Carol Mochan

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it plans to make in sport in 2022, and who will monitor the use of any investment.

Answer · Maree Todd: Spending plans will be contained in the Scottish Budget due to be published on 9 December 2021. The Scottish Government has a robust sponsorship relationship with sport scotland to ensure oversight and accountability of their funding and will require reportin…

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that any allocated funding for sport will reach, and be used to support, clubs and groups that deliver local sporting activities, and not be diverted into national or local government budgets.

Answer · Maree Todd: Any funding provided to organisations by the Scottish Government directly, or through sport scotland, for this purpose, will include arrangements for monitoring of that investment.

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to make school estates local and affordable sports hubs in order to increase participation in sport.

Answer · Maree Todd: The vast majority of the school estate is the responsibility of, and managed by, local authorities. The Scottish Government’s Learning Estate Strategy and its guiding principles provide a platform for investment in the learning estate across Scotland and se…

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address reported concerns that participation in sport declines once children reach secondary school age.

Answer · Maree Todd: We recognise that being physically active is one of the best things we can do for our physical and mental wellbeing. We are committed to providing all children and young people equal opportunity to participate in sport and physical activity. As set out in the…

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scotland's performance in relation to training pharmacists is declining, and whether it will consider introducing further incentives to encourage talented students (a) in general and (b) from working class backgrounds to study pharmacy.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not agree that Scotland’s performance in relation to training pharmacists is declining. In fact, since 2020-21 there has been an increase in the overall numbers of students studying pharmacy. There are approximately 240 students …

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in place to directly invest in the work of community pharmacies and further increase the benefit they have to local communities.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government put in place and agreed a three year financial package in 2019-20 which sees an annual a fixed percentage uplift of 2.5% to the global sum each year of the current remuneration package. This ensures funding for continuous expansion in …

3 Nov 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to resolve the industrial action at Scotland’s Rural College and deliver fair pay for the staff.

27 Oct 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the number of students studying pharmacy at Scottish universities and colleges, in light of the reported shortage of pharmacists.

Answer · Maree Todd: There has been an increase in the overall numbers of students studying pharmacy with more Scottish domiciled students undertaking the course. In 2020/21 there was an increase of 51 undergraduate students accepted in to first year and again an increase of 53 u…

15 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the £15 million of funding announced on 15 October 2021 for a Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund is in addition to its commitment in the Programme for Government to “double the budget for community based mental wellbeing services for children and young people to £30 mil…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The £15 million of funding announced on 15 October 2021 for a Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for Adults is a new fund. The Fund is part of the £120 million Recovery and Renewal Fund announced in February to ensure the delivery of the commitments…

15 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33076 by Clare Haughey on 19 November 2020, whether the £15 million of funding announced on 15 October 2021 for a Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund is the continuation of funding allocated previously.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The £15 million of funding announced on 15 October 2021 for a Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund for adults is a new fund. The Fund is part of the £120 million Recovery and Renewal Fund announced in February to ensure the delivery of the commitments…

15 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Glasgow Prestwick Airport reportedly not charging private aircraft weighing up to 10 tonnes to park at the airport for up to 24 hours.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Glasgow Prestwick Airport’s Schedule of Charges is set out clearly on its website. Parking charges are only one aspect of charges applied to visiting aircraft. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is operated on a commercial basis and at arm’s length from the Scottish G…

7 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given a contract to deliver any NHS services to private healthcare provider, Oviva.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has not given a contract to Oviva to deliver any NHS services.

7 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) older people, (b) financially vulnerable people, (c) people on low incomes and (d) others in the South Ayrshire Council area it estimates will find it difficult to meet the cost of (i) purchasing and (ii) fitting fire alarms to bring them in line with the minimum standard th…

Answer · Shona Robison: It is not possible to estimate how many people in South Ayrshire would find it difficult to meet the cost of purchasing or fitting fire alarms, because information about the number of homes that do not have alarms that meet the new standard is not currently c…

7 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support residents in areas where local authority care and repair services are not available, including South Ayrshire.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities have statutory responsibility for improving houses in their area and broad discretionary powers to provide advice and support to owners. It is for a local authority to determine whether this is best provided through a local care and repair s…

22 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to address the consequences of the reduction of universal credit and any potential impact on child poverty.

