Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans’ report, Enhancing Accessibility: Venues and Visual Impairment, what discussions it has had with entertainment venues and touring companies regarding making audio description and touch tours a standard practice for all performances.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government believes everyone should have the right to access a cultural life of their choice, and are committed to advancing disability equality and tackling systemic barriers that affect the daily lives of disabled people. We are working with Di…
25 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the procedure for dealing with objections to proposals for redetermination orders, in light of reported concerns regarding the requirement for local authorities to refer a matter to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation of pr…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The procedures surrounding Redetermination Orders are contained within the relevant legislation (The Stopping Up of Roads and Private Accesses and the Redetermination of Public Rights of Passage (Procedure)(Scotland) Regulations 1986. Transport Scotland unde…
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many audiology health professionals in Scotland are registered with the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS).
Answer · Jenni Minto: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. The Academy for Healthcare Science is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) , which demonstrates that it has achieved the PSA standards in governance, standard-setting, education and …
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the cost to the public of producing the report, Scottish Government Pain Management Panel: Report on Phase 2 of engagement with the panel, regarding chronic pain information compiled by The Lines Between, which was the private firm commissioned by t…
Answer · Jenni Minto: In summer 2022, the Lines Between were commissioned to recruit, support and engage a diverse cross-section of people with chronic pain across Scotland to establish a Pain Management Panel to help inform the Pain Management Implementation Plan. The total cost …
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many abandoned vehicles have been reported in each local authority area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Angela Constance: As previously confirmed in the response to S6W-28174 on? 27 June 2024, information regarding the number of abandoned vehicles reported to local authorities is not centrally held. Management information is available from Police Scotland on the number of polic…
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake a review of the regulation of the audiology workforce, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland made recommendations with regard to ensuring that audiologists are eligible for registration upon completion of training but did not include a recommendation for audiologists to be regulated by statute.…
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of supporting the Pain Management Task Force has been since it started meetings in June 2022, including a breakdown of any payments for (a) workers, (b) secondments, (c) members, (d) travel costs, (e) IT and (f) other expenses.
Answer · Jenni Minto: There have been no costs specifically incurred in supporting the Pain Management Task Force and associated Short Life Working Groups for either the 2022-23, 2023-24 or 2024-25 financial years, beyond the pay of NHS staff and civil servants undertaking this wo…
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of vehicles that are not compliant with low emission zone (LEZ) standards that have been abandoned in each local authority area.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As previously stated in the responses to S6W-28174 on 27 June 2024 and S6W-28267 on 10 July 2024, information is not held centrally on the number of abandoned vehicles in local authority areas, but management information is available from Police Scotland on p…
20 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of setting up the Pain Management Task Force prior to it commencing meetings in June 2022, including a breakdown of any payments for (a) workers, (b) secondments, (c) members, (d) travel costs, (e) IT and (f) other expenses.
Answer · Jenni Minto: There were no costs incurred in setting up the Pain Management Task Force prior to meetings commencing in June 2022, beyond the pay of NHS staff and civil servants undertaking this work as a part of their role.
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to specialist teenage and young adult (TYA) clinical psychology services, as set out in the cancer strategy for children and young people.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is committed to improving support services for children and young people with cancer. Last year we provided recurring funding for the existing dedicated psychologists for children and young people with cancer. A review of further psyc…
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review pathways for patients to help improve earlier diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).
Answer · Maree Todd: To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review pathways for patients to help improve earlier diagnosis of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring everyone living with dementia receives the person centred su…
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many short-term lets it estimates have stopped operating since the introduction of the short-term let licensing scheme, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I will be shortly providing Parliament with an update on the implementation of short-term let licensing, which will highlight the difficulties with the accuracy and completeness of different datasets about short-term let numbers. Prior to licensing there has …
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to clinical trials for young people with cancer.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government, in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, provides funding for the Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres (ECMC's) in both Edinburgh and Glasgow, and a Paediatric ECMC in Glasgow. These form part of a UK-wide ECMC Network. Home |…
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many abandoned vehicles have been reported to local authorities in each year since 1999.
