Tess White

1 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with Police Scotland to tackle rural crime, in light of new figures from insurance company, NFU Mutual, which show that rural crime in Scotland was up 34.9% in 2023 compared with the previous year.

Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland have confirmed that the increase in claims received by NFU Mutual from Scotland for the 2022/23 period can largely be attributed to a particular 'spike' during that period including the theft of farm machinery, GPS units and an increase in qua…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the sustainability fund for GP practices will resume in 2024, and, if so, by what date.

Answer · Neil Gray: We intend to resume Tranche 1 of the Sustainability Loan Scheme in 2024-25 once we have completed the disbursement of funds for those loans already completed and confirmed a budget. This will likely not be until midway through the financial year. Our prefere…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of Phase 2 of the 2018 GMS contract.

Answer · Neil Gray: We remain committed to Phase 2 of the 2018 GP Contract and ensuring the stability and sustainability of general practice. Discussions with the BMA on Phase 2 are ongoing and we are developing a refreshed delivery plan for this work – this will include a revi…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether transitionary funding for GP practices following the 2018 GMS Contract will resume, and, if so, by what date.

Answer · Neil Gray: Transitionary funding, sometimes known as sustainability payments, were made to GP practices in 2021-22 and 2022-23 and reflected the status of the Primary Care Improvement Plans at that time. Since then we have continued to implement the plans and practices …

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report in The Courier on 21 January 2024 that NHS Tayside, NHS Grampian, NHS Forth Valley and NHS Lanarkshire were not fulfilling the Universal Health Visiting Pathway, what action it has taken with NHS boards since January 2024 to recruit more health visitors.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Local recruitment is the responsibility of the Health Board with the Scottish Government providing support for workforce planning. Since December 2023, Scottish Government officials have met nursing leadership in all territorial Boards and all universities of…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its planned investment of £60 million for the modernisation and restoration of play parks over the course of the current parliamentary term, whether it will provide an update on play park renovation across the country, including how much has been allocated each ye…

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government is investing £60 million to renew play parks in Scotland, so children have access to free, high-quality outdoor play in their own communities. Since funding began in 2021, a total of 887 play parks have been renewed or are in the…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the transfer of Community Treatment and Care services from GP practices to NHS boards as part of the 2018 GMS Contract, and what its position is on whether these services have now been transferred in full.

Answer · Neil Gray: As part of the 2018 GP Contract, the Scottish Government amended regulations for the delivery of CTAC Services. Boards are now responsible for providing a Community Treatment and Care service. These services are being designed locally, taking into account loc…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any action it is taking to reduce waiting lists for hospital gynaecology services.

Answer · Neil Gray: We are committed to reducing waiting lists backed by an initial investment of £30 million has been allocated to Health Boards and will target reductions to the national backlogs that built up throughout the pandemic. This funding is being targeted at a series…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the open letter sent to the Minister for Public Health and Women's Health by the British Dental Association Scotland on 20 July 2024, whether it is considering further payment reform for NHS dentistry to improve access, inequalities and prevention.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government welcomes the comments of the British Dental Association Scotland that the new system represents an improvement on the previous Statement of Dental Renumeration.Official statistics published by Public Health Scotland on 28 May 2024 show tha…

30 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it spent with partner organisations on the national donor gamete campaign in (a) 2021, (b) 2022 and (c) 2023.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government, in partnership with NHS Scotland, spent the following on national donor gamete campaigns:(a) Launched in June 2021 the first donor gamete campaign cost £100,000(b) Launched in October 2022 the second donor gamete campaign cost &…

30 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following campaigns in 2021, 2022 and 2023, whether it plans to run any further national donor gamete campaigns, in light of reported criticism from the charity, Surrogacy Concern, regarding a lack of information included in the most recent campaign about the health implications of egg …

Answer · Jenni Minto: Donor gametes (eggs and sperm) are required to treat NHS patients throughout Scotland who require them for their NHS IVF treatment. To ensure that donor gametes are available to patients for their treatment, the Scottish Government/NHS Scotland are currently …

30 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care.

Answer · Neil Gray: In line with the 2024-2025 delivery plan for the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, a range of practical education and training projects have begun, with an early emphasis on improved support and training for remote and rural dispensing pra…

30 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address any barriers that may prevent individuals and couples from starting a family, as highlighted in the Scottish Government publication, A Scotland for the future: the opportunities and challenges of Scotland's changing population, published in March 2021,…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: In November 2022 the Ministerial Population Taskforce published the research report ‘Attitudes to Family Formation in Scotland’ to update the evidence base about fertility, family planning, and ideal family size in Scotland. Building on international engagem…

30 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on applications to the Independent Living Fund since it re-opened in April 2024, including the (a) number of applications received to date and (b) amount of money allocated.

Answer · Maree Todd: As at the end of July 2024, 98 applications to the reopened Independent Living Fund have been received. Of these, eight have completed all steps of the application process and are now in payment. The total annual value of these awards in payment is £162…

29 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of breast cancer services in NHS Tayside, including staffing, in light of the investigation into chemotherapy treatment at Ninewells Hospital for breast cancer patients in 2019.

