Margaret Mitchell

6 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made following the one-year after STRIPE evaluation of the M8 M73 M74 improvements project.

13 Feb 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on any issues arising from increases in the number of professional dog walkers.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Professional dog walkers have a valuable role to play in helping people who own dogs but cannot always be available to take them for walks. As with dog owners themselves however, professional dog walkers should operate in a responsible fashion to ensure the …

9 Jan 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to address parking issues around the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh.

12 Dec 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS boards have an automated system to identify and review patients who have experienced more than one appointment cancellation.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: All boards have patient management systems which can be interrogated to provide information on cancelled appointments however no boards automatically identify multiple cancellations of an individual appointment.  

28 Nov 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the pilots at Burnbank and Newarthill GP practices, whether it plans to promote greater use of occupational therapists within other GP practices to improve earlier intervention and preventative care.

24 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote literacy and numeracy for adults.

Answer · John Swinney: The Big Plus is Scotland's national adult literacy and numeracy campaign, operating since 2004. It is delivered by Skills Development Scotland with advice on adult literacy and numeracy provided by Education Scotland. A website and National Helpline connects …

10 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission.

16 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which schools in (a) South and (b) North Lanarkshire had staff vacancies at the beginning of the school year.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.  

16 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Dyslexia Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government meet regularly with Dyslexia Scotland through the ‘Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit’ and the ‘Dyslexia Making Sense’ working groups. They last met on 15 June 2018 and are due to meet again on 20 September 2018.  

16 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Lanarkshire.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all Health Boards, including NHS Lanarkshire, to discuss matters of importance to local people.  

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prison staff have been (a) disciplined, (b) dismissed, (c) charged and (d) prosecuted for smuggling illicit items into prisons in each year since 2013, also broken down by prison.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The number of SPS employees who have been disciplined for bringing prohibited items into a prison is set out in the following table, and is …

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what quantity of new psychoactive substances has been seized in each prison in each month since May 2015.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The following table details the confirmed number of ‘forensically tested’ instances where psychoactive substances have been seized in Scotti…

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many female prisoners there are in each prison, broken down by how many are (a) on remand and (b) carrying out a custodial sentence.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: As at 17 August 2018 there were 360 women in SPS care, 85 were on remand and 275 were serving a custodial sentence. The following table pro…

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cannabis plants have been seized by Police Scotland in each year since 2013-14, broken down by area.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government produces Official Statistics on Drug Seizures recorded by the police in Scotland. The following table shows the number of cannabis plants seized by Police Scotland for each year since 2013-14. Statistics for 2017-18 will be published i…

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of when a ministerial vehicle has been used to transport someone other than a minister or Scottish Government employee and who was unaccompanied by a minister or Scottish Government employee since May 2016, and what the purpose was of each journey.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Details are provided in the following table. We do not hold records prior to 1 st January 2017. Date Customer Purpose of journey 19-Jan-17 Minister (Wales) Transport from airport 20-Jan-17 Minister (Wales) Transport between venues 20-Jan-17 Minis…

1 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what type of weapons have been seized in Hamilton Sheriff Court in each of the last five years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

1 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many solicitors are taking part in the police station duty scheme, and which (a) bar associations and (b) societies have withdrawn from it.

Answer · Ash Denham: There are currently 532 solicitors in the police station duty scheme. Edinburgh, Jedburgh, Selkirk, Livingston, Falkirk, Dundee, Aberdeen, Peterhead and Banff have withdrawn.

20 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to ensure that older people are aware of the provisions in the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016, now that it is in force.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 came into effect on 1 April 2018. The Scottish Government is working to ensure that all carers, including older people who have a caring role, are aware of their rights under the Act. This includes:Scottish Ministers publishing…

19 Jun 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking ensure that there are more BSL interpreters.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In October 2017 the Scottish Government published its BSL National Plan 2017-2023, the first in the UK, with 70 specific actions, including to develop and increase the number of BSL/English interpreters across Scotland. These include a landscape review to dev…

14 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been each year under the Human Trafficking (Scotland) Act 2015, broken down by the number of (i) adult and (ii) child victims.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Our records show there were no prosecutions under the Human Trafficking (Scotland) Act 2015 for the financial years 2015-16 and 2016-17. Information relating to the financial year 2017-18 will not be available until early 2019. Please note that our database …

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) policy and (b) guidance the NHS has regarding the return of hospital equipment that is lent to patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government issued Guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations in 2009. This guidance emphasises the importance of recycling community equipment. We have also published a report highlighting the benefits and savings to be made through e…

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) mobility frames and (b) pairs of crutches the NHS has lent to patients in each of the last five years, and how many of these have been returned.

Answer · Shona Robison: Responsibility for the provision and recycling of all mobility equipment falls to individual health and social care partnerships. The information requested is not held centrally.

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of mobility equipment that the NHS has lent to patients in each of the last five years was (a) recycled for use by other patients and (b) disposed of after use.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-16553 on ?22 May 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the value was of equipment that the NHS lent to patients that was then not returned in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-16553 on? 22 May 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have a central point for the return of hospital equipment that is lent to patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-16553 on? 22 May 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

13 Mar 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many solicitors are taking part in the police station duty scheme, and which bar associations and societies have withdrawn from it.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: There are currently 559 solicitors in the police station duty scheme. Edinburgh, Jedburgh, Selkirk, Livingston, Dumfries, Falkirk, Dundee, Aberdeen, Peterhead and Banff have withdrawn from the scheme.

23 Jan 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing the reported worsening of the issue with cars parking on verges in and around the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: 31 August to local authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships. It generated 661 responses which are currently being analysed to inform our policy on how best to manage and enforce parking in Scotland. A report on the findings is expected to be published …

9 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the widest possible subject choice is available to secondary school pupils.

Answer · John Swinney: It is the responsibility of local authorities to ensure that their schools deliver a suitably broad curriculum that addresses the needs and aspirations of all their learners. The Scottish Government is working with our national and local partners to encourage…

8 Jan 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response to the ruling of the recent employment tribunal in favour of the fingerprint officer, Fiona McBride.

14 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether funding for the Robert Burns World Federation has been reduced and, if so, for what reason.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Robert Burns World Federation has previously been in receipt of funding from the Scottish Government to deliver specific, time-bound events and projects. The Robert Burns World Federation Ltd is a Company Limited by Guarantee (registered charity no SC0290…