Parliamentary questions
Douglas Lumsden
1,891 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the reported low levels of physical activity among children in (a) general and (b) deprived areas.
Answer · Maree Todd: In 2022, the Scottish Health Survey reported that the proportion of all children aged 5-15 undertaking at least 60 minutes of activity on average per day in the previous week was 69% (including school-based activities). These levels have been relatively stabl…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to monitor and evaluate the progress of the National Good Food Nation Plan in reducing childhood obesity.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The consultation on the draft national Good Food Nation Plan sets out the indicators and other measures that will be used to measure progress towards achieving the six Outcomes set out in the Plan. This included extending the Scottish Government’s exist…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specific measures are being taken to meet the national ambition of halving childhood obesity prevalence to 7% by 2030, in light of the current rate reportedly being 18%.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Our 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan, A healthier future: Scotland's diet and healthy weight delivery plan - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) set out ambitious and wide-ranging action to deliver our vision for a Scotland where everyone eats well and has a he…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that the National Good Food Nation Plan effectively addresses (a) child obesity and (b) diet-related health inequalities.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The first national Good Food Nation Plan represents a fresh approach to food policy and it embeds long-term strategic transformation into decision making at both the national and local levels. The consultation draft of the national Plan set out the six overar…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specific interventions it is planning to address the reported higher consumption of sugary soft drinks among children from deprived areas.
Answer · Jenni Minto: As reported in the Scottish Health Survey Supporting documents - The Scottish Health Survey 2022 – volume 1: main report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) there has already been a significant decline in children’s consumption of non-diet soft drinks once …
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve the nutritional standards of school meals, beyond the 2020 regulatory interventions.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all children and young people by giving them the best possible start in life.We expect all local authorities to meet their statutory duty to comply with their statutory duty to com…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to improve the early identification of childhood obesity.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Effective approaches to preventing childhood obesity are focused on population-level measures, and therefore it is important that we can track progress on child healthy weight across our communities.The universal health visiting pathway includes growth assess…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address the affordability and availability of unhealthy food and drink products.
Answer · Jenni Minto: To improve our food environment and support heathier choices, we are committed to legislate to restrict the promotion of food and drink high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) at the point of purchase. The consultation on the detail of proposed regulations closed o…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address any barriers to delivering interventions for (a) pregnant women and (b) young children to maintain a healthy weight.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not recommend active dieting and weight loss interventions in pregnancy.There is strong evidence that breastfeeding is one of the most important things that a mother can do to give her baby the best nutritional start in life and c…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing (a) its 2018 diet and healthy weight delivery plan and (b) the commitments in the plan relating to children.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government are taking forward a range of actions across five key outcomes: giving children the best start in life; creating a healthier food environment; better access to weight management services; leadership and reducing health inequalities.This in…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the national ambition to halve childhood obesity prevalence to 7% by 2030 is still achievable.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Our aim to halve childhood obesity by 2030 and significantly reduce diet related health inequalities is deliberately ambitious.A recent study completed by Nesta Counting the cost of obesity in Scotland | Nesta calculated that, on average across all children l…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being implemented to make any code of practice for children’s food menus mandatory.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to make any code of practice (COP) for children’s food menus mandatory.The COP is one of 11 key principles set out in the Eating Out, Eating Well (publichealthscotland.scot), currently being developed by Pu…
16 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address any gaps in the enactment of regulations to restrict the promotion of food and drink products high in fat, salt and sugar.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The public consultation on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt closed on 21 May 2024. The consultation paper sought views on proposals for the implementation and enforcement of regulations.Ind…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on road improvement works in the North East in the current financial year.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: So far £23,094,147 has been spent on trunk road improvement schemes in the North East of Scotland during the 2024-25 financial year. This figure includes capital expenditure on Minor Improvement works, Structural Maintenance, Strategic Road Safety and S…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what correspondence it has had with members of the UK Parliament regarding the Green Volt project.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Any correspondence from members of the UK Parliament will be processed by officials in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code.As is a matter of public record, Stephen Flynn, MP, contacted the then Minister for Energy and the Environment, Gillian Martin, in O…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all correspondence with Flotation Energy regarding the Green Volt floating wind farm.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: It is not practicable to publish all correspondence in relation to marine licence and/or consent applications and subsequent determinations, however key information such as application, consultation responses and decision notices are shared here: https://mari…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has provided a fast-track ministerial review in response to correspondence from members of the (a) Scottish and (b) UK Parliament since the start of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government does not collect or record information relating to the volume of ministerial correspondence that is fast-tracked.
