Elena Whitham

11 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is carrying out with local authorities regarding the wellbeing of school pupils and staff.

5 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of estates applying for a section 16AA licence to shoot grouse in the 2024-25 season has registered the grouse moor only, rather than the whole landholding.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: This data is not held centrally.

5 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice (a) it and/or (b) NatureScot has received regarding the enforceability of the grouse shoot licence condition pertaining to raptor crimes on land outside the area licensed for killing or taking grouse, and whether it will publish this.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government does not routinely publish legal advice. As regards NatureScot advice, it is for NatureScot to determine whether to publish this. However, NatureScot has previously published some information on legal advice it received, this can be fo…

5 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason relevant offences under the Animal Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, Badgers Act 1992 and other similar legislation, are not included in the NatureScot licensing conditions relating to a whole landholding for an estate that has only licensed its grouse moor under section 16AA …

Answer · Jim Fairlie: NatureScot drafted the new licensing condition on the basis of advice received. The new licensing condition is a solution to a specific issue. It is not intended to replicate, or substitute for the licensing provisions of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn …

4 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its national mission for tackling child poverty.

21 Jan 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the public and private sector to develop carbon literacy skills.

17 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made to improve the learning outcomes of pupils to prepare them for careers in the technology sector.

26 Nov 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of how successful the Bella Centre in Dundee and Lilias Centre in Glasgow have been in acknowledging the experience of trauma and adversity and supporting successful transitions for women back into the community.

25 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the uptake of GatewayC among GPs in relation to the brain tumour course, and whether it will outline the next steps for increasing awareness of its availability.

Answer · Neil Gray: The free online Primary Care cancer education platform, Gateway C, was launched in Scotland on 30th of April 2024. Courses focus on cancer symptoms and referral, and we have seen uptake across all of Scotland's Health Boards, in wide ranging job roles in prim…

25 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of, and recommendations in, the University of Strathclyde report, Final Report of the Evaluation of Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, whether improved guidance or protocols are being developed to clarify the roles of the GP Direct Access and Rapid Cancer Diagn…

Answer · Neil Gray: A clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer is currently underway to help ensure the right person is on the right pathway at the right time and are due to be published in Spring 2025.As part of this update, a guideline will now…

20 Nov 2024 · SPCB Oral Question

 To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will review whether the Parliament is providing sufficient resourcing for the Legislation Team to support MSPs to lodge amendments to Bills. 

12 Nov 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve access to audiology services.

7 Nov 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the final report on the Women’s Health Plan 2021-2024.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Today we published the Women’s Health Plan 2021 – 2024 Final Report on the Scottish Government website to mark the progress achieved in the three years since the publication of Scotland’s first Women’s Health Plan.This final report set…

6 Nov 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the consultation on the proposal for a new National Park in Galloway.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Following the Government’s proposal to establish a new National Park in Galloway, NatureScot – in its role as reporter – has been engaging with communities, businesses, public bodies and other interested parties in the Galloway area in order…

5 Nov 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress being made to improve the educational experiences of children and young people with additional support needs in school settings.

25 Oct 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact was for Scotland of The 152nd Open, a major golf championship in 2024, and what plans are in place to ensure that Scotland continues to stage The R&A’s major championships.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The 152nd Open, which took place at Royal Troon in South Ayrshire from 14-21 July 2024, was a significant success for Scotland. The Championship enjoyed a record crowd for Troon, with over 250,000 spectators in attendance, more than half of whom travelled fro…

22 Oct 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it has been undertaking with disabled people’s organisations regarding the delivery of its Disability Equality Plan.

10 Jun 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies indicating that forecast UK Government tax and spending plans would be funded by reductions in public investment, what assessment it has made of the potential impact that any changes to Scotland’s block grant resulting from this w…

29 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of any impact that Brexit is having on Scotland’s culture sector.

28 May 2024 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to undertaking a review of the New Build Heat Standard, in light of reported concerns regarding the importance of wood burning stoves in ensuring that some rural and island communities are more resilient to interruptions in heating supplies.

22 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recently published data by the National Records of Scotland regarding Scotland's Census 2022, which show that over 60% of the school-age population had no religion, whether it will follow the advice of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child and allow young people the ri…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As stated in the Scottish Government’s Initial Response to the Concluding Observations issued by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, published on 25 March this year, the Scottish Government is considering its next steps on religious observance in sch…

20 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provided to East and South Ayrshire Councils in 2023-24 for Discretionary Housing Payments.

14 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any plans to review any unintended impacts of the fourth National Planning Framework on energy policy.

30 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any options that it is considering for restricting the advertising and promotion of alcohol and alcohol-branded products, following the consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion, which was carried out between November 2022 and Marc…

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Further work is being undertaken to consider the range of views from our consultation on potential restrictions to alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland. We remain committed to progressing proposals to reduce children and young people’s exposure to a…

30 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Ayrshire and Arran to improve access to ADHD testing for adults.

19 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to address any long waiting times for applications to Social Security Scotland, in light of reports that nine children have died while waiting for an application for the Child Disability Payment to be processed.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who sadly died before a decision could be made on their application. We know some people waited an unacceptably long time for Child Disability Payment and urgent action was taken to address this resulti…

19 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Social Security Scotland staff reportedly do not work to timelines or key performance indicators, and what its position is on whether key performance indicators would help to improve the organisation’s efficiency.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Social Security Scotland is focused on making the right decision first time, whilst aiming to process all applications as quickly as possible. Our Charter sets out a range of standards for our performance and each year we publish the Charter Measurement Fram…

9 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the housing minister has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any potential impact on rural community housing of its decision not to allow the use of fossil and biofuel heating systems in new-build construction.

1 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the GP recruitment campaign that was launched in June.

26 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is working with colleagues in local government, as part of its Covid Recovery Strategy, to support Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley’s recovery from COVID-19.