minister noted in her statement to the Scottish Parliament on the Programme for Government on 6 September 2022, the Scottish Government’s commitment to the full-parliament plans set out in last year’s Programme for Government - and in the Bute House Agreement - stands.
Under the Bute House Agreement, Ministers and Scottish Green Group portfolio holders hold regular liaison meetings as well as regular stocktake meetings with me, in my capacity as Deputy First Minister, and the wider Green Group of MSPs.
In line with the commitment in the Cooperation Agreement between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group, Patrick Harvie MSP and Lorna Slater MSP both attended Cabinet meetings on 26 April 2022 and 16 August 2022 where the Bute House Agreement was discussed.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 20 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS boards in Scotland are participating in the GBS3 clinical trial, being run by the Nottingham Clinical Trials Unit, and what it can do to ensure that (a) data and (b) experience from Scotland is included in the trial.
Answer
A map of participating centres in the GBS3 trial is available on the GBS3 trial website and the Group B Strep support website .
Participation in such clinical trials is a matter for individual NHS Boards.The Scottish Government has twice contacted the Scottish Heads of Midwifery and Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Directors within all NHS Boards to share the information provided on the GBS3 clinical trial and to make them aware of the opportunity for participation, on 31 May and 14 September 2022. The NHS Research Scotland Reproductive Health and Childbirth Specialty Group have also promoted the trial on several occasions through their monthly newsletter.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will rename the forthcoming Scottish Biodiversity Strategy as Scotland's Nature Emergency Strategy, as reportedly proposed by several leading NGOs.
Answer
The Scottish Government Environment Strategy (2020) recognises the urgent need for action at all levels, in tackling the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change. Sadly, the evidence tells us that in common with the rest of the world, Scotland has not yet done enough to prevent the continuing decline in biodiversity. We recently consulted on our new biodiversity strategy, which sets out our ambition to halt nature loss by 2030 and reverse it by 2045. The consultation closed on 12 September and we are currently analysing responses.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing a statutory right to time off work for people undergoing fertility treatment.
Answer
Employment Law is reserved to the UK Government. Without control over employment law, the Scottish Government continues to promote Fair Work practices in workplaces across Scotland and encourages employers to treat workers undergoing fertility treatment fairly and with sensitivity.
