Parliamentary questions

Monica Lennon

3,484 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the three legislative stages of its proposed Circular Economy Bill will conclude.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The timing of each legislative stage will be for the Scottish Parliament to decide, once the Circular Economy Bill has been introduced.

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16997 by Tom Arthur on 9 May 2023, whether it can confirm that 6% of its contractors do not pay employees a minimum wage of at least £10.90 an hour, as stated in its answer to question S6W-15469, including employees not directly involved in the deli…

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government now routinely mandates the payment of at least the Scottish real Living Wage (£10.90) to employees directly involved in the delivery of its contracts. The 6% of contractors referenced in the Annual Report 20-21 was made up of 16 suppli…

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Danish Government officials regarding community energy and the involvement of co-operatives in the renewable energy market.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Danish Government to promote collaboration on zero emissions heat, heat networks and energy efficiency, plus onshore and offshore wind energy and hydrogen economy. As part of this, Scottish Go…

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed with UK ministers any impact of the Public Order Act 2023 on free speech and the right to protest in Scotland.

Answer · Angela Constance: The right to public assembly is an important human right that the Scottish Government is committed to uphold. We have no plans to extend the provisions in the Public Order Act 2023 which create new offences and new police powers relating to protests in Engla…

5 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider extending the Social Care Staff Support Fund.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the Official Report of the Meeting of the Parliament for 18 May in which the First Minister replied to question S6F-02119W. It is available on the Parliament’s website and can be found at the following address; https://archive2021.parli…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Public Health Scotland data, published on 2 May 2023, which shows significant differences in survival and surgical practice between the three regional cancer networks for those with ovarian cancer, including that only 57% of women in North Cancer Allian…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Survival analysis using the Scottish Government Quality Improvement Indicator dataset is undertaken to enable monitoring and to support continuous improvement in cancer care. The regional cancer networks are subsequently able to reflect and act on these indic…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding is currently going towards the development of new diagnostic tests and tools to detect brain tumours, and whether this will increase in the future.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is not currently directly funding any research projects or fellowships on the development of new diagnostic tests and tools to detect brain tumours. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the research spend of other fund…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds on how many GPs are able to send patients directly to diagnostic tests, such as MRI and CT scans, to detect brain tumours.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many GPs are able to send patients directly to diagnostic tests. GPs make appropriate clinical decisions based upon the individual assessment of patients, this includes referrals for diagnostic tests.

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of brain tumours through the utilisation of the Brain Tumour Charity’s Better Safe Than Tumour campaign.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We continue to invest in our Detect Cancer Earlier (DCE) Programme, of which public education and empowerment is a key work-stream. We launched a new campaign – Be the Early Bird – in March 2023 to empower those with possible symptoms to act early. We will c…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Brain Tumour Charity report, Brain Tumours: Fighting for a Faster Diagnosis, whether a National Optimal Cancer Diagnostic Pathway is being developed for brain tumours.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has worked collaboratively with partners, patients and third sector organisations in recent months to develop a ten year cancer strategy for Scotland. Due to publish Spring 2023, the strategy will take a comprehensive approach to impr…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding plans it has to develop more self-driving bus services, similar to the service running between Edinburgh Park and Fife from 15 May 2023.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: This Government wants Scotland to be at the forefront in the development of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the start of the CAVForth trial will really help the country establish its credentials on the world stage. We are excited to see how this technol…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of self-driving buses.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government believes that the development and deployment of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles has the potential to bring transformative change to peoples’ lives, not just in how we travel, but in how we work, where we live, the environment, and ro…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote Scottish Bus Week 2023.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Transport Scotland has engaged with representatives from the Love My Bus campaign at Transform Scotland and will be promoting Scottish Bus Week as agreed in these discussions, including through social media engagement. Transport Scotland has also undertaken …

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last spoke with trade unions regarding self-driving buses.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has not had specific conversations with trade unions regarding self-driving buses but we are aware that concerns have previously been raised about the possible future impact on jobs. Whilst the longer term impact of the adoption of CAV…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an updated list of the names of the (a) charities, (b) groups, (c) individuals and (d) office bearers appointed to the Third Sector Interface (TSI) Scotland Network.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The TSI Scotland Network is not a formally constituted group; it is a grouping of organisations with a shared purpose namely the TSIs. It does not have Office Bearers. Some TSIs are partnerships where the role is shared across two or more organisations, othe…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to granting hospices extra funding to enable them to match the NHS pay uplift.

Answer · Jenni Minto: It is the responsibility of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to plan and commission adult palliative and end of life care services for their areas using the integrated budgets under their control. Ministers are considering the funding issues raised at a meeti…

2 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to meet with (a) Hospice UK and (b) other representatives of the hospice industry, regarding the reported financial challenges facing hospices.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Following a meeting with Ministers on 14 March 2023 the Scottish Government is in regular contact with Hospice UK and the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group, as representative organisations, on the issues discussed at that meeting, including the financial chal…

26 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there are no variations across different areas in Scotland for kidney patient care as a result of any absence of consistent guidelines for home dialysis utility bill reimbursement.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Home haemodialysis is provided for people who need this. Any reimbursement for increases in utility bills as a result of home haemodialysis would be the responsibility of the NHS Board. Individuals who wish to pursue reimbursement of living costs should conta…

26 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of any savings that NHS Scotland makes per patient from kidney patients choosing to perform dialysis at home instead of in-centre.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

26 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all kidney patients performing dialysis at home receive reimbursement for any increased utility bills as a result of them administering the treatment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to my answer to S6W-17651.

26 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with chronic kidney disease are currently receiving dialysis at home in each NHS board area.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

26 Apr 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a Scottish Child Payment top-up for parents under the age of 25 who are in receipt of Universal Credit, as called for by the End Young Parent Poverty campaign, in light of it reportedly being supported by more than 30 charities and civil society groups.