- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to add the data from 134,000 children gathered in the Health and Wellbeing Census to the Administrative Data Research Scotland system; what its position is on whether the data was captured ethically and legally, and whether it will implement measures to mitigate any risks of being able to link the data back to the respondents, in light of the Information Commissioner's Office advice to the Scottish Government in August 2023 that the arrangements for processing the data did not meet requirements of Article 4(5) of the UK GDPR around pseudonymisation, and Article 25 around Data Protection by Design and Default.
Answer
The Scottish Government is fully committed to making best use its data, including making this available for further statistical analysis and research, subject to data protection legislation. The 2021-22 Health and Wellbeing Census data was added to Administrative Data Research Scotland (ADR-S) in May 2024. Further information on ADR-S can be found here: ADR Scotland - ADR UK
The HWB Census underwent an Ethics Peer Review in line with the Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance. Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Data provided into the ADR-S infrastructure does not include the Scottish Candidate Number (SCN). The SCN is replaced with a pseudonym for this purpose.
In light of the ICO's recommendations, the Scottish Government is introducing enhanced technical and organisational measures to ensure that any data which contains the SCN and is processed for statistical and research purposes will have a pseudonym created. The SCN and the method of pseudonymisation will be held separately. These enhanced measures have been agreed with the ICO.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to (a) reviewing and (b) deleting, if found to be infringing UK GDPR and/or ethical standards for health research, the data gathered from 134,000 children who participated in the Health and Wellbeing Census survey in 2022 reportedly without being informed of what the Information Commissioner’s Office has described as the "serious risks" of being able to identify individuals by using their Scottish Candidate Numbers as part of their email addresses.
Answer
The HWB Census underwent an Ethics Peer Review in line with the Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance. Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
In light of the ICO's recommendations, the Scottish Government is introducing enhanced technical and organisational measures to ensure that any data which contains the SCN and is processed for statistical and research purposes will have a pseudonym created. The SCN and the method of pseudonymisation will be held separately. These enhanced measures have been agreed with the ICO.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met with representatives of (a) the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association, (b) the Law Society of Scotland, (c) the Faculty of Advocates, (d) legal firms and (e) judicial officeholders since the stage 1 debate on the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill on 23 April 2024, and what was discussed.
Answer
Angela Constance: The Scottish Government meets regularly with representatives of the bodies mentioned to discuss a range of issues.
On the specific topic of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill the Scottish Government continues to engage with all interested stakeholders, including those from the legal sector.
Since the Stage 1 debate on 23 April 2024 officials have met with the Law Society Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates to discuss the policies contained in the Bill.
The Bill has been shaped by cross-sector consideration and collaboration, and Scottish Ministers remain committed to this approach as it progresses through Parliament.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24385 by Shona Robison on 22 January 2024, whether it will provide an updated list of any current (a) ministerial taskforces, (b) Cabinet committees, (c) Cabinet sub-committees, (d) ministerial working groups and (e) other ministerial committees.
Answer
Kate Forbes: Information on Cabinet and Cabinet Sub-Committees is available on the Scottish Government website here; any change to these structures would be updated on these pages:
Cabinet and Ministers - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot )
Cabinet sub-committees: factsheet - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
There is also a range of other Ministerial groups and taskforces that are co-ordinated by individual portfolios. These are developed as required and change over time, therefore a comprehensive list of such groups is not available.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the report by a professor at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) on the impacts of the new agricultural support framework on agricultural businesses in Shetland, Orkney and the Western Isles has not yet been published.
Answer
I understand the SRUC report ‘Island and Agricultural Development: Maximising the potential in the islands of Orkney, Shetland and Outer Hebrides’, will be published very soon. This report will add to the available pool of evidence on island and rural development.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the conclusions of the UK Parliament Education Committee regarding a consultation on a total ban on smartphones for under-16s and a statutory ban on mobile phone use in schools, what its position is on the committee's conclusions and any relevance that these may have in Scotland.
Answer
The findings of the UK Parliament Education Committee are noted. It is recognised that the Committee's considerations and recommendations are rightly focussed on the interests of the UK Government and that the legalities around ‘banning’ mobile phones elsewhere in the UK differ from those in Scotland. This is because in Scotland our Local Authorities have statutory responsibility for the delivery of Education and it is consequently a decision for our Headteachers currently, whether or not they would wish to enforce a ban in their school estate.
Nonetheless, the Scottish Government is committed to bringing forward national guidance on mobile phones in schools in Scotland. The guidance has been informed by a range of research and evidence and will make clear that should Headteachers wish to do so, they are empowered to ban mobile phones within their school estate.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported data published by the British Medical Association Scotland showing that the top five NHS boards with the highest number of GP vacancies per 100,000 population are within the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
The British Medical Association has used data from the latest General Practice Workforce Survey , published by NHS Education Scotland in December 2023, which collects data on vacancies throughout the year. This report notes data quality concerns over vacancy status and advises caution when referring to vacancy rates published from the survey, which are likely an overestimation. It further suggests that the particularly high vacancy rates for island boards are unlikely to be an accurate reflection of the current staffing situation.
Improving recruitment and retention of GPs and other doctors is vital in all localities, including rural and island areas. The Scottish Government provides a range of supports to the GP workforce, including a rural specific graduate entry medical degree (ScotGEM), Golden Hello payments for harder to fill posts mostly in remote and rural areas, as well as bursaries for GP Speciality Training aimed at attracting GPs to work in rural Scotland. NHS Education for Scotland (NES) also provide a Rural GP Fellowship for those interested in working in general practice in rural and island Boards.
The Scottish Government funds the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care which focuses on recruitment and retention, education and training, research and evaluation, leadership and good practice.
We will publish a Remote and Rural Workforce Recruitment Strategy by the end of 2024.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a national licensing provision to allow pubs to trade until 1.00 am during EURO 2024 fixtures, as has been done in England.
Answer
Decisions about whether to allow for extended hours under alcohol licensing law are for independent local Licensing Boards.
Unlike the Home Secretary under the England and Wales alcohol licensing regime, the Scottish Ministers do not have a power within the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to grant a general extension of licensed hours.
The 2005 Act provides that the administration of the alcohol licensing regime is devolved to independent local Licensing Boards – in effect the 32 Scottish Local Authorities.
Licensing Boards can grant general extensions of licensed hours if they consider it appropriate to do so in connection with a special event of local or national significance. Whilst these are matters for Licensing Boards in their areas, the Scottish Government is supportive of Licensing Boards having these powers.
An example where an independent local Licensing Board has indicated it will use their powers is Scottish Borders Licensing Board. If Scotland reach the semi-finals of EURO 2024, local media reporting has indicated that the Licensing Board will give permission for opening beyond the normal terminal hour of 23:00.
Late booze licences will be agreed – if Scotland reach the Euro 2024 Semi-Final - Midlothian View
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints regarding unlicensed short-term let operators have been investigated by Police Scotland since the introduction of the short-term let licensing scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27902 on 11 June 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: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current deployment of combined cataract and glaucoma procedures.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28075 on 18 June 2024. 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 .