Answer · Neil Gray: Since 2019, NHS Tayside has been focusing on developing and stabilising breast cancer services. They have successfully recruited new Breast Oncologists to their local service, including two Breast Clinical Oncologists who work solely for NHS Tayside alongside…

29 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government to the Finance and Public Administration Committee, dated 15 July 2024, what assessment it has made of the impact of the delayed Infrastructure Investment Plan on NHS capital projects and the delivery of …

Answer · Neil Gray: The anticipated cut by the UK Government to the Scottish Government's capital budget of up to £1.3billion in real terms over the coming years has consequences. In December 2023, given the extremely challenging capital funding position, NHS Boards were instruc…

29 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the childcare sector, in light of reported figures showing that the net number of childminders registered with the Care Inspectorate fell from 5,344 in June 2017 to 3,043 in 2024, including a reduction of childminders in Aberdeenshire by 36.2%.

Answer · Natalie Don: Childminders are an essential part of the childcare sector, offering a high-quality, nurturing experience to children of all ages, and the Scottish Government is committed to supporting and growing the sector.We have seen declines in the childminding workforc…

29 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the allocation of £30 million of targeted funding to the NHS, which was announced on 25 July 2024, whether it will provide a breakdown of the amount of funding that each specialty area will receive, and the amount that each NHS board has been allocated as part of the first i…

Answer · Neil Gray: The additional £30 million for planned care, initially announced in April, will support health boards across the country deliver around 12,000 inpatient procedures, over 40,000 extra diagnostic procedures and around 12,000 new outpatient appointments. Fundin…

29 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to Transport Scotland's report, Women's and girls' views and experiences of personal safety when using public transport, which was published in March 2023, what progress has been made towards implementing each of the report's 10 recommendations.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Following recommendations made in the research report on women and girls' safety on public transport, a number of actions are being taken forward. These include: Transport Scotland officials are continuing to work with colleagues across Government to ensure t…

25 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Integration Joint Boards' Finance and performance 2024, published by the Accounts Commission in July 2024, which, among other conclusions, found that "uncertainty around the direction of the plans for a National Care Service" has contributed to the "di…

Answer · Maree Todd: While the Accounts Commission’s recommendations are aimed at Integration Joint Boards, the Scottish Government is committed to working with the health and social care sector to support improvement. We have invested a record £19.5 billion in health…

25 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report, Integration Joint Boards' Finance and performance 2024, published by the Accounts Commission in July 2024, whether it will provide details of the four outstanding national integration performance indicators that have not been finalised for reporting, and when it …

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government acknowledges the importance of transparent and comprehensive reporting on integration performance indicators as highlighted in the Accounts Commission’s report, Integration Joint Boards' Finance and performance 2024. The four nat…

24 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to employees of Carpetright Ltd as the company goes into administration, which has resulted in the announced closure of more than 200 stores, including those in Bridge of Don and Kittybrewster in the north east.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government has provided support for employees affected by developments at Carpetright through our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) initiative.In agreement with Carpetright's Talent Acquisition Manager, a PACE Introduction to Re…

24 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the most up-to-date estimate of the costs of developing and implementing the proposed National Care Service, including the money spent to date on the proposals.

Answer · Maree Todd: Following Stage 2, we will provide a revised Financial Memorandum for Stage 2 amendments that have been agreed to which will also note the value of costs incurred to date on the Bill.

24 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reportedly higher than average rates of neonatal mortality in five NHS boards, including NHS Grampian, where the rate in 2022 was reportedly 24% higher than the group average.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Mothers and Babies Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK (MBRRACE-UK), reports give us valuable insight into national and local rates of stillbirth and neonatal mortality. We expect all NHS Boards to carefully consider MBRRACE-…

24 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the review into neonatal deaths in Scotland between April 2021 and March 2022, which was led by Dr Helen Mactier.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to undertake a review to determine underlying causes of an increase in neonatal mortality in Scotland in 2021-22 and make recommendations for improvements in care. The report, published in …

23 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report in the Daily Record on 23 July 2024 that paediatric nursing graduates from Glasgow Caledonian University were interviewed recently for roles in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde but were told that no jobs were available.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has been engaging with Health Boards regarding their current position in relation to job offers and supply. Health Boards remain committed to maximising opportunities for new qualified nurses to find employment. Whilst it is hoped tha…

23 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 2022 report by Endometriosis UK, Analysis of Endometriosis Service Provision in Scotland, which suggested that the average length of time from the onset of symptoms of the condition to diagnosis was 8.5 years, with 32% of women waiting over 10 years, what action it has t…

Answer · Jenni Minto: We are committed to delivering on the priority in the Women's Health Plan (WHP) to improve access for women to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and best treatment for endometriosis. We know that, for many women, diagnosis time for endometriosis is not…

23 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to the National Wellbeing Hub for health and social care workers in each year since 2020.

Answer · Neil Gray: The funding provided by Scottish Government, since 2020 for the National Wellbeing Hub for health and social care staff is broken down as follows: 2020-2021: £57,000 2021-2022: £85,000 2022-2023: £87,000 2023-2024: £191,000 2024-2025: £96,000

23 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the Acorn carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) project in St Cyrus will receive the full £80 million in funding that it earmarked towards it in January 2022.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government remains wholly committed to supporting the development and deployment of CCUS, including the Acorn Project and the Scottish Cluster, including with up to £80 million in support. When we, the project and the Scottish Cluster, are provid…

23 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners from HMP Grampian have been released under the Emergency Early Release programme.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:SPS currently share information regarding the number of individuals released under Emergency Early Release (ER) on the SPS website. Furt…