Foysol Choudhury

18 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it is taking to protect arts and cultural organisations, in light of reports that demand for Creative Scotland funding is currently more than double the available budget.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: We value our culture sector and the fundamental part this plays in our everyday lives, our national identity, and how we present ourselves to the world. The figures published recently by Creative Scotland are the results of the notice of intention to apply t…

14 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19017 by Maree Todd on 26 June 2023, what specific actions within the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy are focused on protecting the mental health of patients with long-term conditions, including chronic kidney disease.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer to member to the answer to S6W-20201 on 14 August 2023. 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-committees/questio…

14 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is reviewing how the recent update of the FreeStyle Libre 2 sensor to a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), with the possibility that it may be utilised in a hybrid closed loop system, will impact the roll-out of diabetes technology across Scotland.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Our Diabetes Improvement Plan contains a commitment to improving access to diabetes technologies, including CGMs for all who would benefit. We work closely with key stakeholders through the Scottish Diabetes Group to identify challenges and opportunities whi…

14 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered reviewing relevant legislation to allow residents in private care homes who can no longer afford to pay top-up fees to be transferred to a publicly-funded care home in the local authority where their current private care home is situated, in the event that the l…

Answer · Maree Todd: Where a person chooses a care home that does not accept the National Care Home Contract, the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 and associated guidance Charging for Residential Accommodation Guidance (CRAG) allows for topping up of care home fees. …

9 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take in light of a recent report by Asthma + Lung UK, which reportedly found that one in five people in Scotland struggle with breathlessness each day and that the poorest communities are most impacted by lung health inequalities.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We know that people living in poverty in Scotland are more likely to develop a lung condition than the general population, and recognise that we still have progress to make on improving access to care and treatment for respiratory conditions. In March 2021,…

7 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19956 by Jenni Minto on 2 August 2023, whether it will provide details of how exactly it will tackle the barriers that people face when trying to access diabetes technologies, including people experiencing financial difficulties due to the cost of l…

Answer · Jenni Minto: A key commitment in our Diabetes Improvement Plan is to further increase access to existing and emerging technologies which can significantly benefit people with Type 1 diabetes and improve their quality of life. We do, however, understand that there are stil…

1 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take in light of a recent independent study, which found that an urgent overhaul of Scotland’s producing theatre sector is needed if it is to survive.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: I welcome the publication of this report and the solutions to the issues that the sector is facing. The Scottish Government will continue to work with the culture sector to identify barriers to immediate and long-term recovery and will continue to do everyth…

1 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can give that the Scottish justice system will not wrongfully pursue individuals and leave taxpayers to absorb the cost of any compensation payments for any such wrongful prosecutions.

Answer · Angela Constance: Under Scotland's criminal justice system, it is for the police to investigate possible breaches of the criminal law and for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) to consider whether prosecutions should be progressed in any given case. Decisio…

14 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason patients who required an interpreter were not included in the process to form a patient panel on chronic pain.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We recognise that there are higher levels of chronic pain amongst minority ethnic populations and included minority ethnic participants in the work with both The Lines Between Pain Management Panel consultations: report - gov.scot and Healthcare Improvement…

14 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered establishing a centralised database to co-ordinate screening and clinical care for people affected by Lynch syndrome, in light of such a database currently being piloted in England.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has no plans to establish a database with regards to the monitoring of individuals with Lynch Syndrome. We are currently in discussion with clinicians including members of the Scottish Strategic Network for Genomic Medicine and the Cl…

14 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any inequalities of access to diabetes technologies, in light of reported concerns that people may be dissuaded from using such technology if they have to pay for insulin pump batteries.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Our Diabetes Improvement Plan, published in 2021, contains a key commitment to increase access to existing and emerging diabetes technologies. Between 2016 and 2022, we have invested £29.6 million of additional funding specifically to support this. The new A…

14 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any financial impact of long patient waiting times for magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16442 on 3 May 2023 and question S6W-19380 on 11 July 2023 . All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.…

14 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it plans to put in place in light of a recent joint report by the University of Bristol and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, which found that the additional cost of living for people with cystic fibrosis is over £6,500 a year.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government recognises the pressure on household budgets which is why we have allocated almost £3bn to support policies which tackle poverty and to protect people as far as possible during the ongoing cost of living crisis. Ministers have committe…

8 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider backdating payments for those who are entitled to compensation through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme, who were not previously aware of their entitlement to compensation.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the suffering of those who were infected with Hepatitis C or HIV, or both, as a result of NHS treatment in the 1970s and 1980s. Consequently, the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), which was established…

7 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the mental health needs of people with kidney disease, and what steps is it taking to meet any such needs.

