Parliamentary questions
Angela Constance
227 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Dec 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the evidence cited in the 2018 UK Department of Health and Social Care report, Restricting Promotions of Food and Drink that is High in Fat, Sugar and Salt, specifically shows that restricting or banning (a) multi-buys, including meal deals, buy one get one free and three for two off…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The UK Government’s consultation paper sets out its proposals for England.
18 Dec 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the evidence cited in Reducing Health Harms of Foods High in Fat, Sugar or Salt: Consultation Paper specifically shows that restricting or banning (a) multi-buys, including meal deals, buy one get one free and three for two offers, (b) free products or free samples, (c) the sale of u…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We want to reduce Scotland-level consumption of calories, fat, saturated fat, free sugar and salt. These nutrients are a public health concern because our consumption exceeds our requirement. Saturated fat, free sugars and salt can directly increase the risk …
4 Nov 2019 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Deaths Abroad, Consular Services and Assistance, Why families in the UK deserve better and what can be done.
16 Oct 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what budget has been allocated to the Citizens’ Assembly of Scotland.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Ministers will provide a budget of £1.37 million to the Citizens’ Assembly across both financial years that it will be sitting. This funding will meet the costs arising from the 6 meetings of the Assembly, including the payment of gifts of thanks to…
7 Oct 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of proposals in its Programme for Government and delivery plan, A Healthier Future, whether it will provide details of the evidence that restricting or banning (a) multi-buys, including meal deals, buy one get one free and 3 for 2 offers, (b) free products or free samples, (c) …
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The consultation paper Reducing Health Harms of Foods High in Fat, Sugar or Salt , published in October 2018, includes details of evidence for the proposals contained within it. The consultation paper is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/reducin…
27 Sep 2019 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the Paediatric Programme Board to ensure that the return to a 24/7 service at the children’s ward at St John’s Hospital happens as quickly and safely as possible.
26 Sep 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Cabinet Secretary’s statement in Parliament on 29 January 2019, what it understands NHS Lothian’s position is on reinstating the full 24/7 service paediatric service at St John’s Hospital from October 2019.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Lothian has assured me that reinstatement of the full 24/7 paediatric service has the full commitment of the board and will continue to receive the highest level of priority. Whilst NHS Lothian has been reasonably successful in recruiting additional cons…
10 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support intergenerational work in communities that aims to tackle inequalities and improve life chances.
26 Aug 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how water pollution is being reduced in the Almond Valley constituency.
9 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on local authorities charging for non-residential social care services if a service user is receiving compulsory care and treatment under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government supports the position recommended by the 2019/20 National Strategy & Guidance for Charges Applying to Non-residential Social Care Services, published by COSLA, which recommends that local authorities should not charge people who are su…
17 Jul 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to remedy the issues that have delayed the opening of Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and to identify learning and any additional support to be provided to NHS boards undertaking similar projects in future.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: On Tuesday 2 July, NHS Lothian alerted the Scottish Government to an issue with the ventilation system at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) in Edinburgh. I was not satisfied that the issue could be resolved within the very short timefr…
28 May 2019 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in publishing statistical information regarding the devolved employment service, Fair Start Scotland.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Fair Start Scotland (FSS) is Scotland’s devolved employability support service and is designed to offer personalised support on a voluntary basis to help people, including those who are further removed from the labour market, who want help to find work and st…
15 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting youth employment in the Almond Valley constituency.
1 May 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting suicide prevention work in the Almond Valley constituency.
24 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the report on food poverty, Dignity: Ending Hunger Together in Scotland.
16 Apr 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports research into and the treatment of endometriosis.
15 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask Scottish Government for what reason it stopped funding the network of One Stop Shops for autistic people and their families; what its position is on reports that local authorities have not prioritised funding for these, and whether it will consider reintroducing funding for such a network.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has set out its commitment to autistic people and their families through the Scottish Strategy for Autism. In 2012, as part of this strategy, the Scottish Government provided funding to the three national autism charities to work joint…
15 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask Scottish Government what the role of Autism Network Scotland is; how much funding it receives; how its income is used, and how this is monitored.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The role of Autism Network Scotland is to support the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism. Their outcomes and conditions of grant are agreed annually and monitored quarterly by the Scottish Government. Their main outcomes are to:deliver a hub o…
12 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of spending each year in relation to its autism strategy.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the lives of autistic people, their families and carers through the Scottish Strategy for Autism. The funding allocated to the strategy, as detailed below, has been spent and used to help embed the strate…
27 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much local authorities have spent on culture in each of the last two years for which information is available, also broken down by council.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The details are shown in the following table. Culture and Related Services includes Culture and Heritage, Tourism, Recreation and Sport and Library Services. Table 1: Net Revenue Expenditure on Culture and Related Services, 2016-17 and 2017-18 by Local Autho…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-21305 and S5W-21308 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, although it has no power to provide consular assistance, what (a) financial and (b) other support it can offer to help the families (i) emotionally and practically and (ii) in meeting repatr…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government will, when appropriate, raise concerns with the Foreign Office on behalf of Scots affected by deaths abroad and signpost them to agencies in Scotland to help them access the support they require. Following repatriation of the deceased,…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21304 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, how many times the Lord Advocate has used his discretionary powers each year under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016, also broken down by how many times this was in relation to …
Answer · James Wolffe QC: The Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 (the 2016 Act), (the 2016 Act), was brought into force by parliament on 15 June 2017. In terms of section 4 of the 2016 Act, the Lord Advocate may instruct a Fatal Accident Inquiry…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21307 by the Lord Advocate on 11 February 2019, how many cases have been reported each year to (a) the Death Certification Review Service and (b) its predecessor organisations; how many were subsequently referred to the Scottish Fatalities Investiga…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The following table provides the total number of repatriations registered each year with the Death Certification Review Service (DCRS). It also sets out the number of repatriations reported by DCRS to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) and…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21302 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, once a body is repatriated, under what circumstances a fiscal will instruct a local enquiry to be carried out to clarify how a person died.
Answer · James Wolffe QC: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21307 which I answered on 11 February 2019, which states: When the remains of a person resident in Scotland who has died abroad are repatriated to Scotland the repatriation requires to be reported to the Death…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-21302 and S5W-21303 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, what its position is on expanding the role of the family liaison officers beyond the duty to communicate with family and relatives when a Police Scotland investigation is required, including…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: How and when Family Liaison Officers (FLOs) are deployed is a matter for Police Scotland. The primary roles of a Police Scotland Family Liaison Officer are to provide information to and signpost support for the family in a sensitive and compassionate manner …
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21307 by the Lord Advocate on 11 February 2019, what (a) internal and (b) external evaluation it used to support the assertion that "the system works well".
Answer · James Wolffe QC: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21307 on 11 February 2019 to which she refers. As previously advised the Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit of COPFS and the Death Certification Review Service (DCRS) are in frequent contact regarding relev…
20 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21305 by Humza Yousaf on 26 February 2019, how devolved services could be improved across the public and voluntary sector to provide better support for these families.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government are committed to doing everything it can to help families who suffer the death of a loved one abroad but as I know you are aware it is the role of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to provide consular support. However, as I had…
20 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting housing, regeneration and community empowerment in the Almond Valley constituency.
27 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much Scottish Enterprise has invested in video games companies in each year since 2008.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Over the past six years (2011-12 to 2017-18), Scottish Enterprise has invested over £13 million (£13.4 million) in games companies. Just under half of this investment (£6.5 million) was through the Scottish Investment Bank and the remainder split between Inno…
30 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that pupils with additional support needs in the Almond Valley constituency have their needs and right to an education met.