Paul Sweeney

12 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which members of the health and social care workforce are qualified to carry out home ear syringing services, and what assessment it has made of vacancy levels in this area, including any recruitment and retention challenges.

Answer · Neil Gray: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend manual ear syringing.

12 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all parts of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area have access to a home ear syringing service, and, if not, which parts of the NHS board area do not currently have access to this service.

Answer · Neil Gray: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend manual ear syringing.

8 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce a free, at-home testing service for hepatitis C.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government has no imminent plans to introduce at-home testing for hepatitis C.Testing for hepatitis C is currently available through a range of routes, with a particular focus on settings which are most likely to be accessed by people at highest risk…

7 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet its commitment to (a) increase frontline health spending by at least £2.5 billion, (b) increase primary care spending by 25%, (c) increase mental health investment by 25% and (d) invest £250 million on dealing with the drug deaths emergency over…

Answer · Neil Gray: Against a challenging economic and financial context, the Scottish Government continues to increase funding for health and social care services.Providing over £1.9 billion additional investment in frontline health spend since 2021-22 - ahead of trajecto…

7 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of frontline health spending is spent on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), and whether if it is on track to meet its commitment of allocating 1% to this.

Answer · Maree Todd: Latest available data published in February 2024 by Public Health Scotland in the Scottish Health Service Costs book confirmed that NHS expenditure on child and adolescent mental health rose from £97.9 million in 2021-22 to £114.8 million in 2022-…

7 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of frontline health spending is allocated to mental health, and whether it is on track to meet its commitment of allocating 10% to this.

Answer · Maree Todd: Latest available data published in February 2024 by Public Health Scotland in the Scottish Health Service Costs book confirmed that NHS expenditure on mental health rose from £1.282 billion in 2021-22 to £1.307 billion in 2022-23, an increase of &…

7 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to recruiting 1,000 community mental health workers by 2026.

Answer · Maree Todd: As a result of the difficult decisions which had to be taken through the Emergency Budget review, recruitment of the 1,000 additional roles to support community mental health resilience, ensuring every GP Practice has access to a mental health and wellbeing s…

6 Nov 2024 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will emulate the UK Parliament's annual Constituency Garden of Remembrance in the Scottish Parliament's garden from 2025.

Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): I thank the Member for their question. The SPCB will consider this suggestion in due course.

5 Nov 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government announcing the largest funding settlement in real terms since devolution, how it will use any increase in funding to ensure that Glasgow’s arts and culture sector is able to thrive.

4 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that Police Scotland reactivates the disused Gatso speed camera at Cumbernauld Road in Riddrie, Glasgow.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Across Scotland, safety cameras are deployed through the Scottish Safety Camera Programme primarily where they have the greatest potential to reduce injury collisions and where there is evidence of both collisions and speeding. This is in accordance with crit…

3 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether noise mitigation measures form part of the current scope of work being undertaken on the M8 at Charing Cross.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Noise mitigation measures do not form part of the current scope of works being undertaken at Charing Cross.Glasgow City Council are currently constructing an active travel scheme to install cycle lanes at Charing Cross and along St George’s Road. Theref…

3 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the replacement barriers installed on the parapets and ramps of the M8 at Charing Cross (a) are reportedly approximately twice the height of the ones that they are replacing and (b) have reportedly been finished in bare galvanised steel rather than a visually neutral pain…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: (a) The new parapets at Charing Cross have been increased in height from 1.1 metres to 1.5 metres, which is a 36% increase, to comply with the current national design standards that require a minimum of a 1.4 metre high parapets where routes can be used by cy…

3 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that Scottish Water allocates funds from its public top-up taps programme specifically to restore disused historic drinking fountains in public places by fitting top-up taps to them in collaboration with conservation-accredited engineers.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government have no plans to request this.Scottish Water has a programme of installing blue top up taps in communities across Scotland, with over 120 installed and providing fresh drinking water for bottle refills. However they are not in a positi…

1 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service will engage with the development of the North Laurieston Masterplan on the architectural plan for the Glasgow Sheriff Court building and its environs.

Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days.

29 Oct 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what it is doing to support people seeking asylum in Scotland.

28 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the total fertility rate. 

