Alexander Burnett

7 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16471 by Aileen Campbell on 22 May 2018, what measures are being taken to direct people to the online leaflet on Lyme Disease found on the Health Protection Scotland website; whether it will provide further details on the work carried out by the Lym…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government, together with the Lyme Borreliosis Group are actively engaged in raising awareness of the materials produced to educate people on Lyme disease. This includes a social media video campaign which ran throughout Summer 2018 encouraging y…

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with its commitment in the Programme for Government to create around 350 counsellors in to ensure that every secondary school has counselling services; by what date this target will be met, and how much funding is being allocated toward this.

Answer · John Swinney: The creation of school counsellors in school education across Scotland is part of a package of measures to ensure that children and young people get the support that they need. We know that early experiences have lasting impacts for childhood and beyond so ea…

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the European Parliament resolution 2018/2774(RSP) on Lyme disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is already committed to reducing the burden of Lyme Disease in Scotland and welcomes a wider EU approach to tackling this complex disease.

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have Lyme disease.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Health Protection Scotland (HPS) publish numbers of laboratory confirmed cases of Borrelia burgdorferi as part of the annual surveillance report on Zoonotic disease in Scotland. The most recent report can be accessed here: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/resourc…

29 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19965 by Mairi Gougeon on 27 November 2018, whether the farmer will be given additional compensation, in light of the reported impact on his tourism business because his details were made public.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The farmer has received compensation for the market value of the cattle that were humanely destroyed. The Scottish Government has no plans to pay further compensation.

28 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the NHS Tayside Mental Health Services Inquiry will publish its report.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside launched its public call for evidence in September 2018. Its remit is to inquire into the accessibility, safety, quality and standards of care provided by all mental health services in Tayside. Gi…

20 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19417 by Aileen Campbell on 13 November 2018, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding what initiatives are in place to allow larger, national-based charities to take on the responsibility of obtaining funding for smaller…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: There are no general initiatives for larger charities specifically to take on the responsibility of obtaining funding for smaller, community-based ones. There are however various arrangements in place whereby larger charities administer certain Scottish Gover…

19 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire councils must pay their contributions to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) under the terms of the contract.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The funding arrangements for the AWPR element were agreed in 2003 following the decision by the then Scottish Executive to promote the AWPR/B-T project as a trunk road in partnership with Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Councils. Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshi…

19 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the terms of the contract for completion of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) state that it is not required to remunerate or borrow further funds to cover remuneration if acceptance of completion is delayed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As is standard in Non Profit Distributing (NPD) contracts, the contractor will only receive payment for sections of the road when opened to traffic. Consequently, the contractor is receiving payments for the sections of road which have been opened to traffic …

19 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what organisations it engaged with in preparing the design of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) for tender; whether the original design and specifications required amendment, and, if so, at what cost.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland’s technical advisors, Jacobs Engineering Group, produced the specimen design for the AWPR/B-T project, prior to the main contract tender. Due to the Design Build Finance and Operate procurement model for the AWPR/B-T project, it is the resp…

14 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what compensation will be given to the farmer affected by the recent BSE case, given the impact on the individual of their details being made public.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The farmer received an independent appraisal by an industry professional of the market value of the cattle that were humanely destroyed as a result of this isolated BSE case. The farmer will receive compensation equal to this market valuation.

14 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on who revealed the location, name of the farm and name of the farmer affected by the recent BSE case, and whether it has undertaken a review on how this happened.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government does not have information on who revealed the location, name of the farm and the name of the farmer affected by the recent BSE case. Any processing of data that the Scottish Government has carried out in relation to that case was carri…

14 Nov 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will have awarded all of the contracts for the R100 superfast broadband programme.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We aim to complete the procurement process for the three R100 procurement lots in the first half of 2019.

5 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19475 by Jeanne Freeman on 1 November 2018, whether the national planning framework for the provision of thrombectomy treatment has been completed by the advisory group, and, if so, whether it will publish this.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Directors of Planning Thrombectomy Advisory Group are producing a national planning framework for the provision of thrombectomy for Scotland. It is intended that this will be completed by early 2019. It will be the basis for moving forward on implementati…

24 Oct 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to encourage doctors to relocate to rural practices.

23 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to announce the precise opening date of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Sections of this project are already opened to traffic between Craibstone and Dyce junctions , the 7km section of dual carriageway between Blackdog and Parkhill and the 12km section between Balmedie and Tipperty. Drivers are already enjoying significant benef…

23 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any additional costs above the tendered price for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and, if so, what they are; whether the contractor in charge of construction has been paid in full, and how much capital must be borrowed to pay for the construction.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As confirmed in my statement to Parliament on 1 November 2018, no additional costs have been incurred by the public purse to date. As the contracting entity is formed by a joint venture of privately run companies, we do not have access to the contractors cos…

22 Oct 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that it has taken all required steps to protect consumers, food safety and the farming industry, following the discovery of BSE on a farm in Aberdeenshire.

