Parliamentary questions
Edward Mountain
327 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Crown Estate Scotland will be permitted to keep and use for the Crown Estate 9% of the gross revenue from the option fees raised via the ScotWind leasing process.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Ministers are considering how the ScotWind revenues should be invested to maximise the benefits for the people of Scotland. As part of these considerations, Scottish Ministers will evaluate whether these revenues should fall within the scope of the e…
16 Mar 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of FOI requests made to it were answered in full within 20 working days, within the last 12 months.
14 Mar 2022 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister when construction of the National Treatment Centres, which are due to open this year, is completed, whether they will have sufficient staff to begin tackling the Scotland-wide patient backlog.
30 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when work will resume on developing proposals for an additional medical school in Scotland.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The September 2019 Programme for Government commitment to develop proposals for a new medical school was paused in March 2020 due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are currently considering how this commitment can be implemented or linked to the new…
12 Nov 2021 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what legal advice it has taken regarding new lease requirements for MSPs’ constituency and regional offices.
Answer · Jackson Carlaw: In the course of establishing their local offices, Members enter directly intoa private contract for their occupation of the premises with a landlord. The SPCB is not a party to Members’ contractual arrangements with their landlords. This arrangement has …
2 Nov 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on funding arrangements for the National Care Home Contract settlement for the financial year 2022-23.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The National Care Home Contract is negotiated annually between Scotland Excel, COSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities), Scottish Care and CCPS (Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland). The Scottish Government is not a contractual party t…
8 Oct 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02328 by Keith Brown 31 August 2021, whether the contract to design and construct HMP Highland was awarded in September and, if so, to which company.
Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The SPS awarded the pre-construction services contract for the HMP Highland project to Balfour Beatty in September 2021. The …
15 Sep 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects people who have received one of their COVID-19 vaccine doses in Northern Ireland to be able to access their vaccination status through the (a) online PDF process and (b) COVID-19 Vaccination Status Helpline.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is working closely with colleagues within the Northern Ireland Executive to establish data feeds that will allow for the automatic exchange of vaccination information between Scotland and Northern Ireland. People can request proof of …
18 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children currently awaiting a neuro-developmental assessment have a lead professional supporting them and their families, and of these, how many are in a (a) medical and (b) educational capacity.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02365 on 3 September 2021. Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) is the Scottish Government's approach to supporting children and young people. One of the core components of this is a named person who is a …
18 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many children were awaiting a neuro-developmental assessment on 1 August (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the Scottish Government is committed to developing and implementing a national specification for neurodevelopmental services which outlines service standards that all Boards should follow, to ensure ac…
18 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the children currently awaiting a neuro-developmental assessment are (a) six years old or younger, (b) seven to 12 years old, (c) 13 to 16 years old and (d) older than 16 years of age.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02365 on 3 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
18 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for a child to receive a neuro-developmental assessment, and what its position is on what the target waiting time should be.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02365 on 3 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…
18 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many specialist teaching staff vacancies there are in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the current number of specialist teaching staff vacancies. The results of the most recent teacher vacancy survey, undertaken in September 2019, are available here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher…
16 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many bids were received for the contract to design and build HMP Highland.
Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: ‘An initial ‘Expression of Interest’ stage was undertaken by SPS for the HMP Highland project with four expressions of interes…
16 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which company has been awarded the contract to design and construct HMP Highland.
Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: ‘ Tender evaluation for the pre-construction services award (PCSA) element of the HMP Highland project is underway and SPS ant…
5 Aug 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what method it uses to assess whether there are specialist teaching staff shortages in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government jointly chairs the Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group. This group assesses the required level of initial teacher education places using information from a range of sources. One such source is the teacher workforce planning model…
23 Jun 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00523 by Mairi Gougeon on 21 June 2021, whether it will set out the information provided broken down by (a) domestic and (b) foreign vessels.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Further to previous question - 'To ask the Scottish Government what the total catch is that has been landed by domestic and foreign vessels in Scottish ports in each month between (a) January and May 2020 and (b) January and May 2021.' Data broken down to Do…
7 Jun 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total catch is that has been landed by domestic and foreign vessels in Scottish ports in each month between (a) January and May 2020 and (b) January and May 2021.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Provisional monthly data on landings (liveweight tonnes) by UK and foreign vessels into Scottish ports, January-May 2020 and January to April 2021 Month 2020 2021 % change January 31,776 46,605 47% February 28,839 12,224 -58% March 21,902 20,4…
7 Jun 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fishing vessels have been boarded for inspection by Marine Scotland in each month between (a) January and May 2020, and (b) January and May 2021, broken down by the nationality of the vessel.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Boarding inspections in Port can only be conducted if a vessel lands in a Scottish Port. Therefore this largely depends on what vessels land in Scottish ports. The following table is a breakdown of Boarding inspections in port by Month (January to May) in 20…
2 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendation by the Chief Executive of the Committee on Climate Change that policies for the agricultural sector must be created rapidly to protect the environment and meet emissions targets.
23 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action the Minister for Older People and Equalities takes to ensure that its policies do not contribute to loneliness and isolation.
18 Feb 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of people on the transplant list had received their COVID-19 vaccination by 22 January 2021, and what impact the change in its prioritisation policy towards this group had.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that …
17 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the projected impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is on the economy of the Highlands for the current financial year.
10 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the new HMP Inverness will be completed.
27 Jan 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Communities Secretary last met the Chief Executive of The Highland Council.
19 Jan 2021 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether all children with learning disabilities in early years education are being identified and diagnosed to ensure that they are receiving targeted support.
18 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on funding level 2 of SVQ training for social care workers, given their role during the COVID-19 pandemic.
17 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the further funding to support additional COVID-19 spending across health and social care services, how much (a) has already been transferred and (b) will be made available in the current financial year to each NHS board; how many tranches of payments this will include; on wha…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has confirmed additional funding of £1.1 billion to support the health and social care sector in its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This funding announcement provides support for the additional costs reported by Boards in respondin…
12 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding Lot 1 of the R100 high-speed broadband programme, whether it is on track to finalise the contract award to BT by the end of 2020; when the contract award with BT will be finalised, and when it will announce the revised delivery schedule for Lot 1.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We are in the final stages of finalising the R100 North Lot (Lot 1) contract award and remain on track to sign the contract by the end of this calendar year. The contract will ensure delivery of future-proofed broadband infrastructure to homes and businesses …
12 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding Lot 1 of the R100 high-speed broadband programme, how many properties (a) are eligible and (b) have applied for each level of the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme, and, in the event that applications are made to the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme prior to its link-up with …
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: At present, any premises in the North of Scotland (Lot 1) of our £600m R100 Superfast Broadband programme that are not able to access a superfast speed of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) or above is eligible for a ‘main’ voucher – worth up to £5,000 – through t…