- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding, since the scheme was established.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided funding for 215 properties through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme since the Scheme was established in April 2020.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to meet with NFU Scotland to
discuss the planned Agriculture Bill.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with NFU Scotland, as a stakeholder and member of the Agricultural Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB).
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of dry-spilling of sewage were recorded by Scottish Water in each year since 2016, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Scottish Water does not hold information on the reasons for spills for historic events reported to SEPA and this information is not correlated to rainfall data. However, from 2015 onward Scottish Water has conducted over 100 catchment studies for both water quality and aesthetic needs and this has identified 14 Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) that have a risk of spilling in dry weather. These assets are now in Scottish Water’s investment programme with solutions being delivered in line with their Improving Urban Waters Route Map commitments.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether the recommendations of the Active Travel Transformation Project will be made publicly available.
Answer
The recommendations of the ongoing Active Travel Transformation Project will be made publicly available. It is intended that these will be shared in the coming months.
A report which summarises the work undertaken and lessons learned from the first stage of the Project will be also published. This report will include learning from Project workshops, and summarises issues surfaced through wider Project engagement.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to implementing the recommendation in the recent Audit Scotland report, Adult mental health, for it to publish its guidance on measuring and evaluating outcomes from mental health and wellbeing services in primary care before the end of 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government thanks Audit Scotland for a thorough, clear and wide-ranging report on Adult Mental Health Services in Scotland. Ministers recognise how closely some of the content of the report mirrors our vision, outcomes and priorities that we set out in our Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
While we will take the time to carefully consider other specific recommendations, and the wider substance of the report, we can commit to publishing the outcomes and measures framework to guide evaluation of the local implementation of Mental Health and Wellbeing in Primary Care services by the end of the year. Further details on the framework will be provided in the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Delivery Plan.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold more online events on the Agriculture Bill in 2023.
Answer
Engagement on the Bill, on the Bill proposals, and on the wider Agriculture Reform Programme is constant and extensive.
The Agriculture Reform Programme is currently hosting engagement sessions across Scotland to hear from farmers and crofters and increase awareness of Agricultural Reform.
The Agricultural Reform Roadshow started in June 2023, visiting 25 agricultural shows and marts across Scotland.
A full list of the roadshow dates can be found at Agriculture Reform Programme (ARP) roadshow dates 2023 (ruralpayments.org) .
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many public swimming pool facilities of any nature have been available for use in Scotland, in each year since 2010, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
We recognise the importance of swimming pools and other sports facilities in supporting the physical and mental health of the nation. sportscotland, our national agency for sport, are supporting Scottish Swimming to deliver the Scottish Swimming Facilities Project to accurately understand the current swimming pool provision, life cycle and predict the landscape in the short, medium and long term.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a formal response to the
Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Out of NHS area placements.
Answer
There are five recommendations for the Scottish Government in the report. These include improved data gathering, setting standards and funding for out of area placements. We will consider these recommendations in detail and provide a full response to the Mental Welfare Commission in due course.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle mental health inequalities, in light of the most recent Public Health Scotland statistics on suicide showing that deaths by suicide are almost three times more likely among those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20938 on 26 September 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: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to paying the Scottish Child Payment to student nurses, midwives and paramedics for the duration of their education and placements.
Answer
Scottish Child Payment is delivered using Section 79 of the Social Security (Scotland) Act 2018, which enables Scottish Ministers to top-up a qualifying reserved benefit, such as Universal Credit.
The groups mentioned may qualify for Scottish Child Payment if they are eligible for one of the qualifying benefits. However the eligibility criteria for students when applying for Universal Credit is stricter than that for individuals who are not undertaking studies and is set by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Eligible student nurses and midwives in Scotland continue to receive the highest level of support across the United Kingdom, including our non-means tested, non-repayable annual bursary of £10,000, plus associated allowances.