Parliamentary questions
Paul Sweeney
1,340 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority of how the £16 million of funding for access to counselling services in all secondary schools will be allocated in 2024-25.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: All allocations in the Local Government Settlement are published on the Government Website at: 4 Tables and Interactive Dashboard - Scottish Local Government Finance - Green Book: 2024-2025 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) The allocations for school counselling s…
18 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been distributed in each local authority area from the £50 million Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund since 2020.
Answer · Maree Todd: Funding for Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services for children, young people and their families has been distributed to each local authority area as follows: 2019-20 £ 2020-21 £ 2021-22 £ 2022-23 £ 2023-24 £ Aberdeen City 62…
18 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many services for children, young people and their families in each local authority area have received funding from the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund.
Answer · Maree Todd: According to plans submitted by local authorities, the number of Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports and Services for children, young people and their families to have received funding in each local authority area is as follows: 2021-22 2022-23 …
17 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase (a) enforcement action and (b) maximum fines to be levied on any road works authorities and undertakers that fail to reinstate street surfaces and associated streetscape to the original standard within the six-month statutory requirement, particularly in cases th…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In 2019 the Scottish Government instituted a period of legal reform for the framework underpinning Scottish road works, expanding and strengthening the range of existing powers roads authorities have. Since 2023 Scottish Ministers have taken action on enforc…
17 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the submissions to the Wolfson Economics Prize 2021, in response to the problem question, "How would you design and plan new hospitals to radically improve patient experiences, clinical outcomes, staff wellbeing, and integration with wider health and social care?", have influence…
Answer · Neil Gray: Scottish Government policy for design quality in healthcare (DL(2010)19) looks to ensure that these elements are considered by designers and NHS Boards. This is assessed by the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) provided by NHSScotland Assure in con…
16 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the M8 Woodside Viaduct repair project will be the largest transport capital project in Glasgow during the coming financial year.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The M8 Woodside Viaduct is a vital element of Scotland’s motorway network, carrying approximately 150,000 vehicles daily. Installation of the temporary propping system, required to enable permanent repairs, will continue through the 2024-25 financial year. It…
16 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider closing the M74 Junction 1 Kingston Interchange, in light of its reported duplication with the M8 Junction 21 at Seaward Street, and dispose of the large amount of land that its slip road to Paisley Road West takes up for residential/mixed-use development.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: There is currently no reason for Transport Scotland officials to consider the closure of the M74 Junction 1 Kingston Interchange, which is likely to have significant adverse impacts on the wider local road network given the volume of traffic on the M74 and M8…
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can request that Police Scotland introduces biodegradable barrier tape to mitigate littering of the environment.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The potential use of biodegradable barrier tape is an operational policing matter for Police Scotland. The Police Scotland Environmental Strategy 2021 sets out the context, pathway and implementation plan for reduction of energy, resource and carbon across th…
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many capital funding awards have been made from the Scottish Dental Access Initiative, broken down by (a) NHS board, (b) dental provider and (c) amount awarded.
Answer · Jenni Minto: In the following table I have outlined the amount of grant money awarded to each board since 2007. We are unable to confirm the amount to each dental provider as it would potentially breach commercial in confidence. NHS Board Number of grants Total amount …
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the fluoride varnish aspect of the Childsmile programme, and whether it plans to continue with this element of the scheme.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Specific evaluations of the Childsmile programme are undertaken by the University of Glasgow. Publications can be viewed online at https://www.gla.ac.uk/ . More broadly, the National Dental Inspection Programme (NDIP) monitors the general oral health of c…
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to a supplementary to question S6O-03191 by Jenni Minto on 13 March 2024, whether the ADHD medication, lisdexamfetamine, may be considered a specialist medicine so that NHS National Services Scotland could potentially explore alternative procurement options within …
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has no plans to designate lisdexamfetamine (Elvanse ® ) as a specialist medicine or to explore options for commissioning the direct procurement of this medicine through National Services Scotland’s NHS National Procurement. Manufactur…
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria dental providers must meet to benefit from the Scottish Dental Access Initiative.
