Questions · Stephen Kerr

24 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will be taking further to the release of the James Hutton Institute report on the impacts of sewage sludge.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Whilst there was no new evidence in the James Hutton Institute report to suggest a significant risk to human health or wellbeing in respect to the use of sewage sludge, my officials will continue to engage with both SEPA and Scottish Water regarding the repor…

23 Feb 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that farms are at the cutting edge of innovation and technology.

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prison deaths there were in 2021.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05574 on 20 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are …

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03261 by Clare Haughey on 6 October 2021, what research it has undertaken to ensure that the ratio for all childcare settings is being enforced.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Care Inspectorate for Scotland are responsible for setting and reviewing the expected adult to child ratios for all childcare settings in Scotland. They also hold legislative responsibility for the scrutiny of childcare settings, which includes ensuring t…

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of secondary schools currently have access to a mental health counsellor.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government. The commitment to invest in school counselling ensures that every secondary school has access to counselling services, whilst also improving the…

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05454 by Kevin Stewart on 27 January 2022, how many NHS boards are receiving "enhanced support" to meet the standard that 90% of children and young people begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral for child and adolescent mental health services (C…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There are currently 7 Boards receiving enhanced support and over the next 6-12 months we intend to extend our programme of enhanced improvement support to all Boards that need it. We have asked all Health Boards to provide trajectories outlining how they will…

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current percentage is of children and young people who are starting treatment from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) within 18 weeks of referral.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The latest published data in December 2021, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) waiting times , shows that for quarter ending September 2021, 78.6% of CAMHS patients started treatment within 18 weeks of referral.

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of frontline NHS spending is currently allocated to child and adolescent mental health services.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The latest available data from the Scottish Health Service Costs book shows that for 2019-20 the percentage of NHS expenditure spent on child and adolescent mental health services was 0.61%. We are working with partners to deliver the 2021-22 Programme for G…

9 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of frontline NHS spending is currently allocated to mental health services.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The latest available data from the Scottish Health Service Costs book shows that for 2019-20 the percentage of NHS expenditure spent on mental health services was 8.49%. We are working with partners to deliver the 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment …

4 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current available GP capacity is for new patients.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Where GP practices are unable to routinely accept new patients onto their lists, Scottish Government expects Health Boards to work with practices as constructively and as flexibly as is appropriate to help manage the situation. We recognise the need for more…

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many free bikes have been given to school pupils since May 2021.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: In August 2021, the first six pilots commenced, meeting the 100 day commitment set by this government. A further four pilots have been launched since then. These pilots will run for up to 12 months, testing different approaches and delivery models to help inf…

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many bikes have been repaired through the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme in each year since 2020.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme (SCRS) originally targeted to deliver 20,000 cycle repairs or services to people in Scotland, focusing on those that need the support the most. Repairs and servicing are provided through a network of over 300 shops, retailers, com…

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it will cost to "replace when needed and upgrade as technology improves" the laptops, Chromebooks and tablets given to every school child in Scotland.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are working closely with local authorities and are in planning stages of this commitment. We will report to Parliament in due course.

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it will cost to "update when necessary" the laptops, Chromebooks and tablets given to every school child in Scotland.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are working closely with local authorities and are in planning stages of this commitment. We will report to Parliament in due course.

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investigation it has undertaken to understand the average cost per child to deliver the free school meals programme, and whether this investigation included consideration of any need for additional (a) capital works where there are insufficient eating spaces and (b) serving and clea…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has been working in partnership with the Association of Directors of Education, COSLA and partners to establish the full delivery and financial requirements in support of the expansion of free school meals. Through this engagement, it …

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many years of funding are in place to pay for the free school meals programme in its entirety, and whether this funding is sufficient to ensure that local authorities will not need to use their funding to deliver the policy.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The 2022-23 draft budget provides £42.2 million to provide universal free school lunches to all children in primaries 4, 5 and special schools to 5 during school term-time. This is in addition to the £53 million per year for universal provision for pupils in …

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many free laptops, Chromebooks or tablets have been given to schoolchildren since May 2021.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all school-aged children and young people in Scotland have access to a digital device by the end of this parliament. This is a highly complex and ambitious commitment that requires careful partnership plan…

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05456 by Patrick Harvie on 31 January 2022, what the phrase, “where technically feasible and cost-effective to do so", means in practice.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce – subject to consultation later this year – regulations requiring Scotland’s homes and other buildings to meet EPC Band C equivalent by 2033, where that is technically feasible and cost effect…