Meghan Gallacher

20 Apr 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to undertaking a review of adoption services in Scotland.

Answer · Clare Haughey: In 2020, the Scottish Government made a promise to thousands of care experienced children and adults to Keep The Promise by 2030. As part of this will be working with partners to review and improve adoption services across Scotland.  

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) how any impact on the routine vaccination programme in NHS boards that (i) have had code black status declared and (ii) are in more rural areas has been different from any impact in other NHS boards.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The routine immunisation programmes have continued in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic despite code black status being declared in some NHS Boards. Uptake rates for routine programmes have remained consistently high across Scotland. Maintaining the…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that there are enough invigilators for examinations, in light of reports of increasing numbers of staff absences due to COVID-19.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Recruitment of invigilators is an operational matter for the SQA. SQA is working with centres to ensure sufficient numbers of invigilators are available, with contingencies in place to mitigate any unexpected absences due to Covid-19 during the exams.

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what safeguards and protections have been put in place for school students who may be unable to sit their examinations due to having COVID-19.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: An exam exceptional circumstances service will be available for learners who miss their exam due to, for example, illness which would include being ill with Covid-19. This service is based on SQA’s established annual process. If a candidate is eligible for e…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contingencies have been put in place for online exam revision classes in the event of school staff absences and/or student illness due to COVID-19.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Schools are best placed to support learners and give them the best chance to demonstrate their potential. Guidance makes clear that schools should ensure remote learning materials are in place in circumstances where they are required. We continue to make reso…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 pandemic (a) has had and (b) is currently having on the routine vaccination programme offered to pregnant women.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The routine vaccinations for pregnant women have continued in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage all those who are eligible to take up the offer of vaccination. The flu vaccine has been available to pregnant women, (via their midwife) fr…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) how the routine vaccination programme for children aged one to 18 has been impacted by recent health restrictions, school closures and reported strain on the NHS.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland (PHS) have worked with Health Boards to support their planning and safe delivery of immunisation services throughout the pandemic. The routine childhood immunisation programmes have continued in Scotland thr…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) how the routine vaccination programme for children under one year old has been impacted by recent health restrictions and reported strain on the NHS.

Answer · Maree Todd: The routine childhood immunisation programmes have continued in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic for children of all ages. Uptake for vaccines given to children aged under one year has remained consistently high in Scotland. Statistics on childhood …

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how parents and children can know if they have missed a routine vaccination, and what procedures are in place for such children.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07621 on 25 April 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-committee…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many routine non-COVID-19 vaccines have had to be disposed of because they could not be used due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Maree Todd: Neither the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland are able to quantify how many routine vaccine doses have been disposed of due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Vaccine wastage can be attributed to other factors and therefore delineation of contributing fact…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what capacity there currently is to offer catch-up vaccinations for children who have missed one or more routine vaccinations.

Answer · Maree Todd: The routine pre-school immunisation programmes are delivered by local Health Boards in Scotland. If a child has missed a routine immunisation appointment, their parent or guardian will be able to contact the Health Board directly to arrange another appointmen…

23 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that examinations will still proceed in the event of increases in COVID-19 cases within the school estate.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: It remains our firm intention that exams take place this year. They would only be cancelled if public health guidance prevented gatherings during the exam timetable. The safety of children, young people, and all education staff remains the overriding priority…

23 Mar 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce the same proposals as the UK Government that will remove unsafe cladding from all medium- or high-rise buildings.

21 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor the impact of self-declaration, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill includes a specific provision which places a duty on the Registrar General to report annually on the number of applications received and the number of applications granted.

21 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how a false declaration will be demonstrated, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is an existing criminal offence to knowingly make a false statutory declaration and the Bill creates a new offence of knowingly making a false application for legal gender recognition. The maximum penalty for these offences is imprisonment for up to 2 year…

21 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how self-declaration, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, may affect sex discrimination cases.

Answer · Shona Robison: Sex discrimination cases will continue to be dealt with under the Equality Act 2010. The provisions of the 2010 Act are not modified by the proposals in the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Bill also does not change the legal effects of a Gender…

21 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what is meant by living in the acquired gender, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Shona Robison: Living in the acquired gender’ is the gender in which a person is living when an application for a Gender Recognition Certificate is made. It is an existing requirement under the Gender Recognition Act 2004. The Gender Recognition Panel who is currently resp…

16 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long on average a young person currently has to wait for a diagnosis for additional support needs (ASN).

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Additional support needs, as defined under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended) arise if a child or young person is, or is likely to be, unable without the provision of additional support to benefit from school education. An a…

16 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional support needs (ASN) schools have been built in the last five years.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Twelve special schools have been built in the period from 2016-17 to 2020-21.  

16 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities have recently reviewed their additional support needs (ASN) policy.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The responsibility for the review of education authority policy on additional support needs rests with each individual education authority. This is in addition to the requirements of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended) which …

16 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many young people are currently waiting for an additional support needs (ASN) diagnosis in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Additional support needs, as defined under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended), arise if a child or young person is, or is likely to be, unable without the provision of additional support to benefit from school education. An …

16 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase access to regular pacemaker check-ups that may have been missed due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The impact of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many health and social care services, including some cardiology services, had to be suspended or reduced in scope and scale. In some instances, novel modes of delivery were adopted to maintain impo…

2 Mar 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns expressed by homeowners over the delay to help residents in homes with unsafe cladding.

2 Feb 2022 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons school pupils taking examinations in some subjects, such as business or geography, will reportedly receive advance notice of what content will or will not be assessed, while those taking other subjects, such as chemistry, will receive no advance notice.

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS dental care will resume operating at the same capacity as prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04082 on 9 November 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-committ…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on NHS dental care services.

Answer · Maree Todd: Many dental procedures involve the use of an aerosol which, for the safety of both patients and staff, needs to be done under strict Infection Prevention and Control guidelines. This means that NHS dental teams are unable to see the same numbers of patients a…

9 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people who are unable to pay for dental services due to an increase in charges that are reportedly a result of NHS dental care services being reduced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Maree Todd: We have set out our ambitious plan to remove NHS dental charges in this Parliament. As a first step to delivering this Manifesto Commitment, we introduced on 24 August 2021 changes to abolish dental charges for all young people between 18 and 25 years of age.…

6 Dec 2021 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will withdraw the Health and Well-being census 2021, given reported concerns over school pupils being asked questions relating to sex and relationships.

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) coniferous, (b) broadleaved, (c) native and (d) non-native trees have been planted in Scotland since 1 January 2021 to date.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: 10,195 hectares of new woodland has be planted in Scotland since 21 st January 2021. The area that was planted as (a) coniferous, (b) broadleaved, (c) native and (d) non-native is shown in Table 1. This balance of planting is in line with SG targets. Area of…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 11,000 hectares, which have reportedly been planted with trees in the last year, were planted as (a) commercial forestry, (b) agroforestry and (c) private/community woodland.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The area of new woodland that has been planted as (a) commercial forestry, (b) agroforestry and (c) private/community woodland in Scotland in the last year, December 2020 to November 2021, is shown in Table 1. There were no grant applications for the specific…