Monica Lennon

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Programme for Government 2025-26 has reportedly reduced peatland and woodland restoration targets.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The commitments for peatland restoration and woodland creation have not reduced for 2025-26.The 2025 Programme for Government commits to restoring 12,000 hectares of degraded Scottish peatlands and creating at least 10,000 hectares of woodlands, including at …

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its approach to salmon farming aligns with (a) the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and (b) its commitments to restore biodiversity and protect wild salmon populations.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: All regulators of aquaculture in Scotland have a duty to consider biodiversity. Additionally, National Planning Framework 4 introduces requirements for fish farm developers to consider biodiversity enhancement within development proposals as far as is possibl…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to strengthen the regulatory framework governing salmon farming to prevent fish escapes and harm to wild salmon and other species, in light of reports that such incidents are not currently met with financial sanctions.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37570 on 16 May 2025. 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-committees/w…

6 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revise the salmon farming enforcement framework to include financial sanctions for fish escapes or significant mortality events, in line with international best practice.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: With regard to farmed fish escapes, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-37451 on 16 May 2025 regarding escapes. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found a…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the National Infertility Group has met during the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The National Fertility Group, (formerly the National Infertility Group) held meetings in the current parliamentary session on the following dates:1 June 202124 February 202210 August 202222 March 202322 August 202323 November 202329 April 202417 September 202…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the eligibility criteria for NHS-funded IVF treatment to ensure that there are no unfair barriers to access.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Access Criteria for NHS IVF treatment in Scotland is set at a national level within the National Fertility Group. The group brings together experts in the field and makes recommendations to Scottish Ministers. Whilst the group has been modelling future access…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider increasing the BMI acceptance limit for NHS-funded IVF treatment to 35, in line with the reported practice of some private clinics.

Answer · Jenni Minto: When setting access criteria, the National Fertility Group take cognisance of safety, capacity and outcomes and in particular looks to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline CG156 Overview | Fertility problems: assessment and treatmen…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any NHS boards use dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans to measure obesity, and, if so, under what circumstances.

Answer · Jenni Minto: There is no data available on the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans (DEXA) for the diagnosis of obesity in NHS Scotland.While DEXA scans provide detailed body composition analysis, they are not routinely recommended for obesity diagnosis in clinic…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures, other than BMI, are available to clinicians when making decisions about the health of a woman seeking access to NHS-funded IVF treatment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The full list of access criteria for NHS IVF Treatment can be found here Access-Criteria-NHS-IVF-Treatment-Scotland.

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the effectiveness of BMI as an indicator of health in (a) general and (b) relation to access to IVF treatment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is aware of the limitations of BMI as an indicator of obesity and its links to health outcomes and of NICE updated guidance (January 2025) section 1.9 Identifying and assessing overweight, obesity and central adiposity | Overweight and…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce any (a) stigma and (b) discrimination experienced by people living with (i) complex, (ii) severe and (iii) enduring mental illness.

Answer · Maree Todd: Whilst evidence shows that people feel more able to talk openly about their mental health, we know there is more work to do in tackling stigma and discrimination in relation to complex, severe, and enduring mental illness and we all have a role to play.This w…

5 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of convictions that have been made under section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 since it came into force.

Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34490 on 18 February 2025:Based on the latest published Criminal Proceedings data (available to 2022-23), since January 2014, there have been no prosecutions under section 40(1) of the Regulatory Reform (Scotla…

22 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider working with NHS Scotland and NHS boards to ensure that standalone anti-stalking policies are introduced and embedded across the health service, for the protection of staff, volunteers, patients and visitors, in line with the findings and recommendations of the c…

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government welcomes this report and will fully consider the Action Against Stalking report recommendations and will work in partnership to consider current policy and how recommendations may be taken forward.

