Parliamentary questions
Monica Lennon
3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to strengthen surveillance and monitoring systems for pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections, in order to promptly identify any emerging trends or clusters and take proactive measures to prevent further spread.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government recognises that surveillance is a critical part of our approach to monitoring and managing the spread and prevalence of mycoplasma pneumoniae, Covid-19 and other respiratory infections. Public Health Scotland (PHS) are responsible for …
16 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what specific measures are being taken to address any high levels of pneumonia (mycoplasma pneumoniae) infections recorded in recent Public Health Scotland data.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Since November 2021, sentinel surveillance data have been available for mycoplasma pneumoniae in Scotland through the CARI sentinel surveillance programme. In this programme, sentinel GP practices across Scotland recruit and swab patients with symptoms of acu…
16 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reinstate the Carers Register in GP practices.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has no plans to reinstate the Carers Register in GP practices. The Carers Register was previously undertaken by practices as part of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). The requirement for practices to complete the QOF was remo…
13 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with local authorities regarding their obligations under section 42 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 in the last 12 months.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The statutory minimum walking distances set out in legislation are a long-standing feature of our education system and there are no plans to change them. The Scottish Government published guidance for local authorities regarding home to school transport in 20…
13 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing the definition of the statutory walking distance to school, which is currently defined by section 42(4) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 as being two miles for children aged under eight, and three miles for children aged eight or over, with a view t…
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The statutory minimum walking distances set out in legislation are a long-standing feature of our education system and there are no plans to change them. The Scottish Government published guidance for local authorities regarding home to school transport in 20…
13 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will prioritise woodland grant funding in the future, in light of the reported 41% cut to the woodland grants budget administered by Scottish Forestry.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government supports a range of activities through the Forestry Grant Scheme and is seeking to maximise delivery of woodland creation whilst maintaining support for management of existing woodland. Scottish Forestry publishes regular Briefing Note…
13 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking through the delivery of benefits to help families with the cost of nappies, in light of the reported increase in nappy theft linked to the cost of living crisis.
12 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many combined sewer overflows (CSOs) were defined as unsatisfactory by Scottish Water in January 2024, and how this compares with January 2023.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows: Scottish Water has published its Improving Urban Waters Routemap ( https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/…
12 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its procurement processes contribute towards achieving net zero.
Answer · Tom Arthur: All regulated procurements are conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Sustainable Procurement Duty and in accordance with guidance and good practice, including Scottish Procurement Policy Note 3/2022 which provides guidance to support taking acc…
12 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the position paper on embodied carbon regulation that was published by the Institution of Structural Engineers on 31 January 2024.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: In December 2021, our Response to Scotland’s Climate Assembly: Recommendations for Action included the commitment to investigate opportunities for whole life emission reporting. Following this commitment we engaged with Zero Waste Scotland and some of the …
11 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reasons for the reported increased number of unattended funerals.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not hold information about the types or numbers of funeral services in Scotland and does not make an assessment of trends in funeral choices. Unattended funerals are most often direct cremations where there is no funeral service …
11 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Big Braw Community campaign launched by The Sunday Post with the aim of reducing loneliness and isolation.
Answer · Emma Roddick: The Scottish Government welcomes all initiatives that support our work to tackle social isolation and loneliness, a public health issue which has been exacerbated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will continue to be affected by the ongoing cost crisis. …
11 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported use of mobile apps in schools to monitor children's behaviour and movements.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Local authorities take their own decisions about which digital tools, services and apps to deploy in their schools to support delivery of education. We expect that any digital service would be implemented in recognition of statutory duties arising from GDPR a…
8 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider offering BCRA testing to NHS Scotland patients with Jewish ancestry, in light of NHS England establishing a national BRCA gene-testing programme for such patients.
Answer · Neil Gray: NHS Scotland currently offers a whole gene screening panel for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer to test for faults in both BRCA1 and BRCA2 and a range of other target genes. At present, this testing is available to people from specific population groups (…
5 Feb 2024 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the Who Cares? Scotland research report, Is Scotland Keeping the Promise?, which reportedly indicates that, on the fourth anniversary of the publication of The Promise, key pledges made to care experienced people are not being fulfilled.
