Parliamentary questions
Monica Lennon
3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
25 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07441 by John Swinney on 2 March 2017, what the timescale is for the group to report.
Answer · John Swinney: Discussions are still on-going with group members, with the intention of reporting later in the year.
19 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Justice last met the chair of the Scottish Police Authority.
11 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve rail services in Central Scotland.
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that infants and young children are being registered as members of political parties and, in light of the potential impact on child welfare, whether it plans to discuss this with the Electoral Commission Scotland.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Electoral Commission does not have any responsibility for political party membership. Anyone with a concern about a child’s welfare should contact their local Social Work Department who can carry out inquiries and consider whether any action is required. …
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning to extend the charitable status to state schools, in light of the resolution that was passed at the October 2016 SNP conference calling for this, and, if so, what (a) meetings and (b) discussions have taken place or are scheduled.
Answer · John Swinney: The number one priority of this Government is education and our focus is on raising attainment and closing the equity gap. We want to ensure that every child has an equal chance to fulfil his or her potential, deliver the best outcomes for all children while …
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to maintain the charitable status of private or independent schools in each of the last five years.
Answer · John Swinney: The financial implications relating to the charitable status of independent schools relates to both reserved and devolved matters and the Scottish Government does not hold data enabling a full quantification of these.
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S5W-06644 by John Swinney on 8 February 2017, for what reason it has no plans to review the charitable status of private or independent schools.
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government are focused on ensuring that our public schools deliver the best possible outcomes for our children giving priority to raising attainment and closing the equity gap. We remain committed to publicly funded, comprehensive school educatio…
5 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what items were (a) rejected and (b) selected for inclusion in the baby box; what criteria and evidence it used in determining this, and how often it plans to review the contents.
Answer · Mark McDonald: We have collaborated closely with health professionals, third sector partners, parents and experts such as the National Maternal and Infant Nutrition Co-ordinator to ensure that the contents of the Baby Box are the most useful they can be. Contents of the Ba…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many unique visitors there have been each month to its breastfeeding website, feedgood.scot; what the most popular pages on the site are, and how the number of unique visits compares with the previous site, feedgoodfactor.org.uk.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Feedgood.scot was launched on 1 July 2016. The following table sets out the number of users per month for the first nine-months of the feedgood.scot and provides a comparison figure for feedgoodfactor.org.uk the year before. Google Analytics now reports Users…
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05420 by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016, whether it will publish the research that it commissioned with parents and, if so, when.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Field work for the Baby Box pilot in Orkney and Clackmannanshire is now in the final stages and we expect the final report to be available for publication in due course.
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05422 by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016, what breastfeeding outcomes were achieved in the pilot areas, and whether breastfeeding aids will be included when the baby boxes are rolled out nationally.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Pilot research is still on-going. We are still considering which items parents would find most useful and findings from the pilot project will help to inform this.
4 Apr 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05421 by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016, what evidence it used to reach the decision to (a) include maternity pads in and (b) exclude sanitary pads from the baby box, and whether it will reconsider the decision regarding sanitary pads when the bo…
Answer · Mark McDonald: Following discussions with health professionals including midwives, maternity towels were considered to be more useful to mothers who have just given birth. Maternity towels were included in the pilot Baby Box and will be included in the Baby Box going forwar…
19 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which trade unions the Minister for Mental Health has met; when these meetings were held, and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Minister for Mental Health has not met with any trade unions.
19 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to attract investment to the (a) Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse and (b) East Kilbride constituency.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is committed to promoting Scotland as an attractive place for business and innovation and helping all businesses to thrive, grow and create employment opportunities. Our substantial investment in infrastructure, regeneration and busine…
19 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-22825 by Nicola Sturgeon on 27 October 2014, what estimate it has made of what the cost would be of holding a second independence referendum.
Answer · Michael Russell: No estimate of the cost of a future referendum has been made. The Referendum Bill will be accompanied by a financial memorandum, setting out the cost implications of the legislation, in the usual way.
