Monica Lennon

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of drink spiking and spiking by injection have been reported in each of the past five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Keith Brown: Reported incidents of spiking are likely to be recorded by the police as either (i) crimes of administering a substance for sexual purposes under section 11 of the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009, or (ii) drugging (assault). The former is recorded when a …

18 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many menopause clinics there are in Scotland, and how many people in each NHS board area have attended one in each of the last five years.

Answer · Maree Todd: We want to ensure that wherever women seek menopause support, they get the care that they need. Menopause care is provided in different settings and in a variety of ways, in both primary and secondary care. We do not currently have the data to be able to accu…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported drop in onshore wind energy generation due to changing weather patterns.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Electricity generation capacity in Scotland is currently around 16 GW, 12 GW (75%) of which is renewable power. The Scottish electricity system is considered secure, meaning it has enough secure supply capacity to meet peak demand. The recent energy price c…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its consultation on alcohol marketing will include proposals to curb alcohol industry sponsorship of sports.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03745 on 26 October 2021. 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-committ…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its consultation on alcohol marketing will be published.

Answer · Maree Todd: As announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people. All methods o…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timetable for its review of the level of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, which was previously due by May 2020; whether it anticipates any further delays, and, if so, for how long.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03743 on 26 October 2021. 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-committ…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the level of Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol from 50p to 65p, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing the harms caused by alcohol and, in particular, the harms faced by hazardous and harmful drinkers. It is important that an effective level of minimum unit pricing for alcohol is in place in order that we c…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the modelling on Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol by the University of Sheffield in 2016, which reportedly stated that a MUP of 60p would prevent twice the number of deaths and reduce hospital admissions by half compared with a MUP of 50p, whether it has commissioned an…

Answer · Maree Todd: Researchers at the University of Sheffield carried out various sets of modelling of minimum unit pricing for alcohol for the Scottish Government, including the modelling carried out in 2016. The modelling estimated the costs and benefits of various minimum un…

6 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Climate Emergency Response Group report, Delivering on Scotland's response to the climate emergency - 12 immediate actions for the new Scottish Government in the year of COP26.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I welcome the report from the Climate Emergency Response Group and its emphasis on delivering action to tackle the climate emergency. The Scottish Government continues to work constructively with the Climate Emergency Response Group (CERG) on delivering the c…

29 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a backlog in toxicology analyses, how many final post-mortem reports following a sudden or unexplained death were not issued within the 12-week target in 2020 and 2021.

28 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will make available to local authorities to assist pensioners to install smoke alarms in their homes to comply with new fire safety legislation coming into force in February 2022.

Answer · Shona Robison: Local authorities have discretionary powers under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 to provide assistance to any home owners. Funding for this, and other housing activities, is included in the general capital and revenue grants provided to local authorities, an…

27 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which trade unions it has met to discuss the Abellio ScotRail document, Fit for the Future, and its reported proposals to reduce the number of train services by approximately 100,000 per year.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government has met all four Rail unions on a number of occasions recently, but union representatives have not chosen to use those meetings to discuss ScotRail’s Fit for the Future document.

27 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how reported proposals by Abellio ScotRail to reduce services will impact on COVID-19 social distancing guidelines.

Answer · Graeme Dey: ScotRail, when proposing the May 2022 timetable, has examined in detail previous, current and expected passenger demand. ScotRail has developed a proposed timetable that offers an increase in the number of services compared to current service levels as well a…

27 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of Abellio ScotRail's reported proposal to reduce services on (a) its net zero targets and general aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, (b) its aims to increase the number of journeys by rail and (c) car use.

