Monica Lennon

16 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board will next meet.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board met for the first time on 1 December 2022 and aims to meet fortnightly. It last met on 23 March 2023, it will next meet on 11 April 2023. The Assurance Board has previously met on the following dates: 1 December 202213 D…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered the Friends of the Earth Scotland report, Our Power: Offshore workers' demands for a just energy transition, and, if so, what its response is to the report's recommendations to the Scottish Government.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government welcomes the report detailing offshore workers’ demands for a just energy transition, and agrees that listening to and acting on recommendations from workers is critical to ensure a Just Transition. This is why we have provided £100,00…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of whether trade unions have been, or will be, involved in its work with the Office for National Statistics on the definition of a "green job".

Answer · Richard Lochhead: On the 13th March 2023, following substantial stakeholder engagement, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) released an article; "Green jobs" update current and upcoming work - Office of National Statistics (ons.gov.uk) announcing that ONS will now define …

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take any action to prevent the closure of the Juniors Play Cafe in Hamilton.

Answer · Tom Arthur: We recognise the current pressure on the third sector, and understandably there are calls being made on the Scottish Government every day for more support. SCVO estimate that the public sector as a whole invests around £1.4 billion each year to support the w…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria were used in the decision not to approve the application from the Juniors Play Cafe in Hamilton to the Investing in Communities Fund.

Answer · Tom Arthur: All applicants were advised to demonstrate and evidence how their proposal would deliver against all four areas of action for the fund, and that these were the criteria against which their application would be assessed. The criteria are:tackling poverty and i…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revisit its decision not to approve the application from the Juniors Play Cafe in Hamilton to the Investing in Communities Fund.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Investing in Communities Fund will support over 100 organisations receiving a share of £27 million over the three years 2023-24 to 2025-26. There was significant interest in the fund, with a total of 801 applications submitted which were assessed in line…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its current position on introducing a carbon emissions land tax.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government is open to exploring how it can support land reform objectives using its limited powers over taxation and included a question on how these powers could be used in the consultation for the upcoming Land Reform Bill. All responses to th…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current state of the ventilation system in University Hospital Monklands.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS Lanarkshire identified that the current performance of the ventilation system within Ward 16 (haematology) does not meet the recommendations of the current Scottish Healthcare Technical Memorandum (SHTM). The health board is currently undertaking a projec…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much sewage has been discharged by Scottish Water into bodies of water in (a) North Lanarkshire, (b) South Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk since 2021.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scottish Water operates 151 waste water treatment works (WWTW) in North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Falkirk areas. These WWTWs treat waste water to comply with mandatory standards before returning the water to the environment. These WWTWs operate to st…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that a potential further delay to the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme may have on the proposed Circular Economy Bill.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Programme for Government sets out that a Circular Economy Bill will be introduced in 2022-23 and we remain on track to meet that deadline. Further, the Deposit Return Scheme remains on track to go live in August 2023.

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail what organisations will be designated as local "anchor" organisations under the proposed Community Wealth Building Bill.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Provisions contained in a Bill at introduction will be informed by analysis of the current public consultation exercise which will run until 25 April. As the views of all stakeholders need to be considered in detail, it is not possible to confirm any potentia…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has met with (a) trade union and (b) North Ayrshire Council officials regarding the proposed Community Wealth Building Bill, and on what date the last meeting took place.  

Answer · Tom Arthur: Representatives of the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) and North Ayrshire Council participate in the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill Steering Group, chaired by myself. This Group has met three times. The last meeting was held on 17 January 2023. S…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much drilling equipment used by oil and gas companies has been discarded in the North Sea since 2010.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government and Marine Scotland do not hold information regarding discarded drilling material.

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Ministerial Taskforce on Nursing and Midwifery is scheduled to meet in 2023.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Meeting frequency will be determined by the Taskforce when it meets. We envisage that there will be a series of meetings and separate subgroup meetings focusing on the key themes within the terms of reference, and the frequency will vary by workstream, and as…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Ministerial Taskforce on Nursing and Midwifery will first meet.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government will agree the date of the first meeting in due course, following confirmation of representatives and proposed structure.

