Alexander Burnett

2 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will update its guidance on noise limits and amplitude modulation, as recommended in the WSP publication, A Review of Noise Guidance for Onshore Wind Turbines: Project Report, published in October 2022 on behalf of the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industri…

Answer · Michael Matheson: We welcome the research conducted by WSP on behalf of the UK Government. The Scottish Government contributed financially to the research project and will continue to work with the UK Government on next steps following the publication of the report. Until su…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what reviews have taken place to ensure that the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) action plan for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project, which was undertaken in 2019, has been completed.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The NDAP process does not use the term, or produce an ‘action plan’. The process results in essential and advisory recommendations at the end of each of each Business Case stage which must be developed by the Board. The Board will submit evidence or a commitm…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions were required to be undertaken by NHS Grampian in order to achieve a supported NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) report for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The NDAP process was an iterative process undertaken over a number of months, involving the NDAP Team from NHS Scotland Assure, the NHS Grampian Project team, key stakeholders, Graham Construction and their design team. The NHS Grampian Project team worked th…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided, or is in discussion regarding the provision of, additional funding for any redesign of The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: There have been no material changes to the design of either the Baird Family Hospital or the ANCHOR Centre agreed to date. An important part of any large capital project however, is the ongoing testing and refinement of the design, in particular the mechanica…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what reviews have been undertaken to ensure that the quality of drinking water at The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre is in line with Scottish Water's legal responsibility to maintain a wholesome water supply.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Information relating to the design of the water systems for both The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre was submitted to Scottish Water in December 2022 and notification was received on 28th February 2023, confirming that the application complied wit…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the report of the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre Project, which was undertaken in 2019, will be published.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government do not publish NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) reports, but they are available on request from the Health Board.  

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what internal governance is required by NHS boards to ensure that NHSScotland Design Assessment Process (NDAP) action plans are completed.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Once the Board has committed to follow the recommendations of the NDAP, the responsibility for doing so remains solely with the Board. The NDAP action plan was agreed locally in discussion with the NDAP team and Graham Construction. A tracker was developed wh…

28 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided, or is in discussion regarding the provision of, additional funding for the replacement of equipment at The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In common with all major health infrastructure projects, existing equipment will be transferred from the current sites and this will be supported by investment in new equipment. The Full Business Case identified a required capital budget for equipment of £14 …

28 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish Budget 2023-24 will support the economic development and prosperity of the north east.

24 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) survey, introduced in 2022, requires males to respond to a question on whether they could be pregnant when donating blood, and what consideration it has given to removing this requirement for males completing the SNB…

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is grateful to everyone who takes the time to volunteer to give blood. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) adjusted the donor health check questionnaire in April 2022 so that all donors are now asked the same quest…

23 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it first learned of reports that avian flu could be transferred to seals, and whether any monitoring of seals has since taken place.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In December 2021 the Animal Disease Policy Group (ADPG), which includes a range of avian influenza experts and representatives from UK administrations, agreed to collect and store samples from non-avian wildlife through the existing Diseases of Wildlife Surve…

15 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on avian flu in Scotland.

2 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to local authorities to support (a) breakfast and (b) after school clubs that may otherwise face closure due to financial constraints.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government does not provide specific funding to local authorities to support breakfast and after school clubs which are struggling financially. Local authorities have flexibility to allocate the total financial resources available to them on the …

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each fit and proper person test, carried out by Police Scotland as part of short-term let licensing applications, costs the service.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Licensing schemes are administered by licensing authorities on a cost recovery basis through the collection of application fees.

25 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Creative Scotland.

23 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each fire safety check carried out by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as part of short-term let licensing applications costs the service.

Answer · Elena Whitham: This information is held by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission its statutory environmental agencies to embed the control of the most prolific species, such as grey squirrels, into their operations long-term, in light of reports that non-native invasive species are now recognised as one of the top five drivers of biodiversi…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The control of invasive non-native species is already a priority in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy which states that a key aim for the Strategy is that by 2045: “Harmful invasive non-native species (INNS) will be managed so that established INNS no longe…

19 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commission NatureScot to lead on red squirrel conservation and embed grey squirrel control in its operations to ensure a future for the red squirrel in Scotland.

Answer · Lorna Slater: NatureScot has worked with partners on red squirrel conservation, including work to control grey squirrels, for many years. In particular, the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel (SSRS) partnership project has been working in strategic areas to protect, maintain a…

11 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to approve Palforzia, a treatment for children with peanut allergies, for use in Scotland, in light of it being available through NHS England.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In Scotland, the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) appraises the clinical and cost-effectiveness of newly-licensed medicines. Making decisions about whether or not to recommend routine access to new medicines is a complex task and the SMC bases its decisi…

5 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it (a) can take and (b) is taking to ensure that households that are eligible for a smart meter can install one.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Energy policy, including the rollout of smart meters programme, is a matter reserved to the UK Government. Smart meters have an important role to play in helping the Scottish Government achieve our aim of increasing energy efficiency across Scotland as well …

5 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for households in rural areas in Scotland that do not have a mobile or radio signal and cannot therefore install a smart meter and receive any benefits that come with it.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to my answer to question S6W-13660 on 19 January 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-committe…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of when it will deliver its commitment to roll out a national thrombectomy service that enables approximately 800 stroke patients to receive the procedure each year.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Work is ongoing to establish the most effective means, and timescales, of further expanding access to thrombectomy, including how the increased budget will be best used in recruiting staff to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from this treatment…

21 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are to ensure that there is a 24/7 national thrombectomy service to support patients across the whole of Scotland, and when it aims to deliver this by.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service in Scotland. Work is ongoing to establish the most effective means of further expanding the national thrombectomy service, and the appropriate tim…

14 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09464 by Maree Todd on 18 July 2022, and in light of the UK Government's spending announcement of MND research funding of an immediate £29.5 million to specialist research centres and £20.5 million through open call processes, what it is doing to pr…

Answer · Maree Todd: The £29.5 million funding to specialist research centres announced by UK Government on 12 December 2022 includes £12.5 million to be delivered through the UK Dementia Research Institute (UK DRI). Edinburgh University hosts one of the 6 UK DRI Centres and is e…

13 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported warnings from COSLA that local government job losses are "inevitable" and that services will have to be reduced.

13 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Cold Weather Payment, which was previously administered by the UK Government and under which households in Scotland were eligible for payments of £25 per week when temperatures drop below freezing for seven days between November and March, whether it is the case that the…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Regardless of weather conditions, Winter Heating Payment will provide a stable, reliable payment of £50 to around 415,000 eligible people on low-incomes and provide a valuable contribution towards their heating expenses during the winter months. Recognising t…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to reduce waiting lists for afterschool childcare.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government recognises the critical importance of school age childcare and the benefits it brings for the whole family. That is why we are committed to designing an all-year-round system of school age childcare, which will be funded for those fami…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to private nurseries that cannot compete with salaries offered by local authorities.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government recognises the value and importance of providers in the private, third and childminding sectors in delivering 1140 hours of high quality funded Early Learning and Childcare. That is why we have made the payment of sustainable rates - …

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to recover the reported 11,363 childminding places lost since 2016.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We recognise and value the unique role that childminders play in delivering 1140 hours of high quality funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to children and families. We are pleased to see an increasing proportion of childminding services being approved t…

8 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address any staff shortages in the childcare industry.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government is developing a Strategic Framework for Scotland’s Childcare Profession that will explore a range of issues under key themes with partners, including recruitment and retention of professionals across all parts of the sector. The Framew…