Answer · Graeme Dey: There will be a) a positive impact with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as we decarbonise our rail network and reduce the number of diesel trains operating on the network and b) & c) with ScotRail’s proposed May 2022 timetable we will see around 44,…

27 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role the proposed public energy agency will have in supporting local authorities to create local public energy companies and/or cooperatives that develop, own and deliver zero-carbon heat and energy.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03384 on 27 October 2021. 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-committ…

27 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed public energy agency will have a stated objective to coordinate, support and create more local public energy companies and/or cooperatives to develop, own and deliver zero-carbon heat and energy efficiency infrastructure.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The priority for the new National Public Energy Agency will be to accelerate the transformational change in how we heat and use energy in homes and buildings in Scotland. We need to see the decarbonisation of heating systems of 1 million homes and 50,000 non-…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Transport Scotland to discuss low-emission zones.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I chaired the most recent Low Emission Zones Leadership Group on 8 September 2021. The LEZ Leadership Group comprises of myself, the Minister for Environment, Biodiversity and Land Reform, along with the four LEZ city Local Authorities of Aberdeen City Counci…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of vehicles in each local authority bus fleet are low-emission, and how this compares with each of the last five years.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government does not hold information of bus fleet numbers in each local authority.

22 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take in response to the most recent household recycling statistics from SEPA, which showed a national rate of 44.9% against a target of 60%.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The latest official waste data published by SEPA for 2019 shows that two-thirds of local authorities improved their recycling rate between 2018 and 2019. However, while we have made significant progress towards our ambitious waste reduction and recycling tar…

13 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment in the publication, Women’s Health Plan: A Plan for 2021-2024, what its planned timeline is for “ensuring women’s services in NHS boards have dedicated facilities for women who are experiencing unexpected pregnancy complications”.

Answer · Maree Todd: As set out in the Programme for Government 2021 - 22, published on 7 September 2021, the Scottish Government is committed to establishing a dignified and compassionate miscarriage service by the end of 2023. This commitment includes ensuring women’s services …

9 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support the recruitment of additional headache specialists and consultant neurologists, as recommended in the Migraine Trust report, Dismissed for too long.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02989 on? 27 September 2021. 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-comm…

9 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the Migraine Trust report, Dismissed for too long.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government welcomes the Migraine Trust report as an important document setting out some of the difficulties faced by people living with migraine. At the start of this year the Modernising Patients Pathway Programme (MPPP) initiated a Headache Man…

9 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supported the Migraine Trust's Migraine Awareness Week 2021, which ran from 5 to 11 September, and whether it will support the week in the future.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02989 on? 27 September 2021. 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-comm…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group report, Growing a Green Economy: The importance of ornamental horticulture and landscaping to the UK, and the accompanying action plan, Unlocking green growth.

Answer · Lorna Slater: I am grateful that these resources have been made available by the group. I would like to engage more with the group to discuss what actions we can take in Scotland to harness the benefits from this sector to the people of Scotland and the environment. My off…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support businesses and sectors affected by shortages of building materials.

Answer · Ivan McKee: We have been working to address supply chain issues in the construction industry since the launch of our Construction Recovery Plan in October last year, working with the industry and the UK Government to fully understand the current supply chain issues, whic…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by Homes for Scotland regarding the Programme for Government that planning and regulatory systems "are in need of increased resources to enable local councils to cope with the levels of demand for new homes".

Answer · Tom Arthur: In 2021-22 the Scottish Government allocated £11.7 billion to authorities and it is the responsibility of individual councils to manage their own budgets and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities. Th…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will give effect to "Anne’s Law" by granting care home relatives designated legal status.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to bringing in Anne’s Law to ensure people who live in adult care homes have rights to see and spend time with those who are important to them in order to support their health and wellbeing. To support the delivery of Anne…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the target to create 4,000ha of native woodland annually set out in its Programme for Government, whether this is an increase to the current target set out in the Biodiversity Strategy of between 3,000ha and 5,000ha.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: In the Programme for Government 2021 - 2022 we have updated the target from a minimum of 3,000 hectares per year of new native woodland creation, to a minimum of 4,000 hectares. That is an increase.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a proportion of its Green Jobs Fund will be designated to specifically enable people who are from groups that are under-represented in "green sectors" to train and access jobs.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Green Jobs Fund is not a skills or training fund. Over the next 5 years, the £100m Fund will provide businesses with capital investment towards improved green products and services and related research and development. All individual funding applications …

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it carried out a gender impact assessment in relation to its Green Jobs Fund.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Green Jobs Fund is not a skills or training fund. Over the next 5 years, the £100m Fund will provide businesses with capital investment towards improved green products and services and related research and development. All individual funding applications …