- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 14 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further low interest rate loans to Lar Housing Trust, in light of the reported success of its pathfinder model, in order to advance construction of new affordable homes in Granton, Edinburgh, and elsewhere in Scotland, and, if so, when.
Answer
Since its creation in 2015 to the end of March 2024, LAR Housing Trust has acquired/developed 740 homes for mid-market rent supported by a Scottish Government loan of £55 million. 175 of these were previously National Housing Trust units. Whilst LAR Housing Trust has brought valued diversity to the provision of mid-market rent housing in Scotland, we carefully consider all of our delivery routes to best achieve our objectives and meet our Scottish Public Finance Manual obligations. The Scottish Government has confirmed to LAR Housing Trust that there is no provision for a further low interest rate loan.
Over many years, the Scottish Government has encouraged LAR to leverage in alternative sources of capital. Building on what has been achieved to date, LAR Housing Trust is in an excellent position to innovate and pivot to new opportunities, including making progress on the sites acquired in Granton and elsewhere.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 1 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the barriers to the implementation of the NICE guidelines on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) identified in the recent survey of NHS boards in Scotland, and how it is fostering consensus amongst the people involved in implementing the NICE guidelines.
Answer
The Scottish Government fully supports the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline on diagnosing and managing ME/CFS. We wrote to all Scottish health boards following its publication to raise awareness of the guidance and encourage its implementation.
We are committed to improving care for people with ME/CFS and want to facilitate constructive communication between patients and clinicians so that all parties are engaged in finding a way forward.
We are currently reviewing options to foster consensus around the applicability and implementation of the NICE guideline on ME/CFS, and how this relates to other existing clinical guidance in Scotland. Input from people with lived experience of ME/CFS will be integral to any agreed option.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S6O-02854 by Jenni Minto on 7 December 2023, what its response is to the reported concerns of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) organisations and people with ME regarding the way that the Scottish Good Practice Statement (SGPS) on ME-CFS was updated, including concerns that the key recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guideline were not inserted into the updated SGPS.
Answer
We published a partial update of the Scottish Good Practice Statement on ME/CFS on the Scottish Government website in February 2023. This incorporated key recommendations from the NICE 2021 guidance on a broad range of topics such as energy management and Graded Exercise Therapy; Cognitive Behavioural Therapy; diagnosis and care of children and young people; and severity scale of illness.
The statement also includes updated information on social security and social care in Scotland and an appendix of useful resources and contacts provided by Action for ME and other partners.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it is taking forward the work and priorities of its Ministerial Population Taskforce.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving, in collaboration with Police Scotland, to the possibility of establishing a new Leith police station within the Scottish Government's Victoria Quay building.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2024
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to tackle violence in schools and the impact that this is having on both pupils and staff.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2024
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Neil Gray on 20 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the final Solar Vision and draft Bioenergy Policy Statement will be published.
Answer
Following the Scottish Government’s announcement of the proposed solar deployment ambition for Scotland in October, we are now working with industry and community stakeholders to agree a suitable level of community benefit for large scale solar projects. As a result, we will now publish our final Solar Vision with the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan in Summer 2024.
We intend to publish the draft Bioenergy Policy Statement for consultation in the new year, and before the end of February 2024.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker MSP (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bo on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it would consider keeping the canteen open in a limited capacity on business days from 2.30 pm to 3.00 pm, in order to provide a partial offering for staff who are unable to purchase lunch before 2.30 pm due to work commitments.
Answer
Catering service times across campus provide a robust offering around parliamentary business. Lunch service timings in the Garden Level Restaurant (11:30-14:30) are based on levels of demand and efficient use of resources in line with parliamentary requirements. If it is helpful, it is possible to pre-order food on our app, and collect it from the Holyrood room between 11:30 and 2:30, although this does not change the timings, it is a quicker service.
Alternative options are available after 2.30pm including the Coffee Bar where a hot sandwich option can be ordered and the Public Café where hot food options including soup, baked potatoes and a range of sandwiches are on offer. Hot food is also available from 4pm in Queensberry House Lounge.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research will be published.
Answer
The Behaviour in Scottish Schools research has been published today and is available at https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835216668 .
I will update Parliament on the Government’s response, including the behaviour summit process, in a Parliamentary statement on 29 November.
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the sustainability of healthcare services in Edinburgh, in light of the significant increase in the population of the Lothian region in recent years.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2023