Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-22964

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments of Creative Scotland that it remains in the dark regarding the Scottish Government's future funding commitments.

The Scottish Government will take decisions about the allocation of funding in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.

Once the draft budget is published on 19 December we will engage closely with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector as we develop plans for the £100m increased investment over the next five years.

Question reference: S6W-22966

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which of its ministers and officials are attending COP28.

List of Scottish Government Ministers and Senior Civil Servants attending at COP28

Humza Yousaf, First Minister of Scotland

Mairi McAllan, Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition

Colin McAllister, Chief of Staff to the First Minister, Co-ordination of the Special Advisers (SpAds) team

Leanne Dobson, Special Adviser Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition

Emily Mackintosh, Senior Communications Special Adviser

Richard Rollison, Director for International Trade and Investment

Jemima Gordon-Duff, Deputy Director International Climate Change

Junior officials are also attending but names are redacted due to the FOI protocol.

In early 2024, the Scottish Government will proactively release a report on COP28 setting out what was achieved, who went, what they did and how much it cost.

Question reference: S6W-22982

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken, since March 2023, to review the current law on abortion.

The 2023 Programme for Government set out that the Scottish Government will begin a review of abortion law, within specified limits, following the Scottish Parliament’s consideration of the legislation on safe access zones.

The review will aim to identify potential proposals, by the end of this parliamentary term, for reforms to ensure that abortion services are first and foremost a healthcare matter. In addition, initial scoping work to prepare for this review has started.

The Scottish Government has, since March 2023, been supporting Gillian Mackay MSP on her Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Bill which was introduced into Parliament on 5 October 2023.

Question reference: S6W-22962

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any further action that it has undertaken to implement self-sampling in the cervical screening programme.

Any decision to introduce changes to a national screening programme in Scotland is guided by the recommendations of the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises all four nations of the United Kingdom on screening policy.

In 2024, the UK National Screening Committee is expected to make a recommendation on the use of cervical self-sampling in the screening programme. In Scotland, a working group is assessing potential models and understand any changes that would be required to the screening programme to support an initial roll-out. This work continues to be informed by developments across the UK, as well as global research.

Question reference: S6W-22956

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken any steps to support NHS boards in implementing a scheme for free period products for NHS workers.

In February 2022, we wrote to Chief Executives of territorial Health Boards asking that they provide free period products for their staff, if they did not already do so. All of them confirmed that these products were available for staff.

As part of the annual Staff Governance Standard Monitoring exercise for 2022-23, Health Boards have been asked how they are ensuring all staff have access to emergency period products in the workplace. Returns from this, are expected on 4 December 2023.

NHS staff can also access period products, free of charge, as and when they are required from either the local authority in which they live or in which they work.

Question reference: S6W-22967

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its engagement with Equinor regarding potentially scaling up production of hydrogen.

Question reference: S6O-02780

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of HPV home testing and plans to prevent and eradicate cervical cancer.

The Scottish Government continues to progress work towards the elimination of cervical cancer in Scotland, in line with the targets set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). This work has included the introduction of a one-dose schedule of the HPV vaccine, increasing screening uptake and continued investment in treatment.

In 2024, the UK National Screening Committee is expected to make a recommendation on the use of cervical self-sampling in the screening programme. In Scotland, a working group is assessing potential models and understand any changes that would be required to the screening programme to support an initial roll-out. This work continues to be informed by the wider UK and global research.

Question reference: S6O-02825

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for COP28.

Question reference: S6W-22755

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the 16-25 Railcard cannot be used before 10.00 am, and whether there are any plans to remove this time restriction.

Question reference: S6W-22205

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to increase the amount of high conservation value forest through (a) greater rates of restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites and (b) improvements to the condition of ancient semi-natural woodlands on estates managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, in light of reports that areas of high conservation value forests and land were reduced by 7,000 hectares due to a change in accounting methods in Forestry and Land Scotland’s latest publicly available Corporate Performance Report.

The area of High Conservation Value Woodland (HCVW) on Scotland’s national forests and land has not decreased in real terms. The method used to calculate HCVW area has been refined to more accurately reflect where native trees would naturally occur.

Plans are in place for Forestry and Land Scotland to increase the amount of HCVW they manage through (a) greater rates of restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites from funding awarded by SG totalling £2.8M between FY 2022-23 & FY 2023-24. This will be used to commence a programme of rainforest restoration works, as part of the Programme for Government commitment to support the restoration and expansion of Scotland’s rainforests, and establish a National Register of Ancient Woodlands. This funding has enabled FLS to underpin the restoration of 658 hectares of priority rainforest area in Cowal, Argyll (Kintyre & West Loch Awe), Loch Lomond Basin, Wester Ross and the Isle of Arran (North Sannox). Activity includes INNS control, clearing non-native tree regeneration and deer management.

And (b) improvements to the condition of ancient semi-natural woodlands. This will be achieved on 4,663 ha of Ancient Semi-natural woodland areas on Scotland's national forests and land within the Rainforest Zone. Work is underway to remove non-native tree regeneration and invasive non-native species from prioritised areas.

Deer management will continue to increase, with positive benefits for PAWS restoration and ASNW condition already being observed. It is anticipated natural tree regeneration will occur within PAWS under restoration and colonisation more generally throughout rainforest habitat following a reduction in deer densities, buffering zones for natural colonisation are being planned within Land Management Plans .

Additionally improvements to the condition of ancient semi-natural woodlands areas in upper Spey-side are being achieved through participation with the Cairngorms connect project.

Out with the Rainforest Zone, alternative funding streams are being explored to support the continued restoration of iconic landscapes such as Glen Affric and the Black Wood of Rannoch.

Chamber and committees