5 Mar 2017 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Samaritans' report, Dying from Inequality, which suggests that there is an increased risk of suicide in the most deprived communities.
2 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01459 by Shona Robison on 9 August 2016, how many women and girls have received treatment for menstrual-related conditions in each of the last five years; what type of treatments are available, and how much do these treatments cost.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information requested is not held centrally. There is a very wide range of clinical conditions captured by the term ‘menstrual-related conditions’, including amenorrhea, oligomenorrhea, dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, and similarly, a wide variety of treatm…
1 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01459 by Shona Robison on 9 August 2016, what proportion of the Scottish Welfare Fund it estimates is used by women on low incomes to access sanitary products.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of women accessing sanitary products as a result of an award from the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF). However, since April 2013 the Fund has provided £116 million to 230,000 low income households in Sco…
22 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the most recent advice it has received from Health Protection Scotland and Public Health England is on the design, siting and management of incinerators, and what action has it taken to monitor and review emerging evidence and research.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) and Public Health England (PHE) do not advise the Scottish Government on the design, siting and management of incinerators. The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) determines what is acceptable in relation to incin…
22 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial and practical support it makes available to communities and individuals to participate in the statutory planning process.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government provides a wide range of support to communities and individuals to participate in the statutory planning process. In 2016-17, this included a total of £537,000 in direct support of 19 community projects through the Design Charrettes an…
22 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the planning system contributes to reducing health inequalities.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Planning Policy supports delivery of high-quality buildings, infrastructure and spaces in the right locations, helping to provide people with choices to live more active, engaged, independent and healthy lifestyles. The Place Standard is a tool tha…
22 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review planning policy guidance on buffer zones between sensitive receptors and waste facilities.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Planning Policy is clear that planning authorities should consider the need for buffer zones between dwellings or other sensitive receptors and certain waste management facilities. We have no plans to review this particular policy at this time, howev…
22 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference will be for the group that it has agreed to lead to write new qualities and standards for school toilets.
Answer · John Swinney: The group agreed that the guidance will aim to: Outline a framework for an effective toilet provision and management strategy that caters for all children and young people in our schools. The approach should be easy for schools to adopt but also ensure that …
21 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the group that it has agreed to lead to write new qualities and standards for school toilets will address the issue of sanitary item provision in schools.
Answer · John Swinney: Yes. The group will consider the provision of sanitary items in schools.
21 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the membership will be of the group that it has agreed to lead to write new qualities and standards for school toilets.
Answer · John Swinney: Besides Government, the membership of the group also includes the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland and Education Scotland.
15 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05439 by Maureen Watt on 14 December 2016, whether it will provide an update on its timetable for the publication of the updated mental health strategy.
Answer · Maureen Watt: We will publish the new ten-year Mental Health Strategy in the coming weeks. The content of the final Strategy has been informed by careful consideration of all of the feedback the Government has received, including from individuals, organisations, and the He…
15 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the impact of homelessness and temporary accommodation on educational attainment.
Answer · John Swinney: There are a number of measures in place to ensure that children and young people living in families facing homelessness or living in temporary accommodation get the support they need to make the most of the opportunities that learning provides. For example, t…
15 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with homelessness organisations in relation to its mental health strategy, and how the strategy will address concerns regarding the impact of homelessness and the rising use of temporary accommodation on the mental health of young people.
Answer · Maureen Watt: During our engagement on the next Mental Health Strategy, we invited written responses on an engagement paper outlining our proposed priorities, and received nearly 600 responses. The responses were independently analysed and a full report published online, …
15 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what approach it is taking to support children and young people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has ensured strong legal rights to housing and support for homeless households with children. This is backed by statutory guidance for local authorities published by the Scottish Government on meeting the Best Interests of Children Fac…
14 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many women and girls have been diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon use in each of the last 10 years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The number of women and girls diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon use is not held centrally. Information on the number of female patients aged 16 and over who have been diagnosed with toxic shock syndrome from any cause in an inpatient settin…