Edward Mountain

27 Aug 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Inverness Airport will have a railway station.

30 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to NHS Health Scotland for mental health first aid instructor training courses in 2019-20; how many courses are being run, and what plans it has for the future of mental health first aid.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In 2018-19 NHS Health Scotland provided instructor training for an additional 100 trainers to deliver local Scottish Mental Health First Aid training. During 2019-20, the focus will be on supporting those trainers to provide programmes, as well as continuing …

30 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the use and licensing arrangements of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) by NHS Health Scotland, and what plans there are for future use and licensing.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Health Scotland currently holds the licence for the internationally developed Livingworks suicide prevention programmes and complies with the quality assurance processes required. This licence covers both safeTALK and ASIST programmes. This arrangement wi…

30 Jul 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21823 by Clare Haughey on 6 March 2019, whether it plans to produce a tailored mental health training package specifically for school staff and, if so, when it will do so.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening the resources available to all school staff to support the mental health and wellbeing of our children, young people and our teaching workforce. In addition to the commitments contained in the 2018 Progra…

18 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it has to simplify the delivery arrangements for pillar 1 payments.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding potential changes to Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) rules from 2021.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what analysis it has carried out of potential changes to Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) rules from 2021.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what changes it plans to make to streamline the process of (a) applying for, (b) receiving and (c) accounting for support payments during a transition period.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it has to tailor farm inspections to local circumstances.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it will put in place to encourage and support new entrants as part of a new support system for farming.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what progress it has made on developing a future farming strategy for Scotland since it last updated the Parliament.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what analysis it has carried out of transition periods for agricultural support after the UK leaves the EU.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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…

12 Jun 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many high-performance pursuit vehicles are (a) owned and (b) leased by Police Scotland; how many officers are qualified to drive these, and how many times in each year since 2016 they have been driven by non-qualified officers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to write to Police Scotland directly to request this information.

4 Jun 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was first made aware of bullying in NHS Highland, and what action it took.

1 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to decrease the prison population and address concerns regarding the (a) safety of prison staff and prisoners and (b) delivery of rehabilitation training, arising from prison overcrowding.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government has been working closely with the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and other Justice partners both to ensure the effective management of the increasing prison population and to consider medium and longer term action to reduce the prison p…

1 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total cost and (b) annual interest rates will be in relation to the land purchase for HMP Highland, and whether there are any restrictions placed on the land by the seller and agreed to by the purchaser.

Answer · Ash Denham: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: The total cost of the land purchase for HMP Highland was £4,749,000 (inclusive of VAT). There are no annual interest rates or restrict…

1 May 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the revised total project cost of £80.5 million for HMP Highland is under review, in light of the operational date being pushed back from October 2021 to March 2023, and when specific funding provision will be confirmed.

Answer · Ash Denham: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: The costs for the construction of HMP Highland will have to be reviewed to take account of the new provisional operational date follow…

20 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment the finance secretary has made of the impact on business rates of its proposed workplace parking levy.

27 Feb 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding local government finance.

26 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20262 by Clare Haughey on 11 December 2018, when the Autism Strategy Review Group was established; who its members are; on what dates it has met; which (a) NHS boards and (b) local authorities it has met, broken down by date, and how it will review …

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism. The Scottish Strategy for Autism Review Group was established in 2018 following the publication of the Scottish Str…

26 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02853 by John Swinney on 6 February 2019 (Official Report, c. 19), regarding the support for local authorities to access mental health first aid training, what positions "key staff" hold, and whether these include teaching assistants and additional …

Answer · John Swinney: Mental Health First Aid Training can be delivered to all staff within school settings which could include teaching assistants and additional support needs staff. Local authorities and schools are encouraged to identify members of the school community who are …

26 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its suicide prevention action plan, what action has been taken regarding its aim to create and implement refreshed mental health and suicide prevention training by May 2019.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government continue to work with NHS Health Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland to refresh Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Training. An online universal product will be available from 31 May 2019. Further products will be developed tailo…

30 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in the last year regarding the provision of training for teachers and staff to support pupils with mental health issues.

29 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the National Rail Passenger Survey, which has reported that overall passenger satisfaction in ScotRail services has fallen to a 15-year low.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Following publication of the latest National Rail Passenger results the Scottish Government has used contractual levers within the Scottish franchise agreement and served notice remedial plan is required from Abellio ScotRail. The plan will outline how ScotRa…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many sheep have been shot on land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland in each year since 2016.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20699 on 22 January 2019 which detailed the number of sheep removed using lethal control (i.e. shot) on Scotland’s National Forest Estate. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Par…

16 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether HMP Inverness exceeded prisoner capacity in 2018.

14 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers have received mental health first aid training in each year since 2014, and whether the grant provided to local authorities for this purpose covers the cost of supply staff while teachers attend training.

Answer · John Swinney: Information on the total number of teachers trained each year in Mental Health First Aid is not currently available. This is because, in addition to the training supported by Education Scotland, training can also be delivered by other organisations, to teachi…

19 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the police by Forestry Commission Scotland in each year since 2008 to remove sheep from land owned by the agency, and how many sheep were removed using lethal control.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Please see below the number of applications made to Police Scotland by Forest Enterprise Scotland for the removal of sheep and the number of sheep subsequently removed from Scotland’s National Forest Estate: Year Applications Made No. of Sheep Removed 200…

18 Dec 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the affordability for patients of using bedside televisions in hospitals.

17 Dec 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will acknowledge the people from across the country who will be working over the festive period to keep Scotland going.