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the recorded causes of road traffic incidents at the Toll of Birness have been since January 2024.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has reviewed the personal injury accident information provided by Police Scotland and can confirm that there has been one personal injury accident at the Toll of Birness junction between 1 January 2024 and 30 September 2024, the date f…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Police Scotland to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not met with Police Scotland specifically to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness.Transport Scotland and Amey however had the opportunity to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness with Police Scotland on 1 August 2023 fol…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many collisions have been recorded at, or within a half mile radius of the Toll of Birness in each year since 2015, including the period from January to end of September 2024.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The following table provides the number of injury road collisions recorded by Police Scotland as taking place at or within a half mile radius of the Toll of Birness.Please note that the figures for 2024 are provisional, as they are based on monthly returns re…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Transport last met with Transport Scotland to discuss road improvements in the North East.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I meet with Transport Scotland officials on a regular basis to discuss improvements across the entire trunk road network including those located in the North East of Scotland, and most recently met at our regular portfolio meeting on 30 October 2024.
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria is used when determining whether a piece of correspondence should lead to a fast-track ministerial review.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Ministerial correspondence received by the Scottish Government is fast-tracked when a Minister or their Private Office determine that a response should be issued in advance of the typical 20 working day deadline the Scottish Government endeavours to meet. The…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Transport last met Transport Scotland to discuss road improvements to the Toll of Birness.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I have not met with Transport Scotland to discuss road improvements to the Toll of Birness junction specifically.On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotl…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on road improvement and road safety measures at the Toll of Birness in the current financial year.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In the current 2024-25 financial year, there has been no design or construction spend at the A90 Toll of Birness junction.Through Transport Scotlands 2023 annual assessment of the safety performance of the trunk road network, the A90 Toll of Birness junction …
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to the Net Zero Technology Centre since its foundation in 2017.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has provided the following funding to the Net Zero Technology Centre from its foundation to the end of the second quarter of financial year 2024-25:£148,696,581 through the Aberdeen City Region Deal and paid through Aberdeenshire…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met (a) Aberdeen City and (b) Aberdeenshire Council to discuss road safety in the North East.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotland and local authorities, to discuss measures aimed at enhancing road safety and progressing towards achieving o…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many road traffic accidents have been recorded in the (a) Aberdeen City, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) Angus Council area on trunk roads (i) in each of the last five calendar years and (ii) since January 2020.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government only holds personal injury accident information. It does not hold information relating to damage only accidents (i.e. not involving an injury).There has been the following number of personal injury accidents recorded on trunk roads in …
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Net Zero Technology Centre about future funding after the Aberdeen City Region Deal funding stream concludes.
Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Government officials meet quarterly with the Net Zero Technology Centre to discuss a variety of financial matters, including the Centre's plans for future funding beyond the term of the Aberdeen City Region Deal and its journey towards financial self…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Police Scotland to discuss road safety in the North East.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: On 30 October I chaired the Road Safety Strategic Partnership Board. This meeting involved a range of operational partners, including Police Scotland and local authorities, to discuss measures aimed at enhancing road safety and progressing towards achieving o…
9 Oct 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times it met the offshore wind developer, Flotation Energy, prior to April 2023, and how many times it has met since then.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: As part of normal practice in processing any marine licence or section 36 consent application, officials from the Marine Directorate Licensing Operations Team will meet with applicants and as such, have met with Flotation Energy on multiple occasions for the …