Parliamentary questions
Donald Cameron
1,854 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown of the number of school culture coordinators that Creative Scotland has (a) fully funded and (b) part funded with local authorities in each year since 2016.
Answer · Neil Gray: The role of a school culture coordinator is a discretionary role that supports the delivery of the Youth Music Initiative (YMI) programme, administered on behalf of Scottish Government by Creative Scotland with local authorities. A school culture coordinator…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government’s announcement on waste crime as part of its Environmental Improvement Plan 2023, regarding any potential impact in Scotland, and whether it will consider adopting similar measures.
Answer · Lorna Slater: We have already implemented some measures, such as tightening waste exemptions, and are undertaking work to consider further measures similar to those mentioned in the UK Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan 2023. In addition, where the necessary powe…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how NHS boards monitor any instances of patient misdiagnosis.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS Health Boards are responsible for delivering safe, effective and person-centred care at a local level, which includes identifying and monitoring instances of patient misdiagnosis. This will be through a number of processes such as Adverse Event reviews, t…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14311 by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2023, whether it can provide a breakdown of the number of (a) Category 1 and (b) Category 2 potholes that were (i) reported and (ii) repaired, in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland, through its Trunk Road Operating Companies and Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) Concessionaires, is responsible for the management and maintenance of the strategic trunk road network, including motorways. Repair of potholes on all other…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to Refugee Festival Scotland in each year since it was launched in 2000.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Information about Scottish Government funding since 2000 is not available from a single source or held in a single location. Records retention policy may also affect availability of r…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it will involve (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in the distribution of the small grants associated with its New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The small grants will enable wide-scale public engagement across Scotland for the refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. Arrangements for the distribution of the small grants are being developed by the strategy’s key partners, the Scottish Governme…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Creative Scotland plans to ask regularly funded organisations to rely on their organisational reserves for the financial year 2023-24, rather than on grant funding.
Answer · Neil Gray: No. Creative Scotland’s board announced on 19 December 2022 its decision to maintain funding for the Regularly Funded Organisations at current levels for the 2023-24 financial year, using its accumulated reserves from National Lottery funding. The Scottish G…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage businesses to invest in the (a) installation of Changing Places toilets and (b) upgrading of existing facilities to meet Changing Places toilet standards.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: As part of the Scottish Government’s work to increase provision of Changing Places Toilets, we are aiming to transform attitudes across Scotland so that more organisations, including businesses, are aware of, and understand the importance of, Changing Places …
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will encourage local authorities to extend the opening hours of licensed premises to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, in light of similar measures having been proposed by the UK Government for England and Wales.
Answer · Elena Whitham: The main piece of legislation that controls the sale of alcohol in Scotland is the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005. The administration of the alcohol licensing regime is devolved to independent local Licensing Boards – in effect the 32 Scottish Local Authoritie…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage members of the public to report instances of waste crime to Police Scotland.
Answer · Lorna Slater: SEPA and partners, such as local authorities and Police Scotland, regularly use social media to publicise how members of the public can report any suspicious activity in relation to environmental or waste crime. Targeted campaigns are used when there is a new…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Creative Scotland can monitor the organisational reserves of regularly funded organisations.
Answer · Neil Gray: Creative Scotland monitors the organisational reserves of regularly funded organisations via the submissions provided as part of the annual contracting process. Ad hoc monitoring by Creative Scotland may also occur depending on the organisation’s financial po…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has investigated the use of waste plastics in road repairs.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As we strive towards a lower carbon transport network and reduced environmental footprint, the wider re-use or recycling of waste materials within construction is of significant interest. Transport Scotland has investigated the potential use of waste products…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is currently taking to tackle waste crime.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The Scottish Government’s Serious & Organised Crime Taskforce (SOCTF) has identified environmental crime and in particular Serious Organised Criminal Gangs (SOCG) activity in waste crime as a priority area and supports the broad network of Scottish and UK reg…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to remove funding from any of the school culture coordinators that it presently supports and, if so, how many coordinators will be affected.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not fund culture coordinator posts in schools. However, some Local Authorities choose to employ culture coordinators to support the delivery of the Youth Music Initiative programme, administered on behalf of the Scottish Governmen…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates waste crime has cost the public purse in each year since 2007.
