Beatrice Wishart

1 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether priority is given to vulnerable adult applicants to Scotland’s Redress Scheme.

Answer · John Swinney: Priority is given to applicants who are aged 68 or over and to those who have a terminal illness. Many applicants to Scotland’s Redress Scheme, for a variety of reasons, require additional support in relation to practical support to complete an application, …

29 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have undergone corrective treatment in Scotland by NHS dentists following crown implant treatments abroad and what the cost has been to the NHS for any such treatments, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Information on the reason for NHS dental treatment is held with the individual dentist. However, the overall number of courses of treatment which included the provision of a crown can be found …

25 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) shortest time taken by the Scottish Ambulance Service to respond to (i) MSP and (ii) other correspondence has been in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.  

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is undertaking into the potential impact of avian influenza on European storm petrel colonies in (a) Scotland and (b) Shetland.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) to date, which has affected wild bird populations, including some internationally important seabird populations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carri…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, whether it will outline the process and/or guidance for offering an alternative vaccine at the patient’s request.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: All eligible individuals will be offered a safe and effective vaccine that has been approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and in line with Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice. JCVI have consistent…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it undertook, prior to the announcement on 22 August 2022, into the impacts that the three Shetland ScotWind projects could have on the livelihoods of those working in the fish-catching industry in Shetland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Sectoral Marine plan for Offshore Wind Energy was subject to a Sustainability Appraisal that included a plan-level Social and Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA). This SEIA assessed and estimated the levels of positive and negative impact of Plan Options an…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it will undertake with the fishing industry regarding the three Shetland ScotWind projects announced on 22 August 2022.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Following the ScotWind and clearing announcements, the Scottish Government is undertaking a review and re-assessment of the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy (SMP-OWE). As part of this process, the draft review of the SMP-OWE and associated assess…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it undertook, prior to the announcement on 22 August 2022, into the impacts that the three Shetland ScotWind projects could have on haddock nursery grounds and saithe spawning sites.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Spawning and nursery grounds were a key consideration in the planning exercise for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind energy. Existing spatial information on the likely locations of spawning and nursery grounds were incorporated into the opportunity a…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has engaged with Shetland’s fishing industry on the issue of spatial squeeze, and how it will engage in the future in light of the announcement on 22 August 2022 of three Shetland ScotWind projects.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All aspects of marine planning include engagement with the fishing sector representatives, not least of all, the planning process for offshore wind. The Scottish Government’s sectoral marine planning process, the basis for ScotWind leasing, included fisheries…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made regarding the location of the three Shetland ScotWind projects, announced on 22 August 2022, overlapping with fishing grounds for the Shetland fishing fleet.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The three projects now offered Option Agreements from Crown Estate Scotland under the ScotWind clearing round are located entirely within the SMP-OWE Plan Option NE1. Adoption of the SMP-OWE and the seabed leasing round followed the delivery of a Sustainabili…

24 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it will undertake into the potential impacts that the three Shetland ScotWind projects, announced on 22 August 2022, could have on haddock nursery grounds and saithe spawning sites.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy(SMP-OWE) has already carried out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA). The SEA and HRA assessed the potential for impact on nursery and spawning locations from th…

19 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is working with other UK administrations to ensure that each administration’s registration systems for COVID-19 vaccinations are accessible by staff in all of the UK’s health authorities.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government works closely on a four nations basis to ensure that vaccination records can be updated where required. In line with General Data Protection Regulations health records and associated systems can only be accessed by health officials fro…

18 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets are in place for the Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce to meet the actions that it is currently taking and still has to take, as set out in Scotland’s pathway to zero-emission buses.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Bus Decarbonisation Taskforce was a short-life working group, which worked to achieve the aims set out in its vision (copied below) by bringing together the top leadership from each sector with a role in transitioning fleets to zero emissions. The Taskfor…

18 Aug 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to remove the majority of diesel buses from public transport by 2023.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I updated Parliament of progress towards its plans to remove the majority of diesel buses from public transport by 2023 in answer S6W-10271 given on 9 August 2022. As noted in S6W-10271, as with every other part of the economy and society, delivery of further…

28 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the temporary storage of industrial materials without timetabled recovery plans in Marine Protected Areas.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The regulation of offshore oil and gas activities is not a devolved matter and falls under the remit of the regulator, in this case, the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning Programme, referred to as OPRED, which sits within the De…