Answer · Angela Constance: Information is not held centrally on the number of abandoned vehicles reported to local authorities. Management information is available from Police Scotland on the number of police recorded incidents of abandoned vehicles. This is provided below, split by th…
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote the Carer Positive scheme to employers across Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s National Carers Strategy published in December 2022 sets out our cross-government approach to carer support and recognition, with an emphasis on the need for collaboration between national and local government, the third sector, wi…
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of people diagnosed at a late stage with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting people living with dementia. We worked with a wide range of partners and people with lived experience, including those with dementia with Lewy bodies, to inform our new national strategy published last year. …
13 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being taken through the cancer strategy for children and young people to ensure that all children and young people are enrolled on a clinical trial where possible.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government/Cancer Research UK funded Paediatric Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC) in Glasgow has been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at maximising the number of opportunities for children and young people with cancer to partic…
4 Jun 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will end the reported practice of children and young people being admitted to adult services for treatment, rather than an NHS specialist child and adolescent mental health ward.
4 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many currentlylicensed short-term lets there are in the Lothian region; how many short-termlets in the Lothian region have been found to be in breach of the short-termlet licensing regulations, either for not holding the appropriate license oranother reas…
Answer · Paul McLennan: I have provided answers to the information you are seeking in previous parliamentary replies and refer you to these as follows:how to access the Scottish Government’s official statistical publications on short-term let licensing application data (S6W-24…
4 Jun 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to make provision for housing associations, and other organisations, to be legally compelled to attend meetings or committees that have been called by (a) it and (b) local authorities regarding the current or historic use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has fully engaged with housing associations and organisations from all other sectors addressing issues relating to RAAC through a number of networks including the Scottish Government led RAAC Cross Sector Working Group. The Scottish Go…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in the (a) Hillend Junction and (b) A704.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Detailed design of traffic signals for the A702/A703/Old Pentland Road junction is currently being carried out by specialist engineers. Provided no issues arise through the detailed design process and resources are available, construction of these improvement…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many inspections of short-term let properties have been conducted to date where they were found to be (a) in breach of their and (b) without an appropriate licence.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested, as local authorities are responsible for administering the scheme and making relevant inspections. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28008 on 11 June 2024. All …
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on off-grid households in Scotland, whether it plans to work with the heating oil industry in Scotland in relation to the UK Government's planned consultation on the Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation (RLHFO), in order to support a timely consultatio…
Answer · Gillian Martin: Following the UK General Election, we will work with the new UK Government to understand the approach they plan to take regarding a consultation on a Renewable Liquid Heating Fuel Obligation, which will then determine the need for engagement with the Scottish…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will meet with (a) MSPs and (b) relevant industry leaders to discuss the reported concerns of people living in oil-heated homes in relation to its proposals for the decarbonisation of buildings, in light of its recent announcement that it will review regulations on wood-burnin…
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has been listening to the concerns raised regarding the New Build Heat Standard regulations, which is why it was announced to Parliament on 28 May that we will be reviewing the regulations to adapt them to address those concerns. As pa…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many short-term lets it estimates are currently operating without a licence.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27902 on 11 June 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for whi…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many reports of short-term lets operating without a licence have been received by each local authority to date.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government does not hold the information that has been requested. Local authorities will have local arrangements in place for managing reports of licence breaches and non-compliance. I also refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28008 on …
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what strategy it has developed to consider coastal defences.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government recognises the impacts of climate change on coastal communities and the need to consider coastal defences. Our Dynamic Coast 2 project, published in 2021, helps local authorities and other stakeholders identify where the greatest risk…
31 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will remove renewable liquid fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil from the “polluting heating systems” criteria that are anticipated to be within its proposed Heat in Buildings Bill.
Answer · Gillian Martin: In the consultation on a Heat in Buildings Bill, we recognise that as a renewable, and potentially net zero, energy source, bioenergy may represent the best option to help decarbonise some homes for which clean heating systems are not suitable. We also want t…
28 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that the delivery of payments from the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme will be unaffected by the announcement that a new body, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, has been established.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises the strength of feeling of beneficiaries in Scotland about the future of the current Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS), which has been important both in supporting people, and in providing a service they value, …
28 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27369 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, how many of the (a) 545 charges related to incidents that took place in and (b) 17 convictions were for crimes against residents of the Lothian region.
Answer · Dorothy Bain: Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) uses a live, operational database to manage the processing of reports submitted to Procurators Fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies throughout Scotland. It is designed to meet business needs in t…