Answer · Lorna Slater: That information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government does not hold estimated yearly costs of waste crime.
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of its agencies will distribute the small grants associated with its New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy, and how it will monitor the efficacy of the small grants.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The small grants will enable wide-scale public engagement across Scotland for the refreshed New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy. Arrangements for the distribution of the small grants associated are being developed by the strategy’s key partners, the Scotti…
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis on the potential impact of regularly funded organisations using their organisational reserves to fund long-term spending decisions.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has not conducted this type of analysis as regular grant funding to these organisations from Creative Scotland remains in place.
14 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much demand it estimates there is for new Changing Places toilets, as referenced in its Changing Places Toilets: Planning guide.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government published the Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read in November 2022. This guide details practical considerations when considering installing a Changing Places Toilet in both existing and new buildin…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle a reported increase in fuel theft in the Highlands and Islands region over the current winter period.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14895 on 6 March 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-committees…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients visited a dentist in the NHS (a) Highland and (b) Western Isles area in each of the last five years.
Answer · Maree Todd: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Statistics on registration and participation can be found on the Public Health Scotland website ( Publications - Public Health Scotland ).
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of schools in the (a) Argyll and Bute Council and (b) Comhairle nan Eilean Siar area offer wraparound school childcare clubs.
Answer · Clare Haughey: We do not currently hold data to quantify the provision of school childcare clubs within schools in particular local authority areas. There are a variety of delivery models for the range of services being provided before and after school and in the holidays…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence there is of any increase in fuel theft in the Highlands and Islands region during (a) winter 2022-23 and (b) previous winter periods.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government is aware of several high profile fuel thefts in the Highland area. However, the investigations into potential criminal incidents are a matter for Police Scotland. Police Scotland has highlighted a number of ways individuals can attem…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average waiting time is for an appointment with a dentist in the NHS (a) Highland and (b) Western Isles area.
Answer · Maree Todd: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS dental services are provided by independent contractors/high street dentists and any management information on waiting times will be held by each practice. There is no central consolidatio…
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it (a) will publish the results of its survey into an International Culture Strategy, launched on 2 February 2023, and (b) plans to launch the finalised International Culture Strategy.
Answer · Angus Robertson: We will aim to publish a report on the analysis of consultation responses, along with responses that responders have given their consent to share, within 12 weeks of the survey’s closing date. The survey is due to close on 26 April. A final publication date …
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which universities offer dentistry undergraduate courses in Scotland, and what plans there are for new courses to be introduced.
Answer · Maree Todd: There are 3 dental schools in Scotland at Aberdeen, Dundee, and Glasgow Universities. There are no plans for any new dental courses to be introduced at the current time.
7 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average distance is that patients have to travel to access a dentist in the NHS (a) Highland and (b) Western Isles area.
Answer · Maree Todd: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. NHS dental services are provided by independent contractors/high street dentists and any management information on waiting times will be held by each practice. There is no central consolidatio…
2 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has directed towards research into postural tachycardia syndrome in each year since 2007.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office has not funded any research that is directly related to postural tachycardia from the years 2007 to today. The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office operates open competitive funding schemes for applied…
2 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what treatment options are available to people living with postural tachycardia syndrome.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government expects NHS Boards to provide high quality, person-centred care for all people, including those with postural tachycardia syndrome. There are a range of treatment options available on the NHS in Scotland, including self-management and…
2 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08412 by Lorna Slater on 19 May 2022, whether it will provide an update on the total funding allocated to local authorities since the Recycling Improvement Fund was established, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The following figures are correct as at December 2022, when the last Recycling Improvement Fund Board was convened. Council Area Number of Funded Projects Total Funding Award Aberdeenshire 2 £3,689,328 Aberdeen City 3 £937,515 City of Edinburgh 1 …
2 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of (a) incidents and (b) emergency service callouts there were for mountaineering accidents in each year since 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: Each year, Scottish Government receives a copy of the Scottish Mountain Rescue (SMR) ‘Annual Review’, which includes the total number of ‘incidents’ and ‘callouts’ involving SMR teams; the collated information from the reports, for each year since 2011, is pr…