Monica Lennon

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment was made, prior to the start of this year's school summer holidays, regarding the provision of childcare (a) in the absence of summer clubs, in cases where such clubs are closed as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, and (b) where annual leave has been used up to accommoda…

Answer · Clare Haughey: The regulated childcare sector is operating throughout the summer and The Scottish Government created guidance to support this. Organised children’s activities are also operating with guidance available, which has been updated in line with easing of restr…

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help the construction sector, following reports that 10% of the industry is at risk of failure as a result of the removal of (a) temporary measures introduced under Corporate Insolvency and Governance (CIGA), and (b) financial support schemes.

Answer · Ivan McKee: As I said in my reply to S6W-01546 on 29 July 2021, I chair the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) that meets monthly and is driving progress on the Construction Recovery Plan. Actions implemented so far include: introduced new ways of working for managing i…

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will meet with trade union officials representing the construction sector, to discuss how (a) best to support it, and (b) jobs can be retained following changes to (i) temporary measures, (ii) financial support schemes, (iii) VAT, and (iv) IR35 taxation rules.

Answer · Ivan McKee: I chair the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) that meets monthly with trade union, construction industry and government representatives collaborating on driving progress on the Construction Recovery Plan, which contains a range of practical actions to suppo…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the advice from the French Vaccine Strategy Guidance Council, what consideration it has given to extending the prioritisation of a third COVID-19 vaccination booster for people who are severely immunocompromised (a) in general and (b) as a result of having received a solid o…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government acts on the basis of the latest guidance issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which considers all available evidence for the most appropriate vaccinations policy approach in the UK. Current JCVI advice …

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the efficacy of two COVID-19 vaccinations for people with reduced immune functions (a) in general and (b) as a result of having received a solid organ transplant.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Green Book notes that immunosuppression is one of the clinical risk groups for COVID-19 immunisation. This immunosuppression may be due to disease or treatment, including patients undergoing chemotherapy leading to immunosuppression, patients undergoing…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that no charges will be introduced for COVID-19 lateral flow tests, and for how long free lateral flow test kits will be available to the public.

Answer · Maree Todd: On 26 April free lateral flow device (LFD) test kits were made available to everyone in Scotland, for twice-weekly asymptomatic COVID-19 testing via the universally accessible testing offer. In addition to this, free LFD test kits are available through the Sc…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to provide free bikes for all children of school age who cannot afford them, whether such children will be able to access this scheme during 2021.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Access to the scheme in 2021 will initially be through pilot projects as set out in our ‘First Steps’ document.  

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that every child leaves school with the ability to cycle safely.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Since 2019-20, the Scottish Government has invested over £3 million in the Bikeability Scotland programme run by Cycling Scotland. Bikeability has three levels of competency which teaches children to ride and control a bike, learn to cycle on quiet streets an…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment to provide free bikes for all children of school age who cannot afford them, what the eligibility criteria are for children to access the scheme.

Answer · Graeme Dey: We are currently considering options for pilots. These pilots will test out how to successfully rollout a programme of free bikes to school age children who cannot afford them, including what the eligibility criteria should be for children to access the schem…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35656 by John Swinney on 11 March 2021, what progress has been made regarding updated guidance for schools on supporting transgender children and young people, and whether the guidance will be ready for the return of schools in August 2021.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of trans and non-binary people in Scotland. Trans people continue to suffer poorer outcomes relative to the wider population, and this needs to change. We are committed to ensuring that all childre…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on native woodland (a) management and (b) expansion through the Forestry Grant Scheme in each year since 2015.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Details of the grants awarded by Scottish Government through the Forestry Grant Scheme is shown in the following table: Year Management of native woodlands Expansion of native woodlands 2015 N/A £1.2 M 2016 £1.3 M 3.45 M 2017 £2.35 M £5.9 M 2018 …

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to Cycling Scotland in each year since 2010-11.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Financial Year Amount 10-11 £1,387,683 11-12 £2,250,000 12-13 £2,424,000 13-14 £2,060,000 14-15 £2,651,893 15-16 £2,481,295 16-17 £3,063,252 17-18 £3,374,001 18-19 £5,570,761 19-20 £5,304,443 20-21 £4,775,610  

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the eligibility criteria that were required for businesses to be awarded Scottish Enterprise funding as part of the green jobs call, which closed on 1 July 2021.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Enterprise green jobs funding is being delivered through rounds that open and close periodically for fixed amounts of time and from which the best projects will be chosen for support. Details , including eligibility criteria, are published on Scottis…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what regular meetings it holds with the UK Government regarding the delivery of COP 26. 

