Parliamentary questions
Joan McAlpine
270 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Mar 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed timescale is for implementing recommendations in the Baroness Cumberlege Report that relate to sodium valproate.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: It will be a matter for the incoming Government after the Scottish general election to decide a delivery timetable on implementation of the recommendations in the Cumberlege Report which related to sodium valproate, but I am confident that there will be cross…
4 Mar 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up and fund a specialist centre for Foetal Valproate Spectrum disorder.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is committed to implementing all of the recommendations of Baroness Cumberlege’s review where they relate to the responsibilities of the Scottish Government. To address the recommendations outlined in First Do No Harm for individuals …
4 Mar 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on redress for victims of sodium valproate, as recommended in the Baroness Cumberlege Report.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35748 on 12 March 2021. 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/…
3 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on broadband roll-out in Dumfries and Galloway.
24 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether people who were rejected by the Close Contact Services Fund or the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund due to technical errors will be given more time to re-apply, or be able to appeal the rejection.
Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35334 on 3 March 2021. 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…
24 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when people who were rejected by the Close Contact Fund or Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund due to technical errors will be reconsidered for assistance.
Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35334 on 3 March 2021. 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…
18 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Climate Challenge Fund will allow the continuation and/or extension of some existing projects beyond two years.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: 46 projects across Scotland will continue to be funded through the Scottish Government's Climate Challenge Fund in 2021-22 for the second year of their two-year projects. Projects currently funded through the Climate Challenge Fund will not receive an extens…
18 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Climate Challenge Fund will be extended to 2021-22 and, if so, what pans it has for it that year.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: 46 projects across Scotland will continue to be funded through the Scottish Government's Climate Challenge Fund in 2021-22 for the second year of their two-year projects. Following a review of the Climate Challenge Fund in 2019, and as set out in the Program…
18 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether groups in receipt of Climate Challenge Funding (CCF) that expect to report an underspend due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can use this money in alternate ways within the CCF remit.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We understand the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has created for projects funded through the Climate Challenge Fund (CCF), many of which are based on community engagement and events, and have sought to provide support where possible. The Scottish Gove…
8 Feb 2021 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures published by the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory, which state that people with a learning disability are three times more likely to die of COVID-19 and twice as likely to experience serious disease.
3 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its shielding list includes unpaid carers who are recorded on the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) clinically extremely vulnerable list.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: People on the shielding list meet the criteria of the clinically extremely vulnerable as defined in group 4 of the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI). People on the shielding list are individuals who have a condition that puts them at the hig…
3 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its shielding list includes everyone with a health condition recorded on the Joint Committee on Vaccines and Immunisation (JCVI) clinically extremely vulnerable list.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery and in the groups on the shielding list. People on the shielding list meet the criteria of the clinically extremely vulner…
3 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures in its Budget will provide support for town centres.
3 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government what data is available on the impact of COVID-19 on people in Scotland with a learning disability.
Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory have analysed mortality rates from COVID-19 for the population with learning disabilities compared with a 5% sample of the general population in Scotland. A high level summary of early results has been published …
14 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether frontline health care staff in each NHS board area who work in private practices will receive their COVID-19 vaccination at the same time as NHS health care workers.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Yes, health and social care workers who work for independent agencies, companies and individuals will receive the COVID-19 vaccination if they meet the descriptors of Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) category 1 or 2.
3 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £500 bonus scheme for NHS and social care workers will apply to people who are employed on zero-hours contracts.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The pro rata £500 payment is being made to NHS and social care staff who have been employed since 17 March 2020. The categories of workers who are eligible for the payment are set out in the Scottish Government's announcement . Providing they fall within th…
3 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £500 bonus scheme for NHS and social care workers is being extended to those who live in Scotland but are employed by NHS trusts in northern England.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Our one off thank you payment recognises the extraordinary service provided by NHS Scotland and Scotland’s social care staff in this toughest of years. Responsibility for the pay and reward of staff who work for NHS Trusts in England does not lie with the Sc…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it provides to (a) local authorities to assist land managers in cleaning up and disposing flytipped waste and (b) SEPA and the Police to investigate and convict flytippers.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Cleaning up litter and flytipping costs public bodies £53m a year, this is money that could be better spent on other services. For private landowners, ideally, we would be able to identify the individuals responsible for flytipping and make them pay for clear…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what urgent assistance it provides to land managers when responding to flytipping incidents of a hazardous nature.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Flytipping is a joint responsibility of local authorities and SEPA. When reports of hazardous or potentially hazardous material being flytipped are reported through the national hotline Dumb Dumpers, these incidents are most often handled by SEPA. The level …
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on establishing a national flytipping database that will include information about incidents on private land and published annually.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We would encourage local authorities and land owners to use the national resources – Dump Dumpers and the new Litter Monitoring System – so we have a clearer national picture of flytipping incidents in Scotland and to allow targeted responses to be developed.…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is consider introducing further punitive action that can be taken against illegal waste carriers.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: It is already an offence to carry waste without being appropriately authorised. This year, SEPA took forward a campaign targeting waste carriers who were advertising themselves on social media and a number of investigations resulting from this campaign are on…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending householder responsibility to ensure that waste is disposed of legally.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Householders already have a legal duty of care to only pass their waste onto registered waste carriers. The duty of care requires occupiers of domestic property to take all reasonable measures available to them in the circumstances to ensure that they only tr…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is implementing to deal with flytipping.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Flytipping is illegal, dangerous and unnecessary. Responsibility for dealing with litter and flytipping rests with local councils. We have already developed, with Zero Waste Scotland, COSLA and local authorities, a national waste management marketing campaig…
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will deliver its national flytipping strategy.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Our National Litter Strategy is now at the end of its five year lifespan and we are reviewing how best to take forward policy in this area, with flytipping an increasingly important aspect under consideration. Full engagement and collaboration with relevant p…
13 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update the COVID-19 guidance on the delivery of in-person private music tuition that is not covered in the school-based guidance, including for woodwind and brass instruments.
Answer · Maree Todd: In light of the publication of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Scotland's Strategic Framework on 23 October 2020, the Coronavirus (COVID-19): organised activities for children guidance for organised activities and services for children was updated on 12 Novemb…
11 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reconviction statistics for the 2017-18 offender cohort.
5 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Registrar General will publish the annual report for 2019.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scotland’s Population 2019: the Registrar General’s Annual Review of Demographic Trends will be published at 09:30 on 6 October 2020. The Report contains information about births, deaths and marriages during the year, together with other demographic informati…
30 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported concerns of the National Sheep Association that the future trade deals with Australia and New Zealand negotiated by the UK Government could negatively impact Scotland’s sheep farmers.
23 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the estimate by the Scottish Fiscal Commission that 194,000 children under six will be eligible for the Scottish Child Payment.
14 Sep 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the call by the Director of ENABLE Scotland for routine testing of all frontline social care key workers in all settings.