Parliamentary questions

Monica Lennon

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

28 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the National Records of Scotland report stating that alcohol-specific deaths increased by 17% in 2020, what (a) short-, (b) medium- and (c) long-term actions have been taken to reduce harm and prevent further deaths.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework sets out our priorities for preventing alcohol-related harm. It contains 20 actions building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, including our world-leading minimum unit pricing poli…

27 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has analysed the labour market implications of thyroid dysfunction, including in relation to the gender pay gap.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government acknowledges the recent research publication Thyroid Dysfunction – Can it Help Explain the Gender Wage Gap? and notes the implications that hypothyroidism can have on women’s labour market opportunities. We are committed to ensuring …

27 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to increase the number of people that receive treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism following diagnosis.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people living with hypothyroidism are able to access the best possible support and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care. We expect clinician…

27 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to The Promise Oversight Board's conclusion in its first report, published in May 2022, that “current systems and structures do not make it possible to effectively monitor progress” towards the commitment to keep The Promise by 2030.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government welcomes the Promise Scotland’s Oversight Board report and the continued focus and momentum across all stakeholders to Keep The Promise. The Scottish Government remains committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030, working in partnership …

25 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Leukaemia Care campaign report, Left to #WatchWaitWorry: The experience of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL) patients living on Watch and Wait, and how patients in the "active monitoring" stage of their diagnosis are being supported.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We welcome Leukaemia Care’s report and its recommendations to improve patient outcomes. We are pleased to say that we are closely aligned to the recommendations found in this report. Our Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer, published in January …

24 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the R100 Superfast broadband roll-out will be completed in the ML3 7XW postcode area by 30 June 2022.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Current build plans indicate that R100 contract build in the ML3 7XW postcode area is expected to be completed by 30 June 2022. However, as with all large infrastructure projects, these timescales can be subject to change, due to factors outwith our control. …

19 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include information in Scotland's Baby Box to raise awareness of local authority reusable nappy schemes and community nappy libraries.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Scotland’s Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life. From the outset we have ensured that the only written information contained within the Baby Box is tailored to its spe…

19 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost to (a) individuals and (b) the economy of using single-use nappies compared with reusable nappies.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We have not undertaken any recent assessment of the costs to individuals or the economy of using reusable nappies compared to single-use nappies. However, in line with the waste hierarchy, the Scottish Government’s focus is on measures to promote reusable alt…

19 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has evaluated the uptake of the reusable nappy voucher in Scotland's Baby Box, and how many people it estimates have gone on to use reusable nappies after redeeming the voucher.

Answer · Clare Haughey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08624 on 6 June 2022. 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…

18 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the recent Disability Equality Scotland poll that 91% of respondents experienced difficulty finding accessible rented housing, what urgent action is being taken to help individuals find a suitable home that meets their accessibility requirements, and what rec…

Answer · Shona Robison: We want disabled people in Scotland to have choice, dignity and freedom to access suitable homes, built or adapted to enable them to participate as full and equal citizens. Our Housing to 2040 strategy sets out a vision for housing in Scotland to 2040. This …

18 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made regarding the impact of proposals to require the number of calories to be added to menus in the out-of-home food sector on those managing eating disorders.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on whether, and if so how, to introduce mandatory calorie labelling in the Out Of Home Sector in Scotland. The consultation closes on 1 July and can be found at: https://consult.gov.scot/population-health/manda…

17 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support can be offered to young people in South Lanarkshire in applying for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme, in light of reports that the area has the lowest uptake rate in Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The level of uptake in South Lanarkshire as of 7 June 2022 was 23%, this is an increase of 8% since 13 May 2022, however I recognise South Lanarkshire are not yet at the level of other Local Authorities in terms of application rates. Following my meeting with…

17 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support can be given to anyone who may be reluctant to attend sexual health and cervical smear appointments at clinics where anti-abortion protests are taking place.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government believes that all women have the right to access comprehensive universal healthcare, including abortion services, without fear or intimidation. The Scottish Government is currently looking at how to tackle protests and vigils that int…

17 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis is being carried out of the potential health implications of the cost of living crisis.

Answer · Maree Todd: There is already a substantial body of evidence which shows that the areas with the highest levels of deprivation are disproportionately disadvantaged when it comes to health inequalities. For example, Healthy Life Expectancy data shows that those living in t…

17 May 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the scoping exercise into the availability of specialist services within NHS boards for miscarriage and unexpected pregnancy complications will be completed.

16 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) action it is taking to embed suicide prevention within long COVID services and (b) public health messaging is being communicated to raise awareness of long COVID symptoms and the potential impact on mental health and wellbeing, and whether wellbeing assessments will form part of…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA, will publish a new suicide prevention strategy in September 2022. As part of that we will consider how to further embed suicide prevention across health and social care services. The assessment of people wi…

13 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the level of food insecurity in each local authority area, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Food security levels in Scotland have been measured using the Scottish Health Survey since 2017. Survey respondents are defined as being food insecure if they answer positively to the question: ' During the last 12 months, was there a time when you were worri…

13 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it received advice and information on the progress of the construction of the MV Glen Sannox prior to attending the launch event in November 2017, and, if so, what the advice and information was, and when it was received.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government was in regular contact with all relevant parties prior to the launch and received full updates regarding progress of the build and any impact this would have on delivery. The then Minister for Transport met with FMEL and CMAL on 3 Nov…

13 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of building any imitation funnels and painting false windows on the MV Glen Sannox for the launch event in November 2017.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The actual funnels were used and these were temporarily fixed for the launch then removed. Decisions on how a vessel is prepared for launch in this way is for the shipyard to determine.

13 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of the event to launch the MV Glen Sannox at Ferguson Marine in November 2017.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The costs for the event on the day of MV Glen Sannox launch at Ferguson Marine in November 2017, including sound address system, hospitality and other associated items totalled £47.5k.

13 May 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm if all the workers who were made redundant at Dawnfresh Seafoods plant in Uddingston have now been settled with (a) redundancy, (b) back and (c) holiday pay.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have contacted the UK Government Insolvency Service's Redundancy Payments Service regarding the workers who were made redundant at Dawnfresh Seafoods plant in Uddingston. The Redundancy Payments Service has advised that 200 claims from Dawnfresh employees…