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government currently regularly attend the below meetings alongside the UK Government:UKG COP26 Delivery BoardDevolved Administration Directors ForumUKG led COP26 regular Devolved Administrations catch-upDevolved Administrations Ministerial groupC…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its full-time equivalent (FTE) officials are working on the delivery of COP 26.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There are currently 40 officials working full-time, or scheduled to begin working full-time on the delivery of COP26. There are also 23 officials currently, or scheduled to dedicate a percentage of their time to working on the delivery of COP26.

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what matters it will have responsibility for at COP 26, and what areas of responsibility it will share with the UK Government.

Answer · Michael Matheson: From the moment it was announced that COP26 would be coming to Glasgow, the Scottish Government have been fully committed to playing our role in ensuring a safe and secure event. The Government of the United Kingdom hold the presidency of COP26 and are theref…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding it has provided to Glasgow City Council for direct spending on hosting COP 26.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Glasgow City Council have Memorandum of Understanding with UK Government related COP26 and to recover costs incurred in relation to the direct spending associated with hosting COP26 in Glasgow. Scottish Minister have made clear their expectation that all cost…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out of the impact that COP 26 might have on communities (a) in Glasgow and (b) across the rest of the country.

Answer · Michael Matheson: It is inevitable that an event of the size and complexity of COP26 will have an impact on the communities of the host City, we are working closely with Glasgow City Council to mitigate against impact and where possible create opportunities for communities to …

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve communities (a) in Glasgow and (b) across the rest of the country with COP 26, and what work is being carried out to achieve this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: COP26 presents a unique platform for communities across Scotland to showcase the innovative climate action being undertaken at a local level and to drive forward further collective action towards our net zero target. Our programme for COP26 will be underpinne…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on establishing a gigafactory to (a) build batteries for electric vehicles and (b) help improve the domestic battery supply chain.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Batteries are increasingly important for decarbonising a whole range of vehicles and potentially a major socio-economic opportunity for Scotland. The UK's Faraday Institution estimates there will be enough electric vehicle demand by 2040 for seven gigafactori…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether 4,000 IU (100 mcg) of Vitamin D is an advisable daily dose for adults.

Answer · Maree Todd: In terms of daily dosage amounts, our advice is a supplement containing 10 micrograms of vitamin D (400 IU). This applies to adults and children over one year of age. Ten micrograms per day is the average amount needed by the majority (97.5%) of the populatio…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Fair Work criteria were reportedly not applied to the evaluation of bids that resulted in NHS Education for Scotland awarding a contract to Amazon.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: It is a matter for each individual Public Body to decide how to address Fair Work First in their procurement processes, with decisions being taken on a case-by-case basis. In doing so, all Bodies are expected to apply the Fair Work First criteria to all new r…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) ministers and (b) officials last met or corresponded with Amazon or its representatives, and what was discussed.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: On 30 June 2021, I wrote to Jonathon McCreadie, Manager, Public Policy UK & Ireland at Amazon agreeing to meet him to discuss Amazon’s work in Scotland – the timing for which has still to be agreed. More recently, on? 20 July, the Cabinet Secretary for Consti…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting timing is for family genetic testing following a sudden arrhythmic death syndrome bereavement.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Statistics on the waiting times patients experience waiting for family genetic testing following a sudden arrhythmic death syndrome bereavement are not held by Public Health Scotland (PHS). PHS does not hold information on the conditions patients are waiting …

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support people living with migraine.

Answer · Maree Todd: In 2019, the Scottish Government launched Scotland’s first National Framework for Action on Neurological Care and Support 2020-25. Over five years we will invest £4.5 million of funding to implement the Framework’s 17 commitments to improve the provision of c…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has supported on sudden arrhythmic death syndrome.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has supported the following research: ‘Genetic Testing for Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome and the British Coronial System’. This is currently in follow-up in NHS Grampian and ran from May 2014 to June 2020. ‘The Role of Genetic Tes…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on alcohol sponsorship in sport.

Answer · Maree Todd: Sports sponsorship entails a range of alcohol advertising and promotional activity, which we know is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences positive attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage them to start drinking alcoho…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help prevent the theft of pet dogs, in light of the reported rise in the number of such incidents.

Answer · Keith Brown: The primary responsibility for the prevention and investigation of theft lies with Police Scotland. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 stipulates that the Chief Constable of Police Scotland is responsible for the policing of Scotland, and is accou…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the (a) South Lanarkshire, (b) North Lanarkshire and (c) Forth Valley Alcohol and Drug Partnership, and what was discussed.

Answer · Angela Constance: Scottish Government officials regularly meet with Alcohol and Drug Partnerships which allows for discussion on a wide range of issues as part of our shared commitment to reduce drug deaths. Meetings with officials have taken place in May, June and July 2021.…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many deaths have been attributed to sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in each year since 2010, broken down by (a) age group, (b) gender and (c) ethnicity.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Information from National Records of Scotland (NRS) is in the following table. Background information on how National Records for Scotland record deaths can be found at: Deaths - Background Information | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) Deat…