Alexander Burnett

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, broken down by NHS board, (a) how many training places are currently available in the Scottish Ambulance Service for community first responders, and (b) how many community first responders (i) are currently being used as a resource by the Scottish Ambulance Service and (ii) have been ap…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: a) There are 6 planned training sessions for Community First Responders between November 2021 and March 2022. Each training session will accommodate up to a maximum of 12 trainees. These courses are scheduled to be held in Braemar (Grampian), Glasgow (Greater…

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training system is used by the Scottish Ambulance Service, and whether the First Person on Scene (FPOS) Intermediate system is currently being used and, if not, for what reason it is no longer used as a training tool.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Since 2014 the Scottish Ambulance Service has delivered a comprehensive 4 day training course, developed in-house, to provide the required training for Community First Responders - delivering a more detailed and comprehensive training package than the basic 2…

20 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used by the Scottish Ambulance Service when deciding whether to call upon (a) community first responders and (b) military assistance.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Ambulance Service determine which resource and assistance to call upon depending on the circumstances faced and the need that has arisen.

19 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many appointments for a second dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine have been issued to under-16s, and how many of those appointments were subsequently cancelled.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The information requested is not published. Any information on second dose appointments is used to show people their upcoming scheduled appointments, and a record of cancelled appointments is used to track Did Not Attend (DNA) rates. However, the specific inf…

12 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether people aged 50 to 69 will need to book their COVID-19 booster vaccines online, as opposed to receiving a letter inviting them for a scheduled appointment, and, if so, for what reason, and what support is available for people who do not have access to online services and would lik…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Those aged over 70, and those at highest clinical risk from COVID-19 have been receiving invitations for flu and Covid-19 booster appointment from 6 October. Appointments for COVID-19 boosters have now been offered to all those aged 60 and over. Clinics for …

4 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement of £25 million of funding for businesses to improve ventilation, whether funding will also be made available for community halls for public use.

Answer · Kate Forbes: We are taking forward a number of recommendations made by the Short Life Working Group on Ventilation in order to improve airflow in settings where transmission of Covid-19 is most likely to occur. As the First Minister stated when she announced this £25 mill…

1 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment was made of deer-browsing damage in all state forests prior to a licence being given to Forestry and Land Scotland to cull them out-of-season; what its response is to reports that data seen by the Scottish Gamekeepers Association suggests a cull grid reference location to…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: FLS takes an evidence-led approach to its deer management activities. On the National Forests and Land (NFL), FLS has a target of not incurring more than 10% deer damage to young trees. In 2020 the 3 year rolling average of deer damage impacts was 18% for the…

1 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what records Forestry and Land Scotland kept in 2020 to ensure that mothers killed were matched to calves killed; how it ensured that all alternatives were tried first in every forest, in keeping with the conditions for an out-of-season culling licence for deer; what information it has o…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: All data collected associated with deer culled on National Forests and Land (NFL) is recorded in FLS Wildlife Management System (WMS) database. The following table is derived from this database. This is managed by robust supervision of cullers and checks to m…

1 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guarantees it can provide that dependent deer calves will be killed along with their mothers during Forestry and Land Scotland’s out-of-season deer culls.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS), deer culling operatives are qualified and trained, are registered ‘Fit and Competent’, have Deer Stalking Certificates 1&2 and hold ‘Trained Hunter’ status. FLS’s culling activities are robustly supervised and monitored an…

29 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, what its response is to ATM providers reportedly being charged a higher level of business rates by local authorities for operating so-called through-the-wall machines, and, in light of the 2020 Supreme Court ruling for England and Wales, which said that no additional business rates coul…

Answer · Tom Arthur: The valuation of all non-domestic property is a matter for the independent assessors, who follow applicable statute and case law in making their decisions on non-domestic property valuations. The 2020 Supreme Court ruling for England and Wales is not binding …

28 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland (OPG) is experiencing a backlog of power of attorney applications, and, if so, what support it is offering the OPG to ease this backlog.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Due to Covid-19, the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) have a backlog of Power of Attorney deeds awaiting registration. The Scottish Government has provided funding of £238,000 to the Office of the Public Guardian to fund the power of attorney Covid recover…

22 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reintroduce face-to-face health visitor appointments for new mothers, in light of reports that NHS boards are currently only offering telephone and video appointments.

Answer · Maree Todd: Telephone and video consultations have and continue to play an important role in ensuring that care and support for new mothers and babies, children, young people and their families continues across Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are many examp…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in NHS Grampian, the (a) average waiting time for the psychological therapy services  is 28 weeks, with 240 people waiting and (b) current waiting for a first assessment for psychotherapy services is 32 weeks, with 124 people waiting, and what action…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises that long waits are unacceptable, and remains committed to meeting the standard that 90% of patients begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral. We have asked all Boards, including NHS Grampian, to set out their plans and …

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it has led to charges being introduced on some previously free-to-use ATM machines in Scotland, and other machines being withdrawn, what discussions it has had with LINK regarding its decision to reduce the interchange fee.

