Liam McArthur

16 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-01155 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2015, what discussions it has had since with the Saltire Prize Challenge committee.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government officials have had three conference call meetings and a series of email exchanges with members of the Saltire Prize Challenge Committee - the independent panel that oversees the Saltire Prize - since 10 November 2015. Conference call meeti…

11 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the link between fuel poverty and poor physical and mental health, and what the findings of this were.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The “Evidence Review of the Potential Wider Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation Options: Built Environment Sector” (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/01/3358) published in 2017 to inform the draft Climate Change Plan found evidence that measures to impro…

11 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the link between fuel poverty and poor physical and mental health.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty and reducing health inequalities. The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum includes members from NHS Scotland and we will continue to work with them to build on existing and, as necessary, develop new part…

11 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases have been investigated by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission in each year since 2007, and what proportion has involved referrals to the High Court for appeal.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The following table sets out the number of cases each year since 2007-08 in which the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission investigated and issued a decision, and the number of those cases which resulted in a referral being made to the High Court: Year …

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to promote health visiting as an attractive career.

Answer · Shona Robison: The significant investment in training and recruiting additional health visitors by this Government since 2014 of over £40 million, the refreshed role of health visitors and the publication of a Universal Health Visiting Pathway: Pre-birth to pre-school in 20…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the additional 500 health visitors committed to in 2014 have been (a) trained and (b) recruited.

Answer · Shona Robison: The commitment to increase the number of qualified health visitors by 500 is unprecedented and is almost a 50% increase in the number of qualified health visitors in Scotland. From March 2014 to March 2017 there are at least an additional 242 Whole Time Equiv…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on (a) bank and (b) agency health visitors in each of the last six years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. Local information may be available from each NHS Board.

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the need for additional health visitors beyond 2018.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s commitment to an additional 500 health visitors by 2018 was based on the national application of a validated caseload weighting tool to support consistency in determining Health Visitor numbers across Scotland. The tool is based on p…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that the additional 500 health visitors committed to in 2014 will be (a) trained and (b) recruited by 2018.

Answer · Shona Robison: We have engaged with all Health Boards since the commitment to delivery of the 500 additional health visitors by 2018 was made in 2014. This engagement includes monitoring progress through quarterly returns and face to face meetings. A further series of meeti…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the age demographic of health visitors.

Answer · Shona Robison: While the Scottish Government sets strategic policies for the NHS in Scotland, it is for each NHS Board to plan their workforce to ensure that enough professional staff and facilities are available to provide the best possible care for patients in a variety o…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many health visitors have completed Registered Specialist CPH Nurse – Health Visitor training in each of the last six years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The numbers competing Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – Health Visitor training in each of the last six years at 18 July 2017 is contained in the following table: Year Numbers Completing Health Visitor Training 2011* 61 2012 52 201…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £40 million committed to in 2014 for the training and recruitment of 500 additional health visitors by 2018 has been spent, broken down by financial year.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government allocated £2 million, £6.8 million, and £19m in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 respectively for additional Health Visitors. In 2016-17, funding for Health Visitors was included in the new Outcomes Framework (totalling over £160m) issued …

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the 500 additional health visitors committed to in 2014 are all whole time equivalent (WTE) or whether the figure will be a headcount of new health visitors regardless of working hours.

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2014 the Scottish Government announced funding with the goal of increasing the Health Visitor workforce by 500 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) by the end of 2018. WTE information provides a better indicator of total labour input than a simple headcount. It i…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many health visitors have been recruited on a part-time basis in each of the last six years, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: Workforce data on Health Visitors in contracted hours (part-time or full-time) is published quarterly by ISD Scotland and is available from March 2015 onwards at the workforce statistics web site:- https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publicat…

3 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many health visitors have completed training in each of the last six years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The numbers competing health visitor training courses in each of the last six years at 18 July 2017 is contained in the following table: Year Numbers Completing Health Visitor Training 2011* 61 2012 58 2013 68 2014 75 2015 187 2016** 209 Total…

2 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the e-purse scheme being developed by Transport Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The remaining infrastructure necessary for a national e-Purse is being procured and we are currently engaging with transport operators on implementation.