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a full list of the participants in the Ministerial Taskforce on Nursing and Midwifery.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government officials are currently identifying representatives according to the draft terms of reference and will proactively publish the agreed membership in due course. There may also be opportunity to extend the participants list further as the me…

10 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) terms of reference and (b) remit will be for the Ministerial Taskforce on Nursing and Midwifery.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The terms of reference are in draft format and will not be finalised and agreed until following the first meeting of the Taskforce. The Scottish Government will proactively publish the agreed terms of reference in due course. The draft terms of reference set…

8 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan, including in relation to expanding free school meal provision.

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13177 by Ben Macpherson on 10 January 2023, how many people received the Winter Heating Payment in February 2023, and how many outstanding payments remain to be made as of 1 March 2023.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The data required to make Winter Heating Payments was supplied by the Department for Work and Pensions on 31 January 2023. Following this, Scottish Government and Social Security Scotland carried out internal assurance processes on the around 400,000 records …

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15314 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 6 March 2023, how much funding has been allocated to local authorities to enable them to forgive school meal debt since 1 January 2022.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has not allocated funding to local authorities specifically for school meal debt since 1 January 2022. As referenced in the answer to question S6W-15314 on 6 March 2023, the management of debt is an issue for education authorities and…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the First Minister would be “minded to withdraw” the consultation on an alcohol advertising ban, whether it will provide an update on its position on the future of the policy.

Answer · Elena Whitham: As the First Minister said on Tuesday, he has asked officials to go back to the drawing board on potential proposals to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion. It is crucial that we prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms, particularly to young people, …

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its Programme for Government 2022-23 commitment to consult on proposals to restrict alcohol promotions, what preparatory work it has undertaken (a) in the lead-up to the consultation being published and (b) for the eventual implementation of the policy.

Answer · Maree Todd: Preparatory work pre-consultation involved gathering, analysing and commissioning academic evidence. We also commissioned projects with Young Scot and the Youth Parliament to ensure that young people’s voices were central to our proposals. We have not done a…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to “introduce restrictions on alcohol advertising in locations where children would be readily exposed to it”.

Answer · Maree Todd: We recently consulted on a range of options to potentially restrict alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland, in order to protect children and young people. The consultation closed on 9 March. An independent contractor will comprehensively analyse the r…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation by the Children’s Parliament that the Scottish Government should stop alcohol sponsorship of events at which children may be present. 

Answer · Maree Todd: It is crucial that the voices of children and young people are at the heart of developing our next steps on alcohol policy. Our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion directly references the recommendations of the Children’s Par…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on any role that alcohol marketing plays in encouraging problem drinkers to consume alcohol. 

Answer · Maree Todd: As our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion set out, there is evidence that those who drink heavily have increased susceptibility to alcohol marketing and that this can translate into drinking behaviours. For those in recovery,…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on the World Health Organization’s assessment that restricting alcohol marketing is one of the most cost-effective measures to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm. 

Answer · Maree Todd: Our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion reflects the WHO’s recommended approach and sets out a range of potential options to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion, in order to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harms. Th…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who was involved in approving the consultation on restricting alcohol marketing and promotion, before it was published on 17 November 2022.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s public consultation on potential restrictions to alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland was approved by the Minister for Public Health. A commitment to consult on such restrictions was agreed by Cabinet in August 2021 as part…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the risk of relapse in people who are in recovery from alcohol use disorder.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government provides funding to support our local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships who are responsible for the design and delivery of treatment and recovery pathways at the local level. They ensure a full range of recovery services are available such…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its position on preventing young people from being exposed to alcohol marketing; reducing the presence of alcohol cues that can induce reactivity and craving in alcohol-dependent persons, and preventing influence on social norms relating to alcohol co…

Answer · Maree Todd: Our recent consultation on restricting alcohol advertising and promotion directly references and endorses this threefold rationale as set out below: The purpose of taking action to restrict alcohol marketing is threefold and summarised by the WHO as:to preve…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to reduce (a) the attractiveness and (b) consumption of alcohol among the general population.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government takes a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol. We published our first consultation on restricting a…