Parliamentary questions
Mercedes Villalba
523 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any impact of requiring specific MOT testing for licensed taxi (a) licensing, (b) testing and (c) retesting.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: I refer the member to the answers given for S6W-35156 and S6W-35159 on 27 February 2025.It is for independent licensing authorities to consider their own approaches on requirements for MOT testing, subject to meeting legal requirements.Chapter 5 (vehicles) of…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to taxi licensing, testing and retesting, which local authorities currently use delegated powers for licensing committees.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-35156 on 27 February 2025. 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-committ…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on the (a) inshore, (b) coastal and (c) offshore deepwater marine environment.
Answer · Gillian Martin: We know the majority of marine litter is plastic and we know that it has a negative impact on the health of our environment and biodiversity. That is why the Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials. This is in l…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy,…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on (a) malignant, (b) respiratory and (c) cardiovascular health.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not researched the impact of PET on malignant, respiratory or cardiovascular health. The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials. This is in line with the waste hierarchy, which prior…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the potential impact of the use of alternative, sustainable materials, instead of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics, in the food and beverage industry.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy,…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on (a) the natural environment, (b) biodiversity and (c) agriculture.
Answer · Gillian Martin: We know single use items made from PET and similar thermoplastics have a damaging effect on our natural environment and biodiversity from litter to harming wildlife. The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials r…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry on (a) public and (b) children’s health.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not researched the impact of PET on public and children’s health. The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition. This is in line with the waste hierarchy…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, specifically in relation to its net zero obligations, whether it has considered the impact of the usage of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics in the food and beverage industry.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy,…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it has and (b) funding is available to support (i) academic and (ii) industry research into the effects of using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and similar thermoplastics.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government’s policy is to reduce the consumption of single use materials regardless of composition, rather than to target specific material types or to displace one single use material with another. This is in line with the waste hierarchy,…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession students began their studies in the 2023-24 academic year.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the impact has been of the reported delay in regulating (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The implementation of regulation has not prevented physician associates (or anaesthesia associates) who are currently practising from continuing to do so, nor has it prevented NHS Boards or other employers from designing services around, and recruiting to, th…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to support the establishment of (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is supportive of a gradual and carefully managed expansion of physician associate (PA) and anaesthesia associate (AA) roles, underpinned by robust evidence of the benefit that can be derived from these roles in specific settings and co…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the closure of the Faculty of Physician Associates will have on the establishment of new (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has written to NHS Scotland Boards noting the closure of the Managed Voluntary Register previously operated by the Faculty of Physician Associates and encouraging the early registration of Physician Associates (PAs) with the General Me…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles were recruited by NHS Scotland in 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: The information requested on how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles were recruited by NHS Scotland in 2023-24 is not centrally held. Information on how many whole-time equivalent physician associates and other medica…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to integrate (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles into multi-disciplinary healthcare teams in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is supportive of a gradual and carefully managed expansion of physician associate (PA) and anaesthesia associate (AA) roles, underpinned by robust evidence of the benefit that can be derived from these roles in specific settings and co…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Physician Associate Network regarding the establishment of (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: Physician Associates (PAs) are a long-established profession within the NHS Scotland workforce. The Scottish Government continues to engage regularly with the PA profession, including through dialogue with the Scottish Physician Associate Network which is rep…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the General Medical Council regarding the (a) regulation and (b) establishment of (i) physician associate and (ii) other medical associate profession roles in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: (a) The Scottish Government engages with the General Medical Council (GMC) on its regulatory functions as a matter of routine. Many of those operational discussions will have touched upon issues relating to physician associates and anaesthesia associates sinc…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) physician associates and (b) people in other medical associate profession roles were dismissed by NHS Scotland in 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Decisions regarding the employment of individual members of staff are a matter for each NHS Scotland Board.
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles there are in NHS Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The information requested on how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession roles there are in NHS Scotland can be found on the TURAS NHS Education for Scotland workforce statistics site at: NHS Scotland workforce | Turas Data Int…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its freedom of information (FOI) release FOI/202400433327 (Scope of Practice and Medical Associate Professionals), when the Medical Associate Professionals Programme Board will make its recommendations regarding the development and implementation roles of (a) physician associ…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Medical Associate Professionals (MAPs) Programme Board meets on a quarterly basis to discuss and advise on matters regarding the deployment of MAPs across NHS Scotland. The Board will next meet on 3 April 2025. Papers for the Programme Board can be viewed…
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) physician associate and (b) other medical associate profession students graduated in the 2023-24 academic year.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment has been made of the uptake of the Fair Work Framework among employers in Scotland’s (a) offshore oil and gas, (b) offshore wind and (c) maritime industry.
Answer · Gillian Martin: In the absence of powers over employment legislation, through our flagship Fair Work First approach, the Scottish Government is applying Fair Work First criteria to public sector grants, other funding, and contracts where relevant and proportionate to do so, …
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Energy Skills Passport launched with the UK Government on 22 January 2025, whether it will make participation in the passport a statutory requirement for developers in the ScotWind process.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Energy Skills Passport is an industry-led initiative supported by RenewableUK and Offshore Energies UK, with Scottish Government funding also contributing to its development. The initial version, launched in January 2025, is designed to support individual…
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33222 by Gillian Martin on 24 January 2025, what the future funding arrangements are for the Energy Skills Passport, and how many applications the Energy Skills Transition Hub has received to date from offshore oil and gas workers.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The initial, industry-led, phase of the development of the Energy Skills Passport has been supported by £3.7 million of Scottish Government Just Transition funding over financial years 2022-23 and 2023-24. This funding has helped to lay the groundwork f…
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the employment rights of offshore oil and gas workers in Scotland.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Employment and industrial relations legislation is reserved to the UK Parliament. While this remains the case, the Scottish Government will continue to use our Fair Work policy to drive up labour market standards for workers across the Scottish labour market.…
6 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-32232 by Gillian Martin on 19 December 2024, which states that fisheries management measures are not a national or regional planning matter, how it will ensure that the views of environmental, recreational and commercial representatives are adequate…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Our Fisheries Management and Conservation group, including its subgroups, already includes representation covering environmental, recreational and commercial interests. In addition, we currently have an open Call for Evidence to inform the development of the …
16 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the carcasses of the 138,534 deerreportedly culled in the 2022-23 season yielded meat suitable for the humanfood chain.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This information is not held centrally. I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-33200 on 21 January 2025 and S6W-33202 on 17 January 2025 which set out the information we do hold on how the carcasses of the 138,534 deer reportedly culled in the 2022…
16 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the equivalent weight in (a)pounds and (b) kilograms is of the 138,534 deer reportedly culled in the 2022-23 season.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This information is not held centrally.
16 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33199 byMairi Gougeon on 15 January 2025, what data Forestry and Land Scotland collectson the final destination of venison sold to its commercial partners.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: It is not possible for FLS to maintain and hold data on the final destination of venison that it sells beyond keeping records of sales to meat processing establishments. Final destinations for venison is a decision for downstream businesses in the supply chai…