Parliamentary questions
Foysol Choudhury
467 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what framework is used to prioritise funding for public services such as Scottish Water.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Decisions on investment in the current water industry regulatory period (2021-27) are made with reference to the process set out in the Investment Planning and Prioritisation Framework (IPPF). Co-created with industry stakeholders, the Framework represents a …
7 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fund a dedicated space to address Scotland's colonial and slavery history, in light of recommendations by the Empire, Slavery and Scotland's Museums Steering Group. R
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is actively considering its response to the Empire, Slavery and Scotland's Museums steering group recommendations. Discussions to help inform our response are continuing with, amongst others, representatives from Museums Galleries Scot…
7 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the Cats Protection’s, Cats and Their Stats (CATS) Report Scotland 2022, that “32% of all Scottish cat owners expressed considerable concern over being able to afford bills and other living costs over the next 12 months due to price increases”.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government recognises that the current cost of living crisis families are having to make difficult decisions. It is of course very upsetting when anyone has to give up a pet they dearly love. There are numerous charities who can help and I would …
7 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that the rising cost of living has had on pet owners.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12018 on? 21 Novemebr 2022. 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-commi…
7 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to pet owners to help prevent them from having to relinquish pets to charities, in light of the rising cost of living and of reports from Cats Protection of a 19% increase in relinquishments due to financial reasons.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government recognises the difficult decisions that some pet owners are now facing due to the cost of living crisis. Although the Scottish Government is unable to provide direct support, we will continue work with animal welfare charities and orga…
2 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11340 by Neil Gray on 19 October 2022, what it considers "reasonable costs associated with the super sponsor scheme" to be.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has not set a prescriptive list of “reasonable costs” for welcome arrangements. Local Authorities are best placed to determine how best to provide support to the Ukrainian people in their areas arriving under the Scottish Super Sponso…
1 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Creative Scotland regarding funding for cultural organisations during the cost of living crisis.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and I meet regularly with Creative Scotland to discuss our shared priorities, including funding for cultural organisations during the cost of living crisis which was discussed at the mos…
31 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the amount currently being spent by the NHS on agency staff is an acceptable level of spending, and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: While the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare, we fully expect NHS Board's to utilise funding, facilities and staff while taking account of national and local priorities to meet local health needs. …
26 Oct 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to small businesses through the cost of living crisis.
19 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the reported freeze of Modern Apprenticeship funding on the childcare sector.
Answer · Clare Haughey: There is no freeze on Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) this year. We are on track to meet contracted demand for MAs across the childcare related frameworks.
11 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to healthcare assistants who wish to become qualified nurses.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government supports our healthcare support workers (HCSWs) to train to become registered nurses while remaining in the workforce in their local NHS Board area. The Open University offer this pathway and Scottish Government provides £10,000 backfi…
10 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of expanding the entitlement to free school meals, in light of a recent survey by the NASUWT The Teachers' Union, which found that 65% of its members had observed more pupils coming to school hungry.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: At present, free school lunches are available during school term-time for all 281,856 children in primaries 1 to 5 and special schools, as well as eligible pupils from primary 6 to secondary 6. We are working with our partners in local government to plan for …
3 Oct 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can give (a) local authorities and (b) the City of Edinburgh Council that capacity and financial pressures experienced as a result of supporting displaced people from Ukraine will be met by the Scottish Government.
Answer · Neil Gray: Continued partnership is at the core of delivering and improving the Super Sponsor Scheme. The Scottish Government is grateful to the continued work of local authorities, including City of Edinburgh Council, in their support to displaced people who have had t…
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered launching a public inquiry into the practice of unlawful organ and tissue retention at Scottish hospitals between 1970 and 2000.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government deemed that the most sensitive way of investigating previous post-mortem practice in Scotland was the Independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post Mortem Examination which was established in September 2000 by the then Sc…
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that those responsible for the practice of unlawful organ and tissue retention at Scottish hospitals between 1970 and 2000 are held legally accountable.
