Rona Mackay

22 Jan 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made by the Expert Group on Preventing Sexual Offending Involving Children and Young People.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Expert Group on Preventing Sexual offending Involving Children and Young People was established after research by the Scottish Government identified that around half of the growth in all recorded sexual crime in recent years was due to growth in sexual cy…

11 Dec 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent figures from Rape Crisis Scotland, which state that, on a typical day, 1,035 people are waiting to access rape crisis support.

4 Dec 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Government to discuss the transfer of powers over immigration post-Brexit.

2 Dec 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the review of the Advance Payment Scheme for victims of historical childhood abuse in care in Scotland has concluded, and when the findings will be published.

Answer · John Swinney: I am pleased to confirm that the review of the Advance Payment Scheme has now concluded and the findings published today. The Scheme provides acknowledgement and recognition, by means of a financial payment and an apology, to those who suffered abuse in care …

25 Nov 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is improving the experiences of victims in the justice system.

12 Nov 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde initiative, Moving Forward Together, which includes a review of how certain types of cancer treatment will be administered.

5 Nov 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans or initiatives are in place to promote environmentally-friendly modes of transport ahead of the 2020 UN Climate Change Summit in Glasgow.

28 Oct 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its consultation paper on ending the sale of energy drinks to children and young people.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The consultation paper on ending the sale of energy drinks to children and young people was published today. It can be found at https://consult.gov.scot/health-and-social-care/ending-the-sale-of-energy-drinks .

14 Oct 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to respond to the outcome of the public consultation on proposals to create new protective orders that could be used to protect people at risk of domestic abuse by removing suspected perpetrators from their home.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The consultation showed that there is widespread support among respondents for providing the police and courts with powers to impose protective orders to remove a suspected perpetrator of domestic abuse from the household of a person at risk of domestic abuse…

30 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what schools are doing to encourage fifth and sixth year leavers to pursue modern apprenticeships, particularly in more affluent catchment areas.

18 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of employers paying the Living Wage.

10 Sep 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to promote Menopause in the Workplace policies throughout the country.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Taking action on menopause in the workplace is included in our Gender Pay Gap Action Plan. As part of our activity, we have expanded the criteria for the Workforce Equality Fund to encourage applications that offer support for workers transitioning through t…

9 Sep 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to amend the blood safety requirements for plasma and platelets, in light of expert advice.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Along with the UK Government and the Welsh Government, the Scottish Government has agreed to update some specific variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) precautionary measures in Scotland, England and Wales. In 2004, the Scottish Government was advised to …

3 Sep 2019 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand the HPV vaccination programme to include teenage boys and young men.

2 Sep 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action the Scottish Prison Service has taken in response to the determination of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of Allan Marshall at HMP Edinburgh.

30 Aug 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to provide financial redress for survivors of historical abuse in care in Scotland.

Answer · John Swinney: I am pleased to announce that a pre-legislative consultation on financial redress for historical abuse in care in Scotland has been published today. The responses to this consultation will help shape the legislation which will be introduced to the Scottish Pa…

27 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in evaluating the devolved employment service, Fair Start Scotland.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Fair Start Scotland (FSS) is Scotland’s devolved employability support service and is designed to offer personalised support on a voluntary basis to help people, including those who are further removed from the labour market, who want help to find work and st…

24 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to Fit for the Future – Report of the Independent Review of Legal Services Regulation in Scotland.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government response will be published today on the Scottish Government website at 9:30am.

19 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage local authorities to engage with community councils.

12 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to recent reports regarding the remit of the short-life working group into complications from mesh procedures.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The short-life working group was established after the meeting I had with women at the Scottish Parliament in March. As has been set out in response to parliamentary questions (S5W-22523 on 1 May 2019 and S5W-23623 on 6 June 2019) the remit of the Accountabl…

4 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent analysis recording a fall in serious violent crime over the last decade.

30 May 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans for the contactSCOTLAND-BSL service provided to deaf and deafblind British Sign Language (BSL) users.

Answer · Clare Haughey: contactSCOTLAND-BSL is a vital service provided to the deaf and deafblind British Sign Language (BSL) community. It allows deaf and deafblind users to make calls through an on-line interpreter. The Scottish Government will be providing additional funding for …

29 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to ensure the occupational safety of fishermen.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There is no doubt that commercial sea fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, and over the years too many lives have been lost at sea. We need to do all we can, to make it as safe as we can. Between 2014 and 2020 through EU and Scottish Gover…

17 May 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will be in a position to announce the chairs of the independent reviews of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment)(Scotland) Act 2003 and the delivery of forensic mental health services in Scotland, which were announced in March 2019.

Answer · Clare Haughey: I am delighted to have secured the services of John Scott QC as Chairperson for the review of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. Mr Scott brings extensive experience within the areas of legislation and human rights and will also provi…

14 May 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports communities in celebrating their heritage.

13 May 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask Scottish Government when the first payments from the Advance Payment Scheme for survivors of childhood abuse in care will be made.

Answer · John Swinney: The Advance Payment Scheme opened on 25 April 2019 for those abused in care in Scotland who are either aged 70 or above, or who are terminally ill. Applicants are eligible to apply for a flat rate payment of £10,000, providing tangible recognition of the harm…

30 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position on the work of Society Zero, which is a Glasgow-based social enterprise that provides zero waste and plastic-free food, produce and products, and how it supports the establishment of such start-ups.

1 Apr 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister how the new domestic abuse act will help reduce violence against women.

21 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent figures for the number of (a) court staff and (b) prosecutors per 100,000 people in (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is available online in the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) report. CEPEJ evaluates every two years the functioning of the judicial systems in 47 Council of Europe's Member States. The latest available inform…

21 Mar 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent figures for the number of (a) police officers and (b) prison service staff per 100,000 people in (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The most recent comparable figures on the number of (a) police officers and (b) prison service staff per 100,000 population for (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales are reported as at the 30 September 2018 in the following tables. Table (a): Number of ful…