2 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of local authorities and other public bodies currently being in the process of finalising their budgets, what action it is taking to ensure that these bodies (a) protect key local community and voluntary organisations providing frontline services in relation to the cost of livi…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The vast majority of funding allocated to councils is provided by means of a block grant. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, on the basis o…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting action by local authorities to increase social housing stock.
Answer · Paul McLennan: We are investing £752 million in affordable housing in 2023-24 to increase the delivery of more affordable homes, the majority of which will be for social rent, including supporting a £60 million national acquisition programme. To effectively meet housing ne…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it undertook with local authorities regarding the reported 26% reduction in funding for affordable homes in the Scottish Budget 2024-25.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Scottish Government officials engage regularly with local authorities and other partners with regard to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. One of the most difficult choices we have taken is to reduce the funding for our Affordable Housing Supply Progra…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what engagement it has had with (a) NHS Lanarkshire, (b) NHS Forth Valley, (c) South Lanarkshire Council, (d) North Lanarkshire Council and (e) Falkirk Council in relation to increasing measles vaccination rates in children and young people.
Answer · Jenni Minto: This is a matter for Public Health Scotland (PHS) as our national health protection body. Given the serious nature of measles and the current risk of importation and onward transmission, the Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland and NHS B…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-02778 by Humza Yousaf on 1 February 2024, when it will update the Parliament on the outcomes of the MMR check that local education boards have been asked to carry out by Public Health Scotland.
Answer · Jenni Minto: This information is not held centrally. This is a matter for Public Health Scotland (PHS), which, through the Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme (SVIP), is responsible for oversight and leadership of vaccine delivery in Scotland. The Scottish Gov…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) men and (b) women are currently prescribed sodium valproate.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Prescription numbers of sodium valproate are not collected by the Scottish Government.
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of Audit Scotland reportedly stating that the Scottish Government risks missing its target to phase out gas boilers in homes unless it significantly increases the scale and pace of activity.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: We agree with Audit Scotland on the scale of the challenge to decarbonise heat in our buildings. That is why we are consulting just now on proposals to prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in Scotland’s homes and buildings by 2045. This, alongside ou…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to people living in the (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk Council area to change to low-carbon heating systems.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government has a broad range of delivery programmes which make advice and funding support on energy efficiency and low carbon heating available to households and businesses across Scotland. The Home Energy Scotland (HES) and Business Energy Scotl…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the principle of a legislative ban on the use of farrowing crates for pigs.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is open to considering all options and will continue to work with the industry and other stakeholders to achieve improvements in pig welfare.
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will deliver on its Programme for Government 2021-22 commitment to consult on proposals to phase out cages and farrowing crates.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government Programme for Government made the commitment to consult on phasing out the use cages for gamebirds and laying hens. This work is now progressing and the consultation on phasing out cages for laying hens and the call for evidence on gam…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make any financial assistance available to pig farmers to help them move away from the use of farrowing crates towards cage-free methods.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government will continue to work with the industry and stakeholders to find ways for producers to transition towards implementing improved animal welfare methods and practices.
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans, through Good Food Nation or other legislation, strategies or policies, to (a) prioritise Scottish farmers and (b) specify that no publicly procured meat or eggs should come from animals that have been caged.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government’s draft national Good Food Nation Plan sets out six over-arching Outcomes which indicate key areas to further develop our status as a Good Food Nation. These Outcomes have been developed with regard to a range of issues and principles …
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 1 January 2021 to date it has met with the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) to discuss homelessness.
Answer · Paul McLennan: I meet with a representative of ALACHO on a quarterly basis at Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group (HPSG) and at Housing to 2040 Strategic Board meetings. The dates of these meetings can be found here: Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group - gov.…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking in response to reported concerns raised by the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) and others that over half of Scotland's 32 local authorities are failing to meet legal requirements in relation to d…
Answer · Paul McLennan: We have been in regular dialogue with ALACHO since this survey was undertaken in November 2023 and I have also been meeting with Housing Convenors across Scotland to discuss the homelessness and housing supply pressures that are facing councils. I meet with l…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) reportedly warning ministers of a potential rise in local authority homelessness emergencies.
Answer · Paul McLennan: There have been a number of organisations in the sector, including the Scottish Housing Regulator, Audit Scotland and SOLACE, documenting the difficulties local authorities are experiencing and the risks this could present to the provision of homelessness ser…