Answer · Ivan McKee: An increase in pay to use ATM’s, or the removal of existing ATM’s, will undoubtedly add to the uncertainty faced by communities and businesses on their ability to access essential services. Through engagement with the banking sector, via bilateral ministerial…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes in each parliamentary region is Warmworks Warmer Homes Scotland planning to improve to at least EPC grade C and by what date this work will be completed; how many homes in each region have received such assistance to date; what other schemes are working alongside Warmworks…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Warmer Homes Scotland is a demand led scheme, and as such does not set regional intervention targets for future delivery. The following table shows the completed applications under Warmer Homes Scotland by KPI region for 2020-21: Budget year/KPI Region Comp…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes there are in each parliamentary region, also broken down by how many have an EPC rating below grade C.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: This information is not available in the form requested. The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) explores the physical condition of Scotland’s homes as well as the experiences of householders. Data from the (SHCS) provides estimates of the total number of…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report published by the University of Northampton, Sustainable Grouse Shooting?, which stated that “We believe that our conclusions, detailed above, are supported by the currently available evidence. However, we are conscious of the danger of legislatio…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We published our response to the recommendations of the Grouse Moor Management Group, an independent group tasked by the Scottish Government with assessing the environmental impact of grouse moor management, on 26 November 2020 – Grouse Moor Management Group…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that grouse moor management is fully supported, in light of the recent report published by the University of Northampton, Sustainable Grouse Shooting?, which stated that “Compared with upland areas where grouse shooting does not take place, the biodiver…

Answer · Mairi McAllan:     The Scottish Government recognises that well-managed grouse moors can produce favourable habitats for certain species such as curlews and that land managers have an important role to play in enhancing biodiversity. As I set out in my response to questi…

20 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the country’s grouse moors, and, in light of the recent report published by the University of Northampton, Sustainable Grouse Shooting?, which stated that “It is unlikely that the alternative uses [to grouse shooting] that are proposed by some groups f…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As we stated when we published our response to the independent Grouse Moor Management Group report (the ‘Werritty Review’) in November 2020 we recognise the important contribution grouse shooting makes to the rural economy. Alongside the Werritty review, th…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a financial scheme to support the use of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel to run existing boilers, in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government has no current plans to provide financial support for HVO. However, we already offer a comprehensive support package for domestic heat and energy efficiency measures through our Home Energy Scotland service. Our Heat in Buildings Stra…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its review of the Scottish Strategy for Autism.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has published the Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism 2011-21 on 24 September. In response I was delighted to announce £650k this financial year, for tests of change on adult neurodevelopmental pathways. Additionally I annou…

9 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it (a) can take and (b) is taking to support the approval of further COVID-19 vaccines.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO) investment in NHS Research Scotland (NRS) clinical research infrastructure is supporting NHS Health Board participation in a number of COVID-19 vaccine trials to provide data for regulatory submissions fo…

8 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the health secretary regarding the allocation of additional funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service to increase staffing and resources, particularly in rural and remote areas.

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to allow a person's COVID-19 vaccination status to be recorded as fully vaccinated if they have received two doses of different vaccines; whether it will allow such people to be exempt from the 10-day quarantine period when returning to Scotland from green and am…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Government is working on delivering a solution at pace for individuals whom have received 2 doses of differing approved vaccines. Clinicians are fully sighted and conversant with recommendations. From 4 October, fully vaccinated travellers who have …

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to allow the COVID-19 vaccination status of people normally resident in Scotland to be recorded as fully vaccinated if they have received (a) an NHS-approved vaccine outside of the UK in an EU member state or as part of a UK vaccine roll-out overseas, (b) a vaccine appro…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Fully vaccinated means that it has been at least 14 days since your final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. To count as fully vaccinated, you must have been vaccinated in either: 1. The UK, including part of a UK vaccine rollout overseas - with an NHS ap…

31 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support red squirrel conservation, following the conclusion of the five-year Developing Community Action phase of the Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels project.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel project has been running since 2008. The Developing Community Action phase of the project is due to run until April 2022. Partners have agreed that that essential elements of the community action phase will need to continue…

31 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to find alternative sailing routes to the Western Isles, and to inform ticket holders whether their tickets will be valid on alternative routes, in light of reports that Caledonian MacBrayne has cancelled all its ferry sailings between Malaig and Lochboisdal…

Answer · Graeme Dey: When disruptions occur CalMac Ferries Ltd will conduct a network wide review to minimise the impact on communities. This includes redeployment of vessels from elsewhere on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) network, identification of an alternative …

31 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a wild venison marketing board.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Venison Strategy and its ambition for 2030 to make Scottish Venison the premier choice of consumers and commercial buyers, both here in the UK and in international markets. We have provided funding to support a ve…

30 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to women who have been unable to access their legal right to routine dental treatment during pregnancy and for a year after the birth of their child due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Maree Todd: Dental services have not been stopped during the pandemic period. Dental practices were initially closed with urgent and emergency dental care provided through urgent dental care centres. Dental practices reopened following a phased remobilisation programme w…

27 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the suggestion that the TURAS vaccination management database should allow vaccination registrations to be added by GPs so that vaccines that have been administered abroad are recognised and recorded on the database.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS Scotland are working with colleagues in some international countries to create a system that will enable them to collect the appropriate information. A range of mechanisms is currently under consideration for how this can be done most effectively and effi…