Parliamentary questions
Sandesh Gulhane
385 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing a minimum standard or an implementation strategy for basic facilities across all NHS boards, to provide all doctors with places and time to rest and sleep, access to nutritious food and drink, and the tools needed to do their job, as recomme…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023. 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…
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments in the Expert Working Group report, 48-hour maximum working week (without averaging) for Junior Doctors in Scotland, that there is neither a consistent set of standards, nor an implementation strategy, across all NHS boards to establish such uniform s…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023. 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…
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to implement the recommendation in the "Principle Conclusions" section of the Expert Working Group report, 48-hour maximum working week (without averaging) for Junior Doctors in Scotland, to improve the provision of nutritious food and drinks for all night shift s…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023. 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…
8 Mar 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are working in its Constitutional Futures Division.
6 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the findings of its Health and Wellbeing Census, with information on how frequently S2 and S4 pupils use e-cigarettes, will be published.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Information on the first Health and Wellbeing Census undertaken by local authorities in Scotland between October 2021 and June 2022 is available on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/health-and-wellbeing-census-scotland-2021…
6 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in advance of publishing its refreshed tobacco control action plan in 2023, whether Public Health Scotland plans to update any analysis on the estimated effects of reduced smoking prevalence on the three outcomes of smoking-attributable deaths, smoking attributable hospital admissions a…
Answer · Maree Todd: The latest set of smoking-attributable deaths and smoking attributable hospital admissions up until 2021, will be published as a ScotPHO update on 21 March 2023. This can be accessed from Smoking attributable deaths - ScotPHO Smoking attributable admission…
1 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will propose scheduling parliamentary time to debate strengthening the scrutiny role of the Parliament in holding the Scottish Ministers to account.
1 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage business activity in Scotland.
19 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about updating the definitions of (a) alcohol-free and (b) low alcohol products in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK as a whole.
Answer · Maree Todd: We are liaising with UK Government on the status of their plans for a UK-wide consultation on alcohol-free and low alcohol descriptors consultation and are awaiting further updates on their approach.
19 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how low alcohol products are defined in Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The descriptor for low alcohol products as set out in current UK Government guidance, which applies in Scotland is: the drink must be 1.2% ABV or below and an indication of its maximum ABV should be included on the label. These can be found on the UK Govern…
19 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how alcohol-free products are defined in Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The descriptor for alcohol-free products as set out in current UK Government guidance, which applies in Scotland is: this should only be applied to a drink from which the alcohol has been extracted if it contains no more than 0.05% ABV, and the products shou…
19 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether (a) alcohol-free and (b) low alcohol products reduce levels of alcohol harm.
Answer · Maree Todd: Whilst the Scottish Government recognises the potential for alcohol-free and low alcohol products to reduce alcohol harm there is limited research in this area. We will continue to review emerging evidence carefully before coming to a position.
19 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Food Standards Scotland about updating the definitions of (a) alcohol-free and (b) low alcohol products in Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has the lead for alcohol policy in Scotland. However, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has responsibility for the policies surrounding general food labelling in Scotland and work closely with policy officials across the four nations on th…
18 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on avian flu, including any measures it is taking to tackle its spread.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Since the start of October 2022 there have been 18 confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 in poultry and captive birds and 81 findings in wild birds in Scotland. The Scottish Government responded to the risk of avian influenza from wild bi…
11 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has fully considered the economic consequences of its presumption against new oil and gas exploration, both to workers within the industry and to the wider Scottish economy as a whole.
