Tess White

7 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to withdraw from Stonewall's Diversity Champions programme.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government renewed its annual membership of Stonewall’s Diversity Champions scheme for 2025 and therefore has no plans to withdraw.

7 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the care sector, in light of reported comments from the Chief Executive of Scottish Care that "the bottom will fall out of the sector in three months".

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government understand the level of concern Dr Donald Macaskill has for the challenges currently being faced by the Social Care sector within ScotlandWe are particularly concerned about the impact of the decisions taken by the UK Government, most …

7 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support that it is giving to NHS Grampian, in light of the NHS board's reported ongoing financial difficulties.

Answer · Neil Gray: NHS Grampian were escalated to Level 3 of the NHS Support and Intervention Escalation Framework in January 2025 for financial management and position. The Scottish Government are providing specific tailored support to NHS Grampian in order to help stabilise t…

7 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce cancer waiting times in NHS Grampian, in light of the NHS board reportedly recording the worst cancer waiting times in Scotland.

Answer · Neil Gray: Cancer remains a national priority, within the Scottish Government and across NHS Scotland, and I recognise that we must do more to ensure patients with cancer are treated faster.We have invested over £40 million across NHS Scotland over the past five y…

7 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed Misogyny Bill will be introduced before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Angela Constance: As set out in the answer to question S6W-37425, which was answered on 2 May 2025, due to the short amount of time left in this parliamentary session, there is insufficient time for a Misogyny Bill to be finalised and introduced. Therefore, the Scottish Govern…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct NHS boards to conduct an audit of existing mixed-sex accommodation across the NHS estate, and what action it is taking with NHS boards to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation, in line with the guidelines and recommendations produced in 1999 and 2000.

Answer · Neil Gray: Guidance issued to NHS Boards by the Scottish Government states that in all new hospital developments, there should be a presumption of 100% single rooms, and where existing accommodation is being refurbished as close to 100% as possible is expected. The Equa…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to respond to the correspondence of 21 February 2025 from the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding single-sex facilities, and whether its response will be published and made publicly available.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government responded to this correspondence on the 20March 2025 and will be meeting with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), virtually, on 24 April 2025. As the response was about arranging a meeting between EHRC and the Scottish Gov…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with NHS boards to support staff networks that provide support in relation to the protected characteristic of sex.

Answer · Neil Gray: As part of our Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), the Scottish Government encourages NHS employers to support the development of staff networks for all nine protected characteristics. However, as individual employers, Boards are responsible for upholding the…

27 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the report on the review of data, statistics and research on sex and gender (the Sullivan Review), when it will update its 2021 guidance for public bodies on the collection and publication of data on sex, gender identity and trans status, in line with reco…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Office of the Chief Statistician published guidance for public bodies in Scotland on the collection of data on sex and gender in 2021. This guidance recommends that statistics producers should collect data that best serves the needs of users in their spec…

26 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the potential loss of agricultural land in the North East Scotland region as the result of development.

17 Mar 2025 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review public sector guidance on single-sex spaces, in light of reported concerns about the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Prison Service.

24 Feb 2025 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its role in ensuring that public bodies are meeting their legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010, following recent correspondence from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

12 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with NHS Grampian to support the improved delivery of dermatology services, in light of reports that waiting times for urgent referrals for suspected cancer are more than five months, and waiting times for routine referrals are more than two years.

Answer · Neil Gray: Each territorial Health Board across Scotland has agreed performance improvement plans in place, detailing what is being done at local level to drive improvements. The Scottish Government has a sustained focus on the delivery of these plans and meet with Canc…

30 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31037 by Jenny Gilruth on 15 November 2024, whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making in taking forward its work to update the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967, and by what date i…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government intends to refresh and modernise the School Premises Regulations (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) to ensure that they meet the needs of pupils and schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government still intends to re-consult …

30 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason no financial provision was made in its draft Budget 2025-26 for the new national treatment centre in Aberdeen, in light of the increase in capital funding and the Finance and Public Administration Committee's call on it to "ensure it’s in the best possible position …

Answer · Neil Gray: As had been made clear, there remains challenge and uncertainty in the capital funding position.All due consideration will be given as to which projects are affordable and deliverable and can be included within our revised infrastructure investment plan pipel…

27 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authority planning decisions the Scottish Ministers have overturned in each year since 2021, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Ivan McKee: A copy of the data requested is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 65639).