2 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported comments by the chairman of the British Transport Police (BTP) Federation in The Scotsman that it is "in the dark" regarding plans to integrate the BTP into Police Scotland, when it will next meet the BTP Federation to discuss this, and whether it will publish a…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers and officials have met BTP Federation representatives on a number of occasions to discuss our plans and further engagement is planned. During the passage of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 we published a series of letters between …

2 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in The Scotsman on 2 August 2017 that officers have begun leaving the British Transport Police ahead of its integration into Police Scotland, and what action it will take to offer assurances to officers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has consistently given assurances throughout the passage of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 that terms and conditions, pay and pensions of BTP officers and staff will be the same as they are currently, or that an equivalent le…

31 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the British Infrastructure Group of MPs, which states that eight of the 20 worst performing areas in the UK for broadband are in Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Broadband 2.0 report that was published by the British Infrastructure Group of MPs in July 2017 raises some interesting issues, particularly around consumer protection in relation to broadband. However, the analysis of speeds which informed the league tab…

31 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scotland of BT's offer to provide the infrastructure for 99% of premises in the UK to get broadband speeds of at least 10 megabits per second by 2020 and, in light of this offer, what its position is on the impact on Scotland of the …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government would welcome any commercial investment that will improve Scotland’s digital infrastructure. We would want any such investment, however, to help deliver the superfast broadband connections that our rural communities need, not just the …

26 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on NHS services in Scotland of the findings in the report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution, suggesting that, each year, 40,000 dea…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scotland's air is amongst the best in Europe, but hotspots of poor air quality remain. According to the UK Government's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP), poor air quality in Scotland reduces average life expectancy by 3-4 months (com…

21 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and (b) Shetland's Transport Partnership (ZetTrans) regarding flight connections to and from the Highlands and Islands, in light of the decision by Flybe and Loganair to end their franchise agr…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This issue was discussed at the Islands Transport Forum on 21 June 2017 at which both HITRANS and ZetTrans were represented.

21 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Flybe and Loganair regarding the need to maintain air service connections to and from the Highlands and Islands after their franchise agreement ends in September 2017.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I spoke to the Managing Director of Loganair on 5 July 2017 and the Chief Executive of Flybe on 9 August 2017. While I noted that Loganair and Flybe will be operating commercial services in competition with one another, I encouraged them to explore options fo…

21 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that ending the franchise agreement between Loganair and Flybe will have on air service connections to and from the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We are aware of the issue and I have spoken to both the Managing Director of Loganair and the Chief Executive of Flybe. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.

13 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the compulsory (a) neutering, (b) microchipping and (c) registration of all domestic cats, and what analysis it has carried out of the impact that this would have in controlling overpopulation.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats recommends that all cat owners should consider neutering and microchipping (involving registration) their pets as the best way of being reunited with them should they be separated. We do not cur…

13 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect the wildcat population, and what analysis it has carried out of the impact on the species of domestic cat overpopulation.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government supports, and works closely with, the partner organisations who are helping to implement the Scottish Wildcat Action Plan. This is a five year project that aims to restore viable populations of wildcat north of the Highland fault line.…

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Northlink, (b) Pentland Ferries, (c) Loganair, (d) Stagecoach and (e) other operators regarding the challenges of establishing and implementing the technology for a smart card system across (i) the Highlands and Islands and (ii) Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport Scotland has regular dialogue with key stakeholders via the Smart Ticketing Operators Steering group, and more focussed working groups on, for example, the implementation of the National ePurse. In addition all of Scotland's ferry operators were inv…

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update and timeframe on proposals to create a smart card travel pass for (a) the Highland and Islands and (b) Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transport Scotland continues to work with Scottish transport operators and other public bodies to deliver the Scottish Government’s vision that all journeys on Scotland’s bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram networks can be made using one type of smart ticket or…

7 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments made in The Press and Journal on 7 July 2017, whether it will confirm that Orkney and Shetland will be part of a trial of an Oyster Card-style integrated travel pass.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Orkney and Shetland are part of the Scottish Government’s commitment that all journeys on Scotland’s bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram can be made using a single type of smart ticket or payment. Orkney and Shetland will be part of the national e-Purse to be …

4 Jul 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Freight Fares Review and the timing of the introduction of a new freight fares structure.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The most recent Working Group meeting, which includes local authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and industry bodies, took place on 27 March 2017. At this meeting the Working Group identified some further analysis to be…