18 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) thrombolysis and (b) thrombectomy procedures have been carried out in the last year; what information it has regarding how this compares with the rest of the UK, and what plans it has to increase to the number.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Stroke Care Programme (SSCP) report 2018 states that in 2017, 1046 (12%) patients with ischaemic stroke received thrombolysis, the highest annual rate so far, and one which compares favourably with the rest of the UK and other European countries.…

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are in place to allow larger, national-based charities to take on the responsibility of obtaining funding for smaller, community-based ones.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government makes a wide range of funds available to community-based organisations, some of which are delivered directly and some through a commissioned or grant funded third sector partner.

10 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question to S5W-18905 by Joe FitzPatrick on 5 October 2018, what guidance has been issued regarding the use of Rezum as a treatment.    

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In September 2018, The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published interventional procedures guidance on the use of transurethral water jet ablation for lower urinary tract symptoms caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (link: https:/…

19 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the drug, Rezum, for the treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is available in Scotland, and, if not, for what reasons it is not included in SIGN guidelines.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is aware that Rezum has recently been recommended by NICE and could be considered as an additional treatment for NHS Scotland patients. However, the role of the Scottish Government is to provide policies, frameworks and resources to NH…

10 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18323 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 29 August 2018, whether it would consider amending the Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises (Scotland) Regulations 2006 to include bothies in the list of no-smoking premises to eliminate any uncertainty of the defin…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to my answer to S5W-18323 pointing the member to the Scottish Government’s Tobacco Control Action Plan - http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2018/06/9483 . The member will note from the Plan that our priority is on addressing health inequal…

3 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its drive toward more community engagement and empowerment, what action it is taking to increase grant support for third sector interface organisations.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has maintained significant levels of funding to the 32 Third Sector Interfaces (TSIs) since their inception in 2011. This is a clear demonstration of our ongoing commitment to supporting the work that TSIs do to support local third sec…

31 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase grant support for Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action, in light of reports that it has not received any funding increase in the last five years in line with annual inflation.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: As one of Scotland’s 32 third-sector interfaces (TSIs), Aberdeenshire Voluntary Action provides crucial local support for the third sector in Aberdeenshire whilst also informing local and national strategic priorities. The Scottish Government has maintained …

31 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that many households were without water over the summer as they were dependant on private supplies, what action it is taking to improve the water infrastructure in rural areas.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government continues to work closely with SEPA, Scottish Water, local authorities and others to ensure that those on private water supplies are supported through the unusually dry conditions we experienced this summer. In particular, the Scottish…

21 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on removing the ban on the sale of raw milk.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: There are no plans to remove the ban on the sale of raw milk in Scotland. Raw drinking milk (and cream) has historically been recognised as a high risk to public health due to its association with a number of food poisoning outbreaks, mainly Salmonella, Camp…

20 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is smoking in bothies, and whether it will consider amending the Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises (Scotland) Regulations 2006 to include these in the list of no-smoking premises.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The advice that has been issued since the introduction of the smoking ban in relation to Bothies has been consistent and is as follows. Bothies are not listed under schedule 1 of the smoke-free Regulations and therefore are not covered by the legislation. Wh…

7 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to increase funding in rural areas for multi-weather pitches.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government provides funding for sporting facilities through the National Agency for Sport, sport scotland. Since 2007, sport scotland has invested over £168m in sporting facilities across Scotland through their Sports Facilities Fund (SSF). The …

7 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) drug and (b) alcohol addiction rates are in each NHS board area, and what action is being taken by each board to reduce these.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Rates of addiction are not recorded however data is published on problematic drug and alcohol use. a] https://isdscotland.scot.nhs.uk/Health-Topics/Drugs-and-Alcohol-Misuse/Publications/2014-10-28/2014-10-28-Drug-Prevalence-Report.pdf b] https://www.gov.…