2 Dec 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of capacity in the NHS, in light of the critical incident declared by NHS Grampian on 28 November 2024.

26 Nov 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects its preparatory work to conclude and the review into Creative Scotland, which was announced in September 2024, to get underway.

20 Nov 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of increased employer national insurance contributions on primary care providers in Scotland's NHS.

19 Nov 2024 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the output of the working group that was established to review the visitor experience in the chamber.

16 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to fill computing studies teacher vacancies.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: While local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of teachers, the Scottish Government is committed to maximising the number of jobs available in a range of subjects, including computing science.The Teaching Bursary Scheme offers a &p…

7 Oct 2024 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government is providing to NHS boards in order to reduce waiting times for breast reconstruction surgery.

26 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the "14 days notice" to the occupier, as required by paragraph 10(2) of Schedule 4 of The Electricity Act 1989 to permit a person "authorised to enter upon any land" to do so "as of right", is a (a) general notice, (b) notice published or posted locally or (c) specific notice iss…

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Electricity Act 1989 is legislation enacted by the UK Parliament. Interpretation of the requirements of paragraph 10(2) of Schedule 4 of The Electricity Act 1989 would be dependent on legal advice based on the circumstances of the individual case.

18 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been budgeted by Transport Scotland for the delivery of the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme, and what impact the "current funding restraints", which the Cabinet Secretary for Transport made reference to on 10 April 2024 in a letter to a representative …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is facing significant pressures on its capital budget, with an expected real terms reduction from the UK Government to capital funding in Scotland of nearly 9% over five years. This equates to a cumulative loss of over £1.3 billi…

18 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Aberdeenshire Council withdrawing its technical objection to the plans in February 2024, whether it will provide an update on the most recent timetable for the delivery of the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement Scheme.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Following the publication of draft Orders, Transport Scotland received four objections to the proposed A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme, including one from Aberdeenshire Council following its decision to close the existing Oatyhill Bridge to …

10 Sep 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of police service strength, in light of the decrease in Police Scotland's officer numbers.

3 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how funding to local authorities for flood defences will change as a result of the in-year spending reductions outlined in its fiscal statement on 3 September 2024.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Within an extremely challenging financial context, the Scottish Government has made difficult funding decisions. Local authorities have received all the funding they have requested for flood protection in 2024-25 and, as such, £26 million from the Flood…

12 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any financial support that it is providing to tackle coastal erosion in Montrose.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government recognises the serious erosion issues to the sand dunes in Montrose and the impact this could have on flood risk for residents.Through our Dynamic Coast project, we have worked closely with local authorities to help them plan for coast…

12 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28648 by Siobhian Brown on 2 August 2024, for what reason the total number of exemption certificates issued for XL Bully dogs provided in its answer is lower than the figure of 3,342 exemptions reported in The Scottish Sun on 3 August 2024.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The answer to S6W-28648 stated that 3,308 certificates of exemption for XL Bully dogs have been issued to dog owners by the Scottish Government during the period 1 April 2024 to 31 July 2024. This reflected the number of exemptions issued when the PQ answer w…

1 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the national code of practice for GP premises, agreed between the Scottish Government and the BMA Scottish GP committee, which sets out how the Scottish Government will support a shift to a new model in which GPs will no longer be expected to provide …

Answer · Neil Gray: NHS Boards are responsible for implementing the National Code of Practice for GP premises. The NHSScotland National Primary Care (GP) Premises Group has been set up to consider all matters relating to GP Premises including:Oversight of the implementation of …