4 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken an impact assessment on its proposals to move specialist mental health services to the remit of a National Care Service, and, if so, whether it will publish this information.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Impact assessments published in relation to the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill cover the full range of current services proposed to be transferred to the National Care Service, including both health and social care services. These can be accessed at: …
4 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the £61.9 million increase in National Care Service and adult social care expenditure in its 2023-24 Budget will be allocated.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The published 2023-24 Stage 1 budget showed at level 4, a total investment of over £1.2 billion in Social Care support and NCS delivery. The £61.9m additional funding will help support a number of areas as noted in the response provided for S6W-13643 on 19 Ja…
4 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the National Care Service and adult social care budget allocation in its 2023-24 Budget will be allocated to (a) the National Care Service and (b) adult social care.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The published 2023-24 Stage 1 budget showed at level 4, a total investment of over £1.2 billion in Social Care support and NCS delivery. Within the £1.2 billion, there is £60 million notionally earmarked for investment in Fair Work and specific NCS programme …
4 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the National Care Service and adult social care budget allocations under health and social care expenditure in its 2023-24 Budget.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The published 2023-24 Stage 1 budget showed at level 4, a total investment of over £1.2 billion in Social Care support and NCS delivery. This is made up of a number of areas including an additional £100 million for adult social care pay up to £10.90, on top o…
6 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to improve the wellbeing of junior doctors and, in turn, the safety of patients, by providing support to ensure consistent access to nutritious food at NHS workplaces.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: We are working closely with NHS Boards to support a range of local initiatives designed to meet the basic and practical needs of junior doctors, and their teams. This includes access to quiet spaces to support health and wellbeing, the installation of lockers…
5 Dec 2022 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Strep A cases in Scotland, including what it is doing to mitigate any risks.
30 Nov 2022 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm whether WhatsApp messaging by the health secretary and his ministers are covered by Freedom of Information legislation and the processes that are in place to archive these to prevent them being inadvertently lost or otherwise deleted.
15 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-11406 and S6W-11407 by Maree Todd on 25 October 2022, whether it will confirm start dates for the commencement of the short life working groups on Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment provision and reviewing domiciliary eye care services p…
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government remains committed to undertaking both short life working groups, however we are not currently in a position to confirm start dates for either group. We anticipate writing to Optometry Scotland in the New Year regarding anticipated time…
15 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timescales for any actions it is taking to support and develop community eyecare services across Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government plans to continue to support and reform community eyecare services, recognising the capacity in the sector to further help sustainably reduce pressure on hospitals and GPs. These plans include a new national Community Glaucoma Service …
3 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any of the key recommendations in the final report of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review to which it agrees, what action it plans to take to implement the recommendations.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Mental Health Law Review published its final report at the end of September 2022 and set out over 200 proposals for reform. Cross-government work is now underway to assess their implications and we will set out our response, including priority a…
3 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has agreed to all of the key recommendations in the final report of the Scottish Mental Health Law Review, and in relation to any that it has not yet agreed to, whether it will provide a timeframe for consideration of the recommendations, and when it expects to publish its res…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Mental Health Law Review published its final report at the end of September 2022 and set out over 200 proposals for reform. Cross-government work is now underway to assess the implications of these proposals. Given the scope and complexity of th…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what actions it will take to tackle the reported increasing disease burden related to obesity, in light of projections that non-communicable disease deaths related to obesity are set to rise by 10% by 2026, from the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Coalition in its report Non-Communic…
Answer · Maree Todd: We recognise the scale and impact of non-communicable disease across Scotland and are taking a range of actions to address their impact on our health and wellbeing. Living with overweight or obesity is linked with an increased risk of developing a range of s…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to support the 530,000 people who will reportedly need to either (a) quit or (b) not take up smoking by 2034 to meet its tobacco-free generation target, as projected by the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Coalition in its report Non-Communicable Disease Preven…
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government are developing an expert group that will be reporting on smoking cessation services early next year. We are also committed to working with our NHS cessation coordinators and pharmacy colleagues across Scotland to refocus and remobilise…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is planning to take to improve public health, in light of reported recent polling by the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Coalition, which found that around two thirds of Scottish adults would like to see it do more to improve public health.
Answer · Maree Todd: We welcome the findings of the report which adds to the picture of health across Scotland. Scottish Government is targeting the three biggest factors that impact preventable ill-health. These are tobacco use, diet and alcohol. Our vision is to have a Tobacco…
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement restrictions on (a) advertising, (b) sponsorship and (c) promotion of alcohol products (i) in public spaces and (ii) at sporting and cultural events.
Answer · Maree Todd: As set out in the Programme for Government 2022-23, later this year we will consult on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion to protect vulnerable groups, including children and young people and those in recovery. Subject to the outcomes…