Alexander Burnett

28 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it will provide for employers to release staff to become on-call firefighters.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: On call firefighters are exceptional individuals who step up to protect their communities when needed most. The Scottish Government continues to recognise the vital role they play and appreciates the cooperation and understanding of their primary employers. …

23 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what protections and restrictions there are on land that receives money from the peatland restoration programme.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Scottish Government fund peatland restoration via the Peatland Action partnership. The individual delivery partners that make up this partnership apply their own grant offer terms and conditions regarding protections and restrictions on the land that receives…

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22263 by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023, which businesses Food Standards Scotland has communicated with regarding proposed EU changes to labelling requirements for blended honey.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and standards matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). They have advised that in August 2023, they contacted a range of interested parties to seek initial views on the proposed changes at EU level. This inclu…

22 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22263 by Jenni Minto on 13 November 2023, whether it will provide evidence of what communication Food Standards Scotland has had with stakeholders, including local authorities, businesses and consumers, on the effectiveness and suitability of the Ho…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and standards matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). They have advised that stakeholders were consulted in 2019 on the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015, to ensure the regulations remained operable and effe…

21 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for mental health services for children in each of the last five years, and what review it has undertaken on whether current resourcing is fit for purpose.

Answer · Maree Todd: Net mental health expenditure is published on the Public Health Scotland website Scottish health service costs under data files mental health expenditure Excel workbook . This information is available for financial years 2011-12 to 2021-22 for each NHS Bo…

21 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of (a) waiting times for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and (b) how to address any backlogs in these services.

Answer · Maree Todd: We are now seeing significant and sustained improvements in CAMHS waiting times. In the quarter ending September 2023, 75.6% of CAMHS patients started treatment within 18 weeks of referral, up from 67.9% in same quarter the previous year, and 13 out of 14 CAM…

21 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding modulator therapies to treat cystic fibrosis, such as Orkambi, Symkevi and Kaftrio, being funded on the NHS.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22774 on 21 November 2023. 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-commit…

20 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with Social Security Scotland to help with the heating costs of households in the north east.

15 Nov 2023 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on whether the £3,000 used from Michael Matheson’s office expenses for roaming charges constituted value for money, as required of all expense claims under the Reimbursement of Members’ Expenses Scheme.

8 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22160 by Angela Constance on 7 November 2023, when any new guidance on responding to emergencies will be published.

Answer · Angela Constance: A review of the suite of Preparing Scotland guidance, including information relating to responding to emergencies, is currently underway. The proposed date for launch is currently Spring 2024.

7 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when additional support for the new entrants to farming will be announced, in light of its commitment to announce additional support for new entrants later in 2023.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I can confirm that I announced the opening of the “Next Generation Practical Training Fund Pilot” at AgriScot on 22 November 2023. This fund will offer up to £500 per person for relevant practical land-based courses for new and young entrants. The developmen…

2 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what oversight it has of Stagecoach and any investigations that the company carries out to ensure that its vehicles have maximum fire safety protections.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Bus and coach operators are required to hold Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licenses. The PSV licensing is a reserved power to the UK Government and is managed by the Traffic Commissioner, the main purpose of the regime is to ensure safe and proper use of vehic…

2 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what fire safety drills are required for bus companies.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Bus Companies must comply with all safety regulations and conditions as required to be able to hold a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence. The PSV licensing is reserved and is managed by the Traffic Commissioner, the main purpose of the regime is to ensure s…

2 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Stagecoach regarding recent reports of bus fires.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government have held no discussions with Stagecoach regarding reports of bus fires. Vehicle safety is a reserved matter that is dealt with by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). Road safety remains an absolute priority for this gover…

2 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will match the UK Government's commitment to provide 15 hours of free childcare support for parents of two-year-olds from April 2024.

Answer · Natalie Don: Scotland already has one of the most generous childcare offers in the UK. In 2023-24 we are investing around £1 billion in the delivery of 1140 hours of high quality funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to all three and four year olds and about a quarter…

2 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what childcare support is available for working parents of two-year-olds.

Answer · Natalie Don: Local authorities in Scotland have a statutory duty to offer 1140 hours of high quality funded early learning and childcare (ELC) to all eligible children within their area. An ‘eligible child’ is described in the legal framework as all 3 and 4-year-olds from…

1 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that most local authorities in Scotland did not publish their audited accounts for the financial year 2022-23.    

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Accounts Commission oversees the audit of local authority Annual Accounts. Audit Scotland would advise the Accounts Commission of any concerns who would then investigate and advise the Scottish Ministers if required. All local authorities have published …

1 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the reason for four out of five local authorities not publishing their audited accounts in the financial year 2022-23. 

Answer · Tom Arthur: In line with the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014, all local authorities have published their unaudited 2022-23 annual accounts on their websites by 30 June 2023 and these are available for inspection. Local authorities were required to p…

1 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many local authorities did not meet the Accounts Commission's deadline to submit their annual accounts for the financial years (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 requires the Auditor General and the Accounts Commission to secure the audit of all accounts of local authorities and associated bodies (including health and social care integration boards and other joint boards) by ap…

1 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the publication of local government audits is essential to ensuring effective and efficient government. 

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The audit of the Annual Accounts of a local authority provides essential external scrutiny and assurance that a local authority is managing its finances appropriately. Best Value audits provide further scrutiny of the effectiveness of a local authority’s use …

31 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on eliminating long waiting times for NHS patients.

25 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21841 by Richard Lochhead on 25 October 2023, who does have a remit to intervene should a broadband provider choose not to proceed with their commercial build plans.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The decision on whether or not to proceed with planned commercial rollout of broadband infrastructure is a matter solely for the relevant broadband infrastructure provider and their own internal governance. However, the Scottish Government is working to incen…

24 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of onshore wind farms approved in the past year had majority support from the local community.

19 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to implement a fish counter on the River Dee, which is a Special Area of Conservation.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government does not have any current plans to implement a fish counter on the River Dee.

19 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many fish counters are currently in operation in Scotland, and where they are located.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The location of the 42 automatic fish counters that are known to Scottish Government are provided in the following table. The vast majority of these are not owned or operated by Scottish Government, and it is not possible to confirm their current operational …

19 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm the membership of the network of menopause specialists, including the representative of NHS Grampian.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The National Menopause Specialist Network is open to healthcare professionals with a special interest in menopause. The Network currently has over 55 members with representatives from all mainland Health Boards.  

19 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to include mandatory menopause training as part of undergraduate medical degree programmes.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The General Medical Council (GMC) is responsible for setting the national standards of medical education and training as the UK regulator. As part of work improve medical training on women’s health the GMC are introducing specific assessments for undergraduat…

17 Oct 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to support the reopening of Insch War Memorial Hospital.

16 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of (a) its Bee Health Team and (b) the Bee Health Improvement Partnership (BHIP), and on how the public can engage with each.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Bee Health Team’s bee heath inspectors have been conducting a programme of apiary visits across Scotland during this year’s beekeeping season, inspecting colonies for signs of notifiable pests and diseases as well as monitoring for incursion of exotic pes…

16 Oct 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015, and in light of Food Standards Scotland's Final Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment document stating that "A review to establish the actual costs and benefits and the achievement of the desired effects will take place in 5 years fro…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is advised on food safety and standards matters by Food Standards Scotland (FSS). They have advised that a formal post implementation review of the Honey (Scotland) Regulations 2015 has been delayed due to the need to prioritise EU exi…