Answer · Jenni Minto: In order to receive a grant under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative, prospective applicants must set out their intention to i) establish a new practice or ii) extend an existing practice within designated geographical areas. Designated areas are defined b…
14 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To as the Scottish Government, further to the financial incentives for dentists to open new practices in remote and rural areas, what support is available for dentists who are already operating in remote and rural areas.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Dentists operating in rural areas can also apply to the remote areas allowance. The allowance is calculated on their proportion of NHS earnings to total earnings and therefore can be awarded up to £9000 per year. Other allowances are available for dentists …
11 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the equality impact assessment for the proposed anti-racism observatory will be completed, and how it is ensuring that all communities affected by racialisation and racism will have an equal opportunity to participate in the (a) assessment and (b) development of …
Answer · Emma Roddick: Scottish Government officials are continuing to work with the design advisory group to establish the Anti-Racism Observatory for Scotland (AROS). The design advisory group is providing expert support ahead of a procurement process that will select a host for …
11 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy to the question on a competitive shipbuilding financing guarantee programme during the ministerial statement on Ferguson Marine on 5 March 2024, whether it will provide a substantive response reg…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The UK Government introduced the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme in July 2023. The scheme provides a partial guarantee to a lender making a loan to a ship-buyer or operator, so that new vessels, or refits, retrofits or repairs of existing vessels can be…
5 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which financial institution has provided the Bank Refund Guarantee (BRG) for the two new vessels for the Little Minch routes between Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert that are under contract at Cemre Marin Endustri in Turkey.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Bank Refund Guarantee for the two new vessels for the Little Minch routes was signed on 3 February 2023. The name of the financial institution that provided the guarantee is commercially confidential.
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to improve the pathway from primary care to diagnostic tests for patients with suspected cancer.
Answer · Neil Gray: A clinical refresh of the Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer is underway to help ensure those with symptoms suspicious of cancer are put on the right pathway at the right time. These Guidelines have been developed for primary care clinicians to…
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will confirm the budget for the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for 2024-25.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults has been a positive development in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our local communities, with approximately 3300 grants made to local projects across Scotland in the first two years al…
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting patients who are on waiting lists for cancer diagnostic tests or cancer treatment.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting people at all stages of a potential or confirmed cancer diagnosis. We are investing in the Single Point of Contact programme so that people with a suspicion, or a diagnosis of cancer, are at the heart of all …
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer among any demographics that may be less likely to seek medical help or engage with clinical services.
Answer · Neil Gray: We know that the earlier cancer is diagnosed the easier it is to treat and even cure which is why we continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme. The Programme takes a whole-systems approach to earlier detection and encompasses primary car…
29 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that patients from all socioeconomic backgrounds have equal access to primary care.
Answer · Neil Gray: Responsibility for delivery of Primary Medical Services rests with Health Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships, and delivery plans should take account of local population health need. To assist local partners, in November 2023 the Scottish Governmen…
26 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on reducing the working week in the NHS to 36 hours as part of the 2022-23 pay deal.
Answer · Neil Gray: The first 30-minute reduction in the working week for all Agenda for Change staff should start on 1 April 2024. In the event, that a local Health Board cannot fully implement the agreement in a particular department or within a particular speciality due to …
25 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any products currently manufactured in Scotland that are exported to Israel and subject to open general export licences (OGELs) issued by the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU), which is part of the UK Government Department for Business and Trade.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Open general export licences (OGELs) are reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government does not hold data or information on OGELs. In a wider context, the First Minister has recently asked the Prime Minister for a ban on licencing of arms exports fr…
24 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the recent statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy that the Scottish Government is "investing £24 million in Sumitomo Energy", whether it will confirm what debt or equity investment stake the Scottish Government has acquired in Sumitomo C…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise (SE) have approved up to £24.5m in grant funding to the Sumitomo Electric UK Ltd high voltage cable manufacturing project. This comprises £19.37m in Scottish Government fu…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent public sector net debt to GDP ratio is in Scotland, and whether time series data on this measure is available.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Statistics on Scotland's public sector finances are published in the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) publication; however, statistics for Scottish public sector net debt are not available. The latest GERS publication is available at: Govern…
20 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Police Scotland regarding the policing strategy for the safe consumption room pilot in Glasgow.
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which shipbuilding firms are being engaged with as part of the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) Strategic Investment Model projects for (a) Enabling Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) Fabrication in Scotland and (b) Enabling Service Operation Vessel (SOV) Fabrication in Scotland.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Strategic Investment Model (SIM), an initiative devised to respond to the recommendations within the Strategic Investment Assessment, is a novel industry-led approach which is delivering for the offshore wind sector in Scotland. The SIM is helping the Go…
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the 38 Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) Strategic Investment Model projects that have completed Stage 1, whether it will provide a breakdown by local authority area of where the projects are located, and what the potential capital value is.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Strategic Investment Model (SIM), an initiative devised to respond to the recommendations within the Strategic Investment Assessment, is a novel industry-led approach which is delivering for the offshore wind sector in Scotland. The SIM is helping the Go…
20 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what investment proposals for the River Clyde and Firth of Clyde are in the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council's (SOWEC) Strategic Investment Model.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Strategic Investment Model (SIM), an initiative devised to respond to the recommendations within the Strategic Investment Assessment, is a novel industry-led approach which is delivering for the offshore wind sector in Scotland. The SIM is helping the go…
19 Feb 2024 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the analysis by Citizens Advice Scotland suggesting that over 660,000 people are experiencing mental health problems due to increasing household debt.