- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of railway stations are currently equipped with defibrillators.
Answer
There are currently 56 stations equipped with defibrillators across the 359 railway stations on Scotland’s Railway. This includes stations with some of the highest footfall across the Scottish network, including Edinburgh Waverley, Glasgow Central and Paisley Gilmour Street.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many years behind the original timetable, published in 2011, the project to complete the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness is.
Answer
The 2025 target date for completion of the full programme represented an ambitious challenge. It was reliant on the timely and positive outcome of a range of factors such as completing public and stakeholder consultation; statutory approval processes; sufficiency of market capacity; supply chain availability and availability of funding, all of which have been significantly impacted by Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. As I confirmed to Parliament on 8 February 2023, this has made the 2025 date unachievable.
Transport Scotland is urgently considering a range of different options to provide Ministers advice on the most efficient way in which to dual the remaining sections. Work to determine the most suitable procurement options for these sections is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently by the industry, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID. This work is expected to conclude in Autumn 2023 and I will provide an update on a new timescale for completion to the Scottish Parliament at that time.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take, regarding the issuing of an apology to the people affected by the practice of historic forced adoption in Scotland, in light of the recent apology issued by the Welsh Deputy Minister for Social Services.
Answer
We are currently considering next steps to recognise those affected by historical adoption practices.
In the meantime, we have commissioned a scoping study of the support services available in Scotland for people affected by historical adoption practices. This will help us understand where services need to be improved or enhanced to better meet the needs and expectations of those affected by historical adoption. The research started in January and will take approximately 8 months.
Last year the Scottish Government committed funding of around £145,000 to provide specialist support and counselling, and we have now agreed a proposal to establish a peer support group to be delivered through the charity, Health In Mind. The planning and implementation of this support service has begun and is informed by people affected by historical adoption.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details, including a list of attendees, of any discussions that it was involved in, or facilitated between producers and retailers, to (a) approve Circularity Scotland as the Deposit Return Scheme administrator and (b) confer any exclusive rights on Circularity Scotland in relation to the collection of scheme articles.
Answer
Circularity Scotland submitted an application to Scottish Ministers for approval to become a scheme administrator. Drinks producers, wholesalers and retailers across Scotland collaborated to create Circularity Scotland and support its application to become a scheme administrator. The Scottish Government did not engage in discussions with producers or retailers with regards to Circularity Scotland’s application. While Circularity Scotland is the only approved scheme administrator, it does not have exclusive rights in relation to the collection of scheme articles. There is no limit on the number of scheme administrators that can operate within the scheme.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of the procurement procedure used by Circularity Scotland in appointing Biffa as the official waste collection and logistics service provider, and what information it holds on how this contract opportunity was advertised.
Answer
Circularity Scotland (CSL) are a private non-profit organisation and are therefore not subject to public procurement requirements. Decisions regarding their contracts are for them – this is entirely appropriate for a scheme that has industry responsibility at its heart. CSL carried out an extensive tender process over a period of around 12 months before appointing Biffa to be the scheme’s official logistics service provider.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are planned to (a) remove tree tubes and (b) manage the trees used in the tree planting schemes along the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
Answer
(a) To date approximately 5-10% of tree tubes/guards have been removed where plants have established quickly due to local conditions. For the majority of the site, tree establishment has been slower, which is common for exposed roadside locations. It is anticipated that there will be an increase in the phased removal of the remaining guards over the next 2 years as the planting continues to establish and flourish.
(b) There are circa 1.5 million new trees planted alongside the AWPR. Since 2018 and 2019, when the various sections of AWPR were opened, the specialist landscape contractors have had teams of full-time personnel engaged year-round inspecting and maintaining the site. The landscape maintenance includes regular grass cutting, weed control and pruning to encourage growth.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in the last 12 months to reduce the waiting (a) time and (b) list for people with respiratory conditions to access pulmonary rehabilitation.
Answer
The Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC) has identified pulmonary rehabilitation as one of the initial priorities for the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan.
To take forward this key priority, a sub-group has been established comprised of clinical specialists and services managers from across Scotland, as well as third sector representatives. The group have completed a scoping exercise to determine areas of good practice and areas that require improvement. The aim of this group will be to develop ‘best practice guidelines’ for the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation services across Scotland. This work is also being supported by the respiratory programmes managed by the Centre for Sustainable Delivery.
The necessary pause to face to face pulmonary rehab groups during the pandemic has inevitably led to a build-up of people waiting for treatment, and services continue to experience significant pressure as a result of this.
Our NHS Recovery Plan, published in August 2021, backed by over £1 billion of funding, sets out our vision for health and social care over the next 5 years, and will support the increase in access to services such as pulmonary rehabilitation.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government on which dates, since January 2020, the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and (b) Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport has met with each NHS board to discuss pulmonary rehabilitation services.
Answer
Neither the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care nor the Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport have met with NHS Boards to discuss pulmonary rehabilitation services.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and (b) Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport last met each NHS board to discuss pulmonary rehabilitation services, and what issues were discussed.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15072 on 16 March 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: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many children currently living in temporary accommodation are not registered with a dentist.
Answer
This information is not held by the Scottish Government.
Public Health Scotland does publish statistics on the number of children registered with a dentist but data on the accommodation status of patients is not collected. Registration statistics can be viewed at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/dental-statistics-registration-and-participation/dental-statistics-nhs-registration-and-participation-24-january-2023/ .