Chamber and committees

Question ref. S6W-03294

Asked by: Hyslop, Fiona, Linlithgow, Date lodged: 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011-21, and how it plans to respond to this.

Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 September 2021

The Scottish Government has published the Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011-21 today. In response I am delighted to announce £650k this financial year, for tests of change on adult neurodevelopmental pathways. Additionally I can announce new funding of £425k to trial the Scottish Government’s new Learning Disability and Autism leadership and engagement work, from the Recovery and Renewal fund. I would also like to announce £400k for the understanding autism project charity funding. This represents a substantive package of support of £1.4m, £1m of which is new funding from the Recovery and Renewal fund. The evaluation is available to view at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802013696

Question ref. S6W-02930

Asked by: Briggs, Miles, Lothian, Date lodged: 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many local supply chains have been developed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 September 2021

At the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Government and partners began rapid, ground breaking joint work with the Scottish manufacturing sector to build resilient local supply chains. The Scottish Parliament and people have been updated on the success of our efforts to develop local supply chains through our PPE Action Plan and Ministerial statements I made on PPE and other critical supplies, the COVID vaccine and test, treatment and cures being developed and manufactured in Scotland. This work ultimately ensured we had adequate stocks of all Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items, ventilation equipment, sanitiser, testing kits and vaccines to support our front line services and protect the public during the emergency period. From a starting position of almost all PPE having to be imported, over the 2020/21 winter period nearly half of all PPE supplied to NHS Scotland was manufactured in Scotland. While we do not hold a central definitive supplier list, some key examples of Scottish suppliers who responded to our COVID -19 supply chain initiative are listed in the following table. New Local Supply Chains Product/Service Supplier Viral Transport Medium E&O Laboratories, West Lothian Rapid Covid tests LuniraDX, West Lothian COVID Test Assembly Sykes Global Assembly, Borders PPE – face masks and clothing Alpha Solway, Dumfries PPE – plastic aprons Berry BPI, Greenock PPE – non sterile gowns Keela, Glenrothes PPE – non sterile gowns Don & Low, Forfar PPE – face masks Honeywell, Newhouse Lighthouse Laboratory Thermo Fisher Scientific, Perth and Glasgow Work is already underway to build on the success of the new supply chains created in Scotland through our Supply Chains Development Programme with the ambition of improving the capacity, capability and development of Scottish supply chains. The programme spans sectors where we see genuine sustainable economic potential to grow Scottish supply chains and we are exploring how we can better leverage Scotland’s annual £13 billion public sector procurement spend, by working with the Enterprise Agencies and the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, to build resilient strategic supply chains. The current focus of the programme is on: opportunities to increase the use of Scottish timber in construction; increased Scottish manufacturing and installation of heat pumps; maximising Scottish manufactured components in new green and blue Hydrogen supply infrastructure and the products and vehicles that will use it; and opportunities in generic medicines and with the wider Scottish Health Industry Partnership.

Question ref. S6W-03000

Asked by: Clark, Katy, West Scotland, Date lodged: 16 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its position stated in the procurement notice issued to local government in 2014 that it "strongly discourages trade with illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories", whether this remains its position.

Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 September 2021

Yes, this remains Scottish Government position. We strongly discourage trade with all illegal settlements, including those in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Question ref. S6W-02754

Asked by: Dowey, Sharon, South Scotland, Date lodged: 8 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the situation at Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site, and what plans it has to clean up the site.

Current Status: Holding Answer by Mairi McAllan on 23 September 2021

Question ref. S6W-02880

Asked by: Choudhury, Foysol, Lothian, Date lodged: 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the ScotRail consultation, Fit for the Future, fits with the Scottish Government's commitment to encourage a modal shift to increase the use of public transport.

Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 23 September 2021

ScotRail’s proposed timetable for May 2022 would provide more seats than the current timetable, responding to changing travel patterns. By also offering more service options this will help encourage passengers to choose train over car.

Question ref. S6W-02865

Asked by: Whitfield, Martin, South Scotland, Date lodged: 9 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve the third sector in the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund.

Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02863 on 23 September 2021 . 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 .

Question ref. S6W-02790

Asked by: Ruskell, Mark, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 8 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on ensuring greater adherence to the legally-binding air quality limit values that apply in the EU.

Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 September 2021

The Scottish Government has made clear its commitment to maintain or exceed EU standards, including air quality limit values, following the UK's departure from the European Union (EU). This commitment includes ensuring that EU environmental principles continue to sit at the heart of environmental policy and law in Scotland.

Question ref. S6O-00200

Asked by: Adam, Karen, Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Date lodged: 15 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help provide greener, healthier, eating options for people who have difficulty in making ends meet.

Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 September 2021

We want everyone in Scotland to eat well and have a healthy weight, yet we know people living on low incomes have poorer health outcomes. We promote a cash-first approach through the Scottish Welfare Fund and other discretionary supports, and through the Independent Food Aid Network’s Cash-First Pathways. We have increased the level of the Best Start Food Grant which supports low income families to buy healthy food for children under the age of three and intend to increase eligibility in this parliamentary term. Our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan also outlines a range of actions to make access to affordable healthier food options easier for those on low incomes.

Question ref. S6W-02492

Asked by: Baillie, Jackie, Dumbarton, Date lodged: 25 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in advance of the development of a national care service, whether it will provide additional funding for health and social care partnerships' recruitment campaigns, including to fund initiatives in attracting new staff that have been deemed successful in other sectors.

Current Status: Holding Answer by Kevin Stewart on 23 September 2021

Question ref. S6W-02602

Asked by: Briggs, Miles, Lothian, Date lodged: 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many social workers have been employed by each local authority in each year since 1999.

Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 23 September 2021

The information requested by Mr Briggs MSP is readily available on the SSSC website, and a detailed breakdown by local authority can be obtained directly from the official source. Every year in August, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) publishes the ‘Scottish Social Service Sector: Report on 2020 Workforce Data’. This year's edition was the 10th set of official statistics. Official figures, therefore, only go back to 2011. According to the most recent data, published in August this year, as of December 2020, there were 6,049 social workers employed in local authorities, the highest number recorded, representing a 1.5% increase since the previous year, 2019, or a 6% increase since 2011.