Alison Johnstone

27 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the Healthier Wealthier Children scheme and similar schemes across Scotland.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government provided funding of £250,000 to the 14 territorial Health Boards in 2018-19 to support the creation or enhancement of income maximisation services in health settings, with a further investment of £250,000 made in 2019-20. The funding …

27 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Fair Dementia Care Commission report, Delivering Fair Dementia Care For People With Advanced Dementia.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We have welcomed Alzheimer Scotland’s report Delivering Fair Dementia Care For People With Advanced Dementia as an important contribution to how we understand the care and support needs of people with advanced dementia. The healthcare needs of people with de…

27 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the level of public support given to the care needs of people with Alzheimer’s.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is working with partners to progress a national programme to support local reform of adult social care, launched in summer 2019. This will be looking specifically at current levels of social care support and how it is funded; the curre…

27 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to better support people with Alzheimer’s.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government continues to take national action through our 2017-2020 National Dementia Strategy to improve services and supports for everyone with dementia, including those with Alzheimer’s disease. This includes national workforce development sup…

25 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many convictions for vicarious liability have been made under provisions in the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

19 Sep 2019 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

5 Sep 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the downgrading of the conservation status of mountain hares to "unfavourable" as a result of new data published by the EU showing a significant population decline, and what consideration it has given to increasing protection for this native species.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The EU Article 17 report under the Habitats Directive, which records that mountain hares in the UK are in unfavourable conservation status, reflects a recent assessment by Scottish Natural Heritage of all the published data and knowledge accumulated since the…

2 Sep 2019 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

23 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any risks that might be involved in using universal credit as a qualifying benefit for the Scottish Child Payment.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: An assessment of the options which were considered for the Scottish Child Payment were set out in two publications, published at the time of the announcement and available on the Scottish Government’s website:Scottish Child Payment Position Paper: https://ww…

15 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23423 by Mairi Gougeon on 10 July 2019, how many individual animals were licenced to be killed in 2018, and how many of these were killed, broken down by species.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The following table provides a breakdown of licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2018, including the number of individual animals that were licensed to be killed. Species Number of individual animals licensed to be killed Unit description Numbe…

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to carry out a review of cancer screening programmes.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government commissioned a Review of Screening in 2017 to examine the management and overall delivery of the six national screening programmes in Scotland. The Review recognises the scale and complexity of the challenges around national screening …

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many supermarkets have made a commitment to phase out eggs from caged hens by 2025 in (a) boxed eggs, (b) their own branded products and (c) any other egg-containing products.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many egg producers have made a commitment to phase out production from hens in enriched cages by 2025.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to prohibiting the use of enriched cages for laying hens on animal welfare grounds.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is committed to upholding and seeing improvements to EU animal welfare legislation to benefit animal across the EU. We considers that enriched colony cage systems designed and operated in compliance with current EU legislation can pro…

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether food containing eggs from enriched cages is served (a) in any of the catering services on its own premises and (b) at its functions in venues outwith its premises.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Part (a) I can confirm that the egg supply to the Scottish Government, through their catering contactor, is 100 percent free range. The Scottish Government do not use eggs sourced from enriched cages for catering services on its own premises. Part (b) Food c…

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many welfare inspections have been carried out in each calendar year since 2012 of poultry holdings with egg-laying hens that have (a) less than 1,000 and (b) 1,000 or more birds.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: APHA conducts inspections for welfare non-compliance issues at poultry holdings on behalf of the Scottish Ministers and maintains the records of such inspections. The Scottish Government understands, from figures provided by APHA, that 144 inspections of poul…

2 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many failed inspections of poultry holdings with egg-laying hens there have been in each calendar year since 2012, and how many of these were due to breaches in relation to (a) egg marketing, (b) salmonella testing, (c) hygiene standards and (d) failings in welfare.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Inspections of poultry holdings, for statutory purposes, in Scotland are carried out by the Scottish Government Poultry Unit and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The Scottish Government Poultry Unit inspects premises to ensure compliance with market…

27 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the installation of electric vehicle charging points for terraced streets.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2032. To meet this target, much greater levels of investment will be needed over the coming decade, both in the provision of EV charging infrastructure, an…

18 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of empty homes.

11 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the plans by the NHS genomic medicine service in England to do so from 2020; whether it plans to roll out whole genome sequencing for children with undiagnosed conditions and, if so, when.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government’s Programme for Scotland 2018-19 has a commitment to continue the development of genomics medicine in Scotland. This includes an investment of £4.2 million towards the enhancement of NHS Scotland genetic capabilities for the diagnosis …

6 Jun 2019 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

23 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22282 by Mairi Gougeon on 3 April 2019, how many animals were licenced to be killed, broken down by species for which licences were issued in 2018.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The following table provides a breakdown of the number of licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2018. Species Unit Description Number of Licences Issued that Form the Total Barnacle Goose Birds 38 Blackbird Birds 3 Blackbird Birds 3 Bla…

20 May 2019 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

17 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to reverse the reported decline in the number of podiatrists working in the NHS in Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: At 31 March 2018, there were 655.7 wte podiatrists working in NHS Scotland; this reflects a vacancy rate of 5.4% as opposed to a vacancy rate of 1.2% at 31 March 2013. A Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions recruitment campaign is being developed…

17 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported decline in the number of podiatrists working in the NHS will worsen patient outcomes across a number of areas, including diabetes and amputation prevention, musculoskeletal complications and falls prevention.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: At 31 March 2018, there were 655.7 wte podiatrists working in NHS Scotland; this reflects a vacancy rate of 5.4% as opposed to a vacancy rate of 1.2% at 31 March 2013. This can be explained to some extent by the age profile of this workforce, the percentage o…

15 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what scope it considers citizens' assemblies could have in the governance of Scotland.

6 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19373 by Jeane Freeman on 8 November 2018, whether it will provide an update on each NHS board's frequency of the use of (a) Oncotype DX and (b) other breast cancer tumour profiling tests.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not hold more recent information than contained in the answer to S5W-19373 regarding the frequency of use of Oncotype DX or other breast cancer tumour profiling tests. Updated information may be held by individual NHS Boards.

6 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that all NHS boards follow best practice guidelines regarding breast cancer treatment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following the identification of the variation in practice in NHS Tayside, the Northern Cancer Alliance has commissioned an independent review of all Clinical Management Guidelines (CMG) for cancer in the North of Scotland - this is expected to take 12-18 mont…

6 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the purpose and remit is of the system of regional cancer networks, and how they are held accountable for their decisions.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The terms of reference and remit of the 3 Scottish Cancer Networks is described in MEL 10 (1999) https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/1999_10.htm . Each regional network has a multi-professional Regional Cancer Advisory Group (RCAG), Chaired by a Chief Executi…

6 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the clinical impact has been of offering of a lower dosage of docetaxel for breast cancer treatment, and what impact this has had on survival rates.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following the publication and review of both the Healthcare Improvement Scotland and Immediate Risk Group (IRG) reports the practice of NHS Tayside offering lower doses of chemotherapy, as standard to all relevant patients, has now ceased. The clinical impac…