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase the provision of community mental health support.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: In October 2020 the Scottish Government published the Mental Health Transition & Recovery Plan. The plan outlined our priorities for mental health, highlighting the importance of community based mental health and wellbeing support. In February we announced …

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the prevalence of mild to moderate mental health problems.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish COVID-19 Mental Health Tracker study provides data on the prevalence of mild to moderate mental health problems. Wave 4 of the Tracker Study is due to be published in the coming weeks. Alongside other sources, we use the Tracker Study to monitor…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a national waiting times target for people experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems to receive community mental health support.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has no current plans to introduce any new targets for waiting times for community mental health support over and above those already in place for child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and psychological therapy. In Februa…

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to renew its suicide prevention strategy once the current action plan expires.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are working with COSLA and stakeholders to develop a new long-term suicide prevention strategy for Scotland. The new strategy will be outcomes-focussed, and its development will be directed by the voices of lived experience. It will be informed by data and…

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards to carry out suicide prevention training.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government does not provide specific funding to local authorities or territorial NHS Boards to carry out suicide prevention training. The Scottish Government provides funding to Public Health Scotland (PHS) to manage the licences and processes to…

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of the 10 action points in its plan, Every Life Matters, have been delivered on.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00245 on 4 June 2021, which highlights the actions delivered in the Suicide Prevention Action Plan (Every Life Matters) . All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website…

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what importance it places on ensuring that people who deliver frontline public services receive suicide prevention training, and whether it monitors how many people are trained.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government places a high level of importance on providing awareness-raising and suicide prevention training for staff working in frontline public services, to help them identify and support people at risk of mental ill health or suicide. Action 2…

6 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Barnardo's Scotland report, Care In Mind Paper 2: Health Assessments for Looked-after Children, and what plans it has to implement each of these.

Answer · Clare Haughey: In line with our commitment to implement the conclusions of The Promise, the Scottish Government welcomes input and recommendations from our stakeholders. We will continue to work with stakeholders, including people with care experience, to consider what is c…

6 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update the policy framework regarding health assessments for looked after children and young people.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is working to respond to the health and wellbeing needs of children and young people who are looked after, in light of recovery from the pandemic; and as part of our commitment to Keep the Promise, our continuing response to the recomm…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address health inequalities, particularly those underpinned by socio-economic status and deprivation, that have become evident during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Maree Todd: Tackling health inequalities remains a clear ambition for this Government. Our Programme for Government 2020 sets out our commitment to promote lifelong health and wellbeing including a renewed focus on tackling health inequalities. The impact of persistent …

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to widen the age range of those automatically invited to attend breast screening clinics.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Breast Screening Programme invites women between the ages of 50 and 70 for routine breast screening every three years. This is in line with advice from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), which is an independent scientific body that adv…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the public are aware that NHS services are fully functioning and that health concerns therefore can and should be acted upon despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Whilst Covid-19 has change the way the NHS works, the Scottish Government has been clear since the start of the pandemic that NHS remains open and those with health concerns should be able to access the care they need safely and quickly. In a life-threatening…

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for an appointment at the South West Scotland Breast Screening Clinic from the point of referral by a GP.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The South West Scotland Breast Screening Clinic does not accept GP referrals. Patients are referred to the clinic through the national screening programme, therefore this data is not available. The clinic does track the waiting time from initial screening to …

14 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage more women to take up the offer of a breast screening service.

Answer · Maree Todd: The breast screening programme is governed by the Breast Screening Programme Board as well as the National Screening Oversight and the Scottish Screening Committee. They monitor and evaluate performance, including uptake rates, against a set of standards deve…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the implementation group that has been tasked with taking forward the recommendations of the National Review of Eating Disorder Services to carry out its work.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are currently finalising the Terms of Reference and membership of the Implementation Group, and will announce this shortly along with details of the first meeting. All future information about the Implementation Group will be published on the Scottish Gove…