Answer · Maree Todd: Mental health remains an absolute priority for the Scottish Government, and we are committed to ensuring that everyone who needs support can get access to services that are appropriate to their needs. Through this approach we recognise that long-term conditio…

7 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the 2023-24 Budget on the ability of local authorities to keep sport and leisure facilities open to the public.

31 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it has received any Barnett consequential funding in relation to the UK Government's allocation of £63 million to leisure centres with swimming pools in England.

Answer · Maree Todd: The financial package announced by the UK Government to support swimming pools in England has resulted in consequentials being added to the overall Scottish block. The Scottish Government places great importance on swimming pools. They are crucial to the wel…

31 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to fund traditional skills-based apprenticeships that lead to professional qualifications.

23 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the UK Government regarding the introduction of new clauses 24 and 25 to the UK Illegal Migration Bill, which could reportedly lead to age assessments and mandatory medical assessments of any children being detained in Scotland.

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government is clear that scientific age assessments have no place in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s Age assessment: practice guidance strongly advises against use of such techniques on child welfare grounds and their ability to accurately …

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when community groups, which were previously funded by CashBack for Communities, will be informed if any cashback funding will be made available to local communities or youth groups between 2023 and 2026. 

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The CashBack for Communities fund is a unique programme that reinvests money recovered from the proceeds of crime to support young people across Scotland. The 29 organisations that successfully applied for Phase 6 funding were notified about the award in Mar…

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any research or risk assessment informed its recent decision to withdraw the extended face mask and face covering measures across health and social care settings.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and removing COVID-19 guidance. In April 2023, the Scottish Government commissioned Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland to review the curre…

11 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it is having with the UK Government regarding tackling human trafficking in Scotland, in light of reports that human rights organisations have claimed that the Illegal Migration Bill will increase the likelihood of human trafficking.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government is clear that the UK Government’s cruel and inhumane Illegal Migration Bill should be scrapped immediately. The Bill will cause significant harm to victims of human trafficking. It will facilitate even greater control by perpetrators a…

4 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allow West Lothian IJB to retain some of its £10 million of COVID reserves, in light of reports that some social care services in West Lothian could be privatised due to a budget gap.

Answer · Maree Todd: Most Integration Joint Board (IJB) reserves are earmarked for specific purposes, including the response to COVID-19, and cannot be used to fund other spending commitments. In 2022-23, surplus COVID-19 reserves were redistributed to meet COVID-19 costs across …

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will use any forthcoming national good food plan to highlight the reported negative impact of the over-consumption of ultra processed foods on public health and the environment.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is currently preparing the first national Good Food Nation Plan, as required by the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022. The national Good Food Nation Plan will set out the main outcomes in relation to food-related issues that we wis…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has examined the reported evidence linking diets high in ultra processed foods with a range of negative health outcomes, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) remain committed to using the latest scientific consensus of established evidence to inform our view on ultra-processed foods. The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) considered ultra-pr…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it is taking in response to the statement in the COVID-19 Recovery Committee report, Long COVID, that the committee “is concerned by the number of people who said they felt they could only get proper diagnosis and treatment by seeking private medical care which is not …

Answer · Jenni Minto: We recognise the significant impact that long COVID can have on the health and wellbeing of those most severely affected across Scotland and welcome the COVID-19 Recovery Committee's consideration of this very important issue. We are carefully considering th…

1 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that students, who are in receipt of benefits, will receive a special support payment to ensure that they do not lose out due to being in receipt of, or entitled to, student support.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Work on the Special Support Payment has commenced and is in the initial stages of development and a timeline for introduction will be detailed in due course. We remain committed to introducing the Special Support Payment within the parliamentary term.  

27 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16420 by Patrick Harvie on 27 April 2023, for what reason there is no accreditation for contractors carrying out masonry repairs in Scotland.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Accreditation of contractors is a reserved matter, therefore the industry regulations rest with UK Government. The UK government has a number of regulations in place to ensure that building contractors are accredited and meet the required standards. These re…

25 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the taskforce established to explore what practical solutions can be delivered to help improve bus services across the country, in light of the reported continued reduction in routes by bus operators.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Bus Taskforce was convened by the previous Minister for Transport to work on critical issues with bus stakeholders. It is reviewing and coordinating immediate activity to support patronage recovery, to address workforce retention and recruitment, and to e…

24 Apr 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent report by NUS Scotland, which stated that more than a fifth of international students in Scotland have experienced homelessness during their studies.