Answer · Maree Todd: At the time when issues were raised in relation to organ retention, a package of work was completed. This included the work completed by the Independent Review Group on the Retention of Organs at Post Mortem Examination, which was established in September 200…
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to facilitate the reunion of families affected by the practice of unlawful organ and tissue retention at Scottish hospitals between 1970 and 2000 with their loved ones’ remains.
Answer · Maree Todd: We are aware of the distress to families affected by tissue and organ retention at post mortem. We are further aware that while the majority of families have been reunited with their loved ones’ remains, there are a few cases in which this has not been possib…
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people who are waiting for cataract operations whose livelihoods are threatened by the condition in the meantime.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: To provide patients with some reassurance around the possible length of their wait, the Scottish Government have launched a new online platform, which is available at https://www.nhsinform.scot/waiting-times . Developed in conjunction with NHS 24 and PHS, t…
26 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for cataract operations.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11247. On 27 October 2022. 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-commit…
22 Sep 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the inter-community violence in Leicester in September 2022, whether its upcoming hate crime strategy will be alert to any potential use of social media in transmitting hatred across borders.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government unequivocally condemns any form of hatred or prejudice, and is clear that people of all faiths and none must be supported to follow their way of life, without fear or discrimination. I established the Hate Crime Strategic Partnership …
20 Sep 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its announced £37.6 million reduction in the budget for concessionary travel.
4 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider running a public health campaign to provide anyone at risk of infection from the monkeypox virus with accurate information and advice.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10233 on? 29 August 2022. 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…
4 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 has changed social attitudes towards breastfeeding.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 has shaped our policies to raise awareness of and protect the rights of parents to feed their babies in public. Scotland is the only country in the UK to introduce legislation which specifically protects breastfeedin…
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08620 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2022, whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates that it will be able to review the data and analysis from the UK Department for Transport e-scooters trial programme in England.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I understand that the UK Government’s e-scooter trials, which commenced in July 2020, are still ongoing in England. The first phase of analysis of the trials is now complete, and I understand that this will be published in autumn 2022. Transport Scotland ha…
30 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made towards agreeing terms of reference for its Hate Crime Strategic Partnership Group, and what action it is taking to protect Muslim communities in Scotland from Islamophobic incidents until its new hate crime strategy is in place.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is clear that hate crime and prejudice, including Islamophobia, will not be tolerated. Our new Hate Crime Strategy will set out our priorities for tackling hate crime in Scotland and will support implementation of the Hate Crime and P…
29 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the role of social work does not become that of crisis response alone.
Answer · Clare Haughey: Social workers make a highly skilled, unique and valuable contribution to supporting individuals and families across Scotland. Under current arrangements, the Scottish Government sets the overall strategic framework for social work delivery. The majority of …
23 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is being made available for children from economically and socially deprived communities over the summer holiday period.
Answer · Clare Haughey: We provide year round support for children from low income families, including over the summer holiday period, through the Scottish Child Payment (worth £20 per week for every eligible child under the age of 6), Bridging Payments (worth up to £520 in 2022 wit…
21 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that GPs and primary carers are trained to recognise and treat eating disorders.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-07140 on 21 March 2022. 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-committee…
15 Jun 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure fair access to justice in light of its recent Resource Spending Review reportedly freezing legal aid spending for the next five years.
14 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the group of symptoms experienced by women after receiving the Essure contraceptive implant should be recognised by health services as a specific medical condition.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is clear that any woman with concerns about Essure must be taken seriously and any complications arising from it must result in appropriate care being given. With this in mind, the Chief Medical Officer wrote to GPs and secondary care…
14 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the recommendations of the Ventilation Short-Life Working Group (a) were submitted to the Scottish Government and (b) will be published, and what the reasons are for any delay.
Answer · John Swinney: The COVID-19 Ventilation Short-Life Working Group (SLWG) reported to the Scottish Government at the end of March 2022. Following due consideration, we published our response to the SLWG recommendations on 29 June 2022, as part of a wider update to all MSPs on…