22 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has spent on the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan 2021-26 since its launch.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government policy for respiratory conditions falls under the remit of the Long Term Conditions Unit which has so far spent £219,365 to support delivery of the Respiratory Care Action Plan since its publication in 2021.The Respiratory Care Actio…

22 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when universal and equitable access to pulmonary rehabilitation will be available to people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and similar conditions, as set out in the Respiratory Care Action Plan 2021-26.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises that pulmonary rehabilitation is an important element of respiratory care and acknowledges the significant impact this treatment can have on people living with respiratory conditions.In 2024 we worked with stakeholders, incl…

9 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how lessons learned from the Grangemouth refinery situation will be incorporated into its just transition planning, including encouraging private investment in energy and infrastructure projects.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Private sector investment in energy and infrastructure projects will be critical to realise a just transition at Grangemouth. That is why our final Just Transition Plan will seek to instruct and mobilise wider support from investors and developers, centred ar…

9 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide support for the workers at Grangemouth refinery in the interim period prior to any developments from Project Willow.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish and UK Governments are working jointly, along with trade unions, to fund a tailored skills intervention for workers facing redundancy at the Grangemouth Refinery. This is designed to support the transition of the impacted workforce through the jo…

9 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) workers and (b) the community in Grangemouth have been engaged in developing the Project Willow recommendations, and how will they be engaged in its delivery.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government made clear to Project Willow partners that the outputs of initial work must align to its draft Grangemouth Just Transition Plan with workforce and community considerations as fundamental prerequisites.Both the workforce and the wider c…

9 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed with the UK Government the provision of support to workers at Grangemouth refinery in the interim period prior to any developments from Project Willow.

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-36801 on 8 May 2025. 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-committe…

9 Apr 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how lessons learned from the situation at Grangemouth refinery will be incorporated into transition planning for the (a) workforce and (b) communities currently reliant on oil and gas.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Ensuring that workers and communities currently reliant on oil and gas are protected and indeed, stand to benefit from the transition to net zero is central to the rationale underlying our wider Just Transition policy.The Grangemouth Just Transition plan will…

26 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Public Health Scotland report, Future prevalence and burden of chronic liver disease, which was published on 18 March 2025, and what action it plans in response to the report's projection of a 54% increase in chronic liver disease by 2044.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government notes this report with interest and is fully aware that the risk of liver disease is increased by the impact of harmful alcohol use and obesity.This is why we are determined to do all we can to reduce alcohol-related harm, one of the most …

26 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve the early detection and prevention of liver disease.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is supporting the development of UK-wide clinical guidelines on alcohol treatment which will be published this year, and is also committed to publishing a service specification for alcohol treatment and recovery. The clinical guideline…

26 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to progress its ambition for Scotland to be a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture practice.

26 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments by the chair of the Scottish Police Federation that a (a) lack of investment has seen parts of the country become "policing deserts" and (b) fall in police officer numbers, including following a recruitment freeze between September 2023 and March 2024…

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is investing a record £1.64 billion in policing in 2025-26, an increase of almost £90 million of additional funding from the 2024-25 budget.Our investment in policing has enabled Police Scotland to undertake the highest lev…

26 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what most recent assessment it has made of the value of golf to the economy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Golf is important to Scotland’s economy, culture and reputation. We have more than 550 golf courses, host world-renowned events and enjoy the benefits from a thriving golf tourism sector.Golf events and golf tourism bring significant economic benefits t…

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many illegal combined sewage overflow discharges have occurred in each of the last five years.

Answer · Gillian Martin: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, and the Scottish Government does not hold the information, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:Combined sewer overflows are licensed by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) …

25 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will achieve compliance with the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 requirement to publish an environmental strategy.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Section 47 of the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 requires the Scottish Ministers to prepare and publish an environmental policy strategy. There is no deadline set in the Act for the publication of a strategy. The Scotti…

24 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent media coverage, including a video showing discarded fish on the seabed, how many fines it has issued in relation to illegal discarding in each year since 2020.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The number of fines issued for breaches of the landing obligation (discarding) since 2020 were.0 issued in 20204 issued 20219 issued 20224 issued 20231 issued 2024

11 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that unpaid carers have (a) timely access to social care support and (b) breaks from caring.

Answer · Maree Todd: Local authorities have duties under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 to provide adult carer support plans or young carer statements for any carer that wants one and to provide support to carers according to their eligible needs. These responsibilities are set o…

11 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the Women’s Health Plan adequately addresses the specific health needs of female unpaid carers, including the need for support to access cervical and breast screening and services for menstrual health and menopause.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Our ambition is that ‘women and girls enjoy the best possible health, throughout their lives’. We want to improve health outcomes for all women and girls in Scotland and working to improve access to health services which meet the needs of women is…