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Falling birth rates are a demographic trend replicated across many high-income countries, with significant future implications for our economies, communities and public services.The Family Friendly Nation strand of our Population Strategy sets out our ambitio…

28 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30441 by Alasdair Allan on 28 October 2024, what its position is on whether (a) this commercial shipbuilding opportunity is of national importance, (b) it should be a key priority for the Scottish Government to develop a domestic supply chain and in…

Answer · Gillian Martin: Our evidence paper, Offshore Wind Focus - gov.scot (www.gov.scot), sets out our strategic approach to investing up to £500m over five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland, supporting the delivery of our Green Industrial Strategy.Ve…

26 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support local government to develop an open source cashless parking service app to avoid the rents extracted by private cashless parking app vendors, which are reported to be around 20p per transaction.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places the statutory responsibility for local roads with the local road authorities, including parking. The provision of parking, the charges levied and how they are collected is therefore at the local authorities discretion and …

25 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30385 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 October 2024, what its response is to reports that the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) originally aimed to increase service frequency to six trains per hour, but that Transport Scotland commissioned Jaco…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The decision was made to choose four longer trains per hour rather than six shorter trains per hour between Edinburgh and Glasgow because this was the better value for money option to deliver the necessary peak capacity for passengers.ScotRail adjusts its ser…

25 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any complaints of bullying by senior members of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is aware of complaints of bullying by senior members of staff in the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).Whilst Scottish Government provide support in applying the appropriate policies, this is a contractual issue which, by law, must rema…

17 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the anticipated timescale is for the electrification of the Maryhill railway line in Glasgow.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Whilst electrification remains an option, no timescale has been established for the decarbonisation of the Maryhill Line.

10 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the delay to the opening of the safer drug consumption pilot in Glasgow is due to the facility failing an initial NHS Scotland Assure inspection and it requiring another one, or is due to the building being incomplete and not being inspected yet.

Answer · Neil Gray: The building work on the safer drug consumption facility is now complete and the Building Control completion certificate has been processed by Glasgow City Council.We are currently working with our colleagues in the NHS to demonstrate full compliance with the…

10 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans for testing for blood borne viruses, such as HIV and hepatitis C, to be incorporated into the support provided at the safer drug consumption pilot in Glasgow.

Answer · Neil Gray: Yes, everyone who accesses the safer drug consumption service will be offered Dry Blood Spot Testing (DBST) via the nursing staff and health care support workers. Sexual health nurses are integrated into the wider Hunter Street services and will support any p…

10 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many improvement notices relating to mental health wards in Scottish hospitals have been issued by the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years, also broken down by hospital.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Health and Safety Executive is a body exercising reserved powers and the information requested is not held centrally. It would be a matter for them to provide the information requested.The quality and safety of mental health estates is an important issue …

10 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to (a) ensure that its (i) directorates and (ii) agencies provide migraine-friendly workspaces, (b) support staff who experience migraines to request reasonable adjustments to their working environment and (c) share good practice in supporting staff who experience…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all employees are fully supported and are empowered to carry out their role to their maximum potential. Where staff experience migraines, lighting and desk location can be altered to mitigate symptoms. In …

9 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on theredevelopment of the Institute of Neurological Sciences in Glasgow.

Answer · Neil Gray: Given the extremely challenging financial position all Health capital projects not already in construction are paused.This pause is subject to a cross-Government review of capital projects. All due consideration will be given to which projects can be included…

8 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any impact on its energy policy and strategy, what its position is on the reported calls on the UK Government by Scottish Renewables and other trade bodies to rule out zonal pricing under the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA), and to instead commit to a Reformed…

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is aware that the introduction of zonal pricing could have a significant impact on all market participants, including industry, communities and consumers. It is therefore important that any such proposal is considered in the round in w…

8 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Office of National Statistics mid-year population estimates for the UK and its constituent countries for mid-2023, which shows that Scotland experienced a natural population decline of 19,100 between 2022 and 2023.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Scottish Government welcomes the mid-year 2023 population estimates, which show inward migration driving the biggest single-year increase in Scotland’s population since the 1940s. Scotland continues to be an attractive and welcoming country which people…

6 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement (a) it and (b) its agencies have had with (i) the New Gorbals Housing Association and (ii) Glasgow City Council regarding the development of the North Laurieston regeneration masterplan.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government is aware that the regeneration masterplan is being developed for North Laurieston although there has been limited engagement to date.The Scottish Government is a partner in Transforming Communities: Glasgow (TC:G) along with Glasgow Ci…

4 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Police College compares with other UK police training establishments in terms of international officer training.

Answer · Angela Constance: International training and deployments undertaken by UK officers are a matter for their individual services and no comparable data is available.Further information and detail on all Police Scotland’s international activity can be obtained from the servi…