28 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the temporary storage of industrial materials from Foinaven oilfield without a timetabled recovery plan in the Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt Marine Protected Area.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The regulation of oil and gas activities is not a devolved matter and falls under the remit of the regulator, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and for decommissioning works - the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Dec…

27 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been undertaken to estimate how many wild birds and seabirds have died in total as a result of the current avian influenza outbreak, and what the most up-to-date total estimate is.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The 2021-22 season has seen the UK’s largest outbreak of avian flu to date, which has affected wild bird populations, including some internationally important seabird populations. The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) carries out year-round avian influen…

22 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported reduction in value of concessionary ferry travel vouchers for travel between the Northern Isles and the Scottish Mainland, what assessment it has made of any impact of this on island residents.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The concessionary travel vouchers continue to entitle the traveller to a free berth on overnight services. However, COVID-19 restrictions mean cabins may no longer be shared and so additional vouchers can be used offset the cost of cabins for sole use. The ef…

19 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the safe transfer of prisoners where required between court appearances in island sheriff courts and mainland prisons, what (a) procedures are in place to ensure the safe transfer and (b) agreements are in place with domestic airports, and whether a domestic airport is able to…

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The Scottish Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Service Contract (SCCPES) provides the requirements of the service provider to ensure s…

19 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is given to transporting a prisoner where required between court appearances in island sheriff courts and mainland prisons when use of the closest airport is not available and a longer travel time is therefore required.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Where possible, the use of the Virtual Court process should be facilitated in the first instance, either from Police Custody Units (PC…

14 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to increasing student nurse bursaries to help retain them in the health care profession, in light of the rising cost of living.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government package of support for Scottish student nurses is currently at its highest level, and is the highest level of support available to nursing and midwifery students across the UK. Our non-means tested, non-repayable paramedic, nursing and…

12 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice was provided to Marine Scotland by (a) NatureScot and (b) Marine Scotland Science regarding the Seagreen Wind Energy Limited reports in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance activities.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team requested advice from Marine Scotland Science ("MSS") and NatureScot on the reports provided by Seagreen Wind Energy Limited. MSS and NatureScot advised on the specifics of the noise monitoring carried out in respec…

12 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that unexploded ordnance disposals are conducted according to the methods expressed on a licence application.

Answer · Michael Matheson: When determining applications for marine and European Protected Species licences in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance, Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team (“MS-LOT”) includes conditions on the licences to control the methods, as well as conditi…

12 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Seagreen Alpha and Bravo Wind Area monitoring reports, which reportedly found that craters of 1.6m x 1m x 0.3m, 2.18m x1.7m x 0.5m and 2.28m x 1.7m x 0.5m were induced in the seabed by unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonation.

Answer · Michael Matheson: On receipt of the reports submitted by Seagreen Wind Energy Limited as requirements of its marine and European Protected Species licences in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance, Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team (“MS-LOT”) sought advice on the …

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the specific mental health and emotional wellbeing needs of children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families are understood and addressed in the work of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Joint Delivery Board has the highest of ambitions for all children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing and is overseeing a set of reforms designed to ensure they receive the support they n…

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to the development of a module to support the understanding of the specific additional support for learning needs of children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families as part of compulsory undergraduate, post-graduate and continued profe…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As the independent review of Additional Support for Learning (ASL) made clear, all teachers have a central role in assessing and supporting all children with additional support needs, including those from armed forces and veterans’ families. Although the Sco…

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that all schools and school leaders are supported to understand the additional support for learning needs of children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families, in line with the recognition in the Supporting Children’s Learning: Statutory Guidance on the Ed…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended) requires education authorities to identify, provide for and to review the additional support needs of their pupils, including those from armed forces and veterans’ families. Local authoriti…

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provision it makes to ensure that children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families are included in any consultation events or processes carried out that include or involve children and young people.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As our joint ASL action plan shows, the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Association of Directors of Education (ADES) are committed to including and involving children and young people in policy development, including those from armed forces and veteran’s f…

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that teachers and those training to be teachers are supported to understand the additional support for learning needs of children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families, in line with the recognition in the Supporting Children’s Learning: Statutory Guidan…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09748 on 27 July 2022. 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…

8 Jul 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the specific needs of children and young people from armed forces and veterans' families are included in future versions of The Strategy For Our Veterans.

Answer · Keith Brown: We will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, such as the Armed Forces Families Federations, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Forces Children Scotland and the Napier University’s Centre for Military Research, Education and Public Eng…