Parliamentary questions
Sharon Dowey
756 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) the college sector and (b) Ayrshire College regarding its draft budget 2025-26.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government engages regularly with the college sector on a range of issues, including the 2025-26 budget, via Colleges Scotland.The Scottish Government has had no direct engagement with Ayrshire College on the 2025-26 budget.With the publication o…
16 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money it allocated to NHS Education for Scotland for experiential learning for undergraduate MPharm students in the financial year (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22, (d) 2022-23 and (e) 2023-24.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The following table shows how much funding the Scottish Government allocated to NHS Education for Scotland for experiential learning for undergraduate Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) students in the years requestedYearAmount Allocated2019-20£2,160,0002020-2…
13 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer toquestion S6W-30309 by Angela Constance on 28 October 2024, whether itwill provide an update on its engagement with the Scottish Police Authorityregarding any deployment by Police Scotland of live facial recognitiontechnology.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6O-03953 on 13 November 2024. All answers to Oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Official Report: search what was said in…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide support to the Scottish Prison Service in order to upscale the provision of alcohol treatment services to individuals resident in the prison estate.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the rec…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its policy and guidelines regarding people with alcohol use disorder in the justice system, with a view to addressing any gaps in implementation.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the rec…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support and promote the use of alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) in justice settings.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the rec…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems’ paper, Alcohol (In)justice: Position on people with an alcohol use disorder in the justice system.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the rec…
18 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve outcomes for individuals in the criminal justice system with alcohol problems, including those with alcohol use disorder, and how the impact of any such action will be measured.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government funds NHS Boards to provide healthcare to individuals in the criminal justice system. It is the responsibility of these Health Boards to provide safe, effective, person-centred care, equitable to that available to those in the communit…
17 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour, and safeguard the welfare of girls, in schools.
12 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work and outcomes of the Road Safety Scotland Drink and Drug-Driving Campaign
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s Drink and Drug-Driving campaign runs from the 2 December 2024 to 13 January 2025. It covers radio, digital, out of home billboards in urban areas where audience can be reached prior to drinking or taking drugs, tactical outdoor…
12 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle drug-driving, and how effective these measures have been.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In keeping with the Road Safety Framework to 2030 priorities and with particular reference to the In-Depth Fatalities Report, we are running a national campaign on Drink and Drug Driving.The Drink and Drug Driving campaign will tackle drivers aged 18-35. As o…
12 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a school programme to educate young people regarding responsible bus travel.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government wants all children and young people to develop mutually respectful, responsible and confident relationships.While there are no plans to introduce anything specific into the school curriculum on this subject, we encourage bus operators …
12 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a young person’s behaviour code for bus travel, similar to that operated by Transport for London.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Applicants for the scheme already have to agree to specific terms and conditions when signing up for the scheme, however we are working to strengthen these through changes to application forms to specify expected standards of behaviour when travelling and dev…
12 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour will publish its report setting out its findings and recommendations, and whether the group has made specific enquiries into young people's behaviour on public transport as part of its investigation.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Independent Working Group on Antisocial Behaviour is reporting to Ministers, Cosla and Police Scotland by the end of 2024. Its remit was to: Consider the effectiveness of current approaches to understanding, preventing and tackling antisocial behaviour an…
10 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support farming businesses that are seeking to diversify.
5 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government on 4 December 2024, in which it was announced that it would be "making an additional £3 million available to help to tackle retail crime", whether funding will be ringfenced for (a) dealing with…
Answer · Tom Arthur: Shoplifting and other forms of retail crime causes considerable distress to their victims. We have seen a significant rise in recorded shoplifting throughout the UK according to our own figures and those released by the Office for National Statistics for Engl…
5 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government on 4 December 2024, in which it was announced that it would be "making an additional £3 million available to help to tackle retail crime", whether the (a) Scottish Retail Consortium and (b) Retail In…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government are making £3 million available to help tackle retail crime which costs businesses millions each year and has a knock-on effect on the prices we pay in the shops. Police Scotland will work in partnership with the Retail Industry …
2 Dec 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the viability ofupdating legislation to allow grandparents greater access rights to theirgrandchildren, including following family breakdowns.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government recognises the important role that grandparents have in many families bringing up children, particularly following parental separation.When the Children (Scotland) Bill (now the Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (the 2020 Act)) was introduc…
2 Dec 2024 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is regarding any potential risk to the environment of excessive removal of peat during excavation projects.
26 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work it is doing to support the higher education sector to offer more places on medical courses.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government remains focused on increasing the number of places at medical schools to meet the future demands of NHS Scotland while also ensuring there are sufficient educational and training places of appropriate quality in NHS Scotland for our un…
26 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to support NHS boards in relation to workforce planning, following a reduction in full-time hours for NHS Agenda for Change staff.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government’s commitment is to progressing towards a 36-hour working week for Agenda for Change staff, building on an initial 30-minute reduction in working hours implemented from 1 April 2024. Whilst extensive guidance has been issued setti…
22 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA).
Answer · Neil Gray: The Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TAGRA) oversees the maintenance and development of the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula. The formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services across Scotland and…
22 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done to upgrade the NHS Scotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) funding formula.
Answer · Neil Gray: The NRAC formula is an objective measure of the need for health care services across Scotland.The Scottish Government have committed to continually review the funding formula. This process is managed by the Technical Advisory Group for Resource Allocation (TA…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement the recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government accepted the recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in principle on 14 December 2023.Audiology is being considered as a clinical priority area, and improvement work is being progressed through a task and finish…
20 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement a primary care communityaudiology service during the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government remains committed to its vision for an integrated and community-based hearing service in Scotland. However, in considering the future direction for the audiology sector, it is right that we move forward in step with the work of the Ind…
12 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will seek information on any gap between the staffing levels identified through the common staffing method and the actual number of staff recruited by NHS boards.
Answer · Neil Gray: The common staffing method (CSM) sets out a process to identify, mitigate risks and determine what changes, if any, are needed to staffing numbers. Its purpose is to ensure a consistent approach to decision making across NHS Scotland. The frequency of applyin…
12 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specific actions it will take in the event that any gaps are identified between safe staffing requirements and actual staffing levels across NHS boards.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019: Overview - Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019: overview - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) commenced on April 2024, the Act places duties on Health Boards to ensure that at all times suitably qualified an…
12 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is evidence that vacancies advertised in maternity services align with the workforce plans of NHS boards for midwifery.
Answer · Neil Gray: Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing requirements are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS board. Recruitment is a matter for health boards w…
12 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the number of vacancies for midwives in Scotland meets the (a) needs of maternity services and (b) workforce plans of NHS boards, and what the evidence base is for its calculations, in light of reports that many recent midwifery graduates, educated in line with Scottish Gove…
Answer · Neil Gray: Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing requirements are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS board. Recruitment is a matter for health boards w…
12 Nov 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that any upcoming inspections of maternity services account for any local discrepancies between safe staffing requirements under the common staffing methodology and current staffing levels, so that the quality of care can be evaluated in this context.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS)’s Healthcare Staffing Programme monitors NHS Boards’ compliance with the Common Staffing Method. The HIS Healthcare Staffing Operational Framework sets out HIS’s methodology for monitoring compliance. Th…