Oliver Mundell

15 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review child protection and safeguarding measures in schools.

Answer · Clare Haughey: On 2 September 2021 the Scottish Government published the National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland. This non-statutory guidance describes the responsibilities and expectations of everyone who works with, or comes into contact with children and young…

15 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the General Teaching Council for Scotland regarding child protection and safeguarding.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the General Teaching Council for Scotland on a wide range of topics, including child protection and safeguarding. I also refer the member to the answer given to S6W-05202 on 17 January 2022. All answers to …

14 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to enact sections 5 to 7 of the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019.

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support natural flood management.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Natural flood management measures reduce, slow or otherwise manage flood waters across catchments and along the coast; they include salt marsh creation, wetland restoration, floodplain reconnection and woodland planting. The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) …

6 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to support the promotion of cultural assets connected to Robert Burns in Dumfries and Galloway.

6 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its advice is for people who received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in England and their second dose in Scotland and are unable to access their COVID passport.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We have established a process for individuals who have received one of their first coronavirus vaccinations outwith Scotland which allows them to upload official proof of vaccination from that country to their Scottish Vaccination record through NHS Inform …

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to reduce the waiting times for orthopaedic surgery in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is continuing to work with the operational and clinical teams in NHS Dumfries and Galloway to support the remobilisation of all services, including surgery for orthopaedic patients. Whilst local capacity for surgery has been reduced, …

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a domestic replacement for the EU school milk subsidy scheme, in light of the rollover of funding expiring at the end of the current academic year, and what plans it has to consult with stakeholders on the details of any new scheme.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Prior to October 2020, Scottish local authorities could claim for subsidy from the EU School Milk Scheme to put towards their local school milk schemes. Following the United Kingdom's exit from the European Union, the Scottish Government committed to providin…

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding is available for (a) Dumfries and Galloway Blood Bikes and (b) other lifeline charities whose fundraising activities continue to be negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Shona Robison: In March 2020, we announced a funding package of £350m for an emergency communities fund to ensure local authorities, community groups, the third sector and social enterprise sector were able to support people and communities affected by COVID-19. This inclu…

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Skills Development Scotland has extended contracts issued during the commissioning process for 2021-22; if so, for what reason, and what its advice is to others seeking to bid for contracts.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland wrote to contracted training providers and employers in October 2021, setting out their intention to extend Modern Apprenticeships (MA) contracts. This extension was for a period of 12 months from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. SDS…

10 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many school inspections have been carried out since the start of this school year.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The arrangements for school inspections this academic year take account of the current situation with COVID-19. As announced on 16 September 2021 HM Inspectors of Education are taking forward a phased approach to scrutiny activity. Initially HM Inspectors are…

9 Nov 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review child protection and safeguarding measures in schools.

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for flood prevention schemes where designs have been approved but building works have not yet commenced.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: In July 2016 it was agreed by Scottish Ministers and COSLA that from 2016-17 onwards 80% of the flood component of the general capital grant would be allocated to large scale projects and distributed according to the SEPA prioritisation of flooding schemes an…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which sites have had river gravel extraction licences granted in each of the last five years.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is responsible for regulating gravel extraction from rivers under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR). Due to the cyber attack SEPA experienced at the end of 2020 it…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure there are opportunities for all young people to access positive post-school destinations, in light of reported concerns by teachers and social workers that such opportunities do not exist for young people with the most difficult and complex needs.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government are undertaking a range of measures to support disabled young people to access positive post-school destinations, including introducing Scotland’s first National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy in this Parliamentary Term. The Strateg…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported figures stating that just 15% of school leavers who have a condition under the category of Complex Additional Support Needs go onto further or higher education, what further steps it will take to ensure that this cohort of school leavers has accessible further e…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the educational experiences of young people with complex additional support needs. Students with disabilities or additional support needs can access a variety of support to assist their access to Further…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement in its Programme for Government of increased funding for the Young Person's Guarantee, what additional support it will provide to people with complex additional support needs to enable them to access training, education or employment.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04204 on 19 November 2021. 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…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is meeting its policy aims for a young person with complex additional support needs to leave school and go onto a day service or be cared for in the community, in light of there being a reported lack of accessible provision in Scotland’s colleges.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lived experiences of young people who require additional support, and to ensuring that young people are at the centre of all transition planning for their future. The Scottish Government has partnered wit…

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the potential impact that the integration of children’s services may have on its commitment to keep The Promise.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030 and will continue to work with The Promise Scotland, and partners to do so. The consultation on the creation of a National Care Service closed on 2 November 2021 after receiving over 100 wr…

28 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether COVID-19 vaccine booster appointments are being offered to all members of a household on the same day and at the same time, where they are close in age and required to travel a considerable distance to a vaccination clinic, and, if not, what the reasons are for these consideratio…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Vaccination appointments including boosters, are scheduled based on the cohorts defined by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and from the files submitted by Health Boards. These are in priority order based on risk to the individual, r…

19 Oct 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding reports that wind farm developers are offering payments to local residents in return for signing non-disclosure agreements and not objecting to planning applications.

30 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any agreements in place with any preferred installers or providers of interlinked fire alarms.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has no agreement in place with any preferred installers or providers of interlinked fire alarms.  

30 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what process is in place to allow firms to advertise their products and services as being Scottish Government-approved in (a) general and (b) relation to interlinked fire alarms.

Answer · Shona Robison: Any firm wishing to advertise their products and services as being approved or endorsed by the Scottish Government is required to obtain the formal approval of Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government has not provided any such approval and as such does not…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether people living in Scotland and travelling abroad are experiencing difficulty accessing French QR codes to prove COVID-19 vaccination status and, if so, what action it is taking to resolve any reported issues.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government have been working with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), and the Border Force to ensure countries that require QR codes would accept ours. Scottish Government officials became aware on 8 September 2021 that French …

14 Sep 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the restarting of school inspections.

13 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to setting a target to increase Scotland’s hedgerow network as part of its Forestry Grant Scheme.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Hedgerows can support ecological connectivity by joining up nature rich areas across Scotland, contributing to wider nature networks and helping to address habitat fragmentation, which is one of the most significant drivers of biodiversity loss. The Scottish…

8 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01926 by Graeme Dey on 23 August 2021, how many of the 58 potential new stations have been appraised in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG).

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) provides a framework to identify and appraise transport interventions. The process is designed to provide investment decision-makers with the information they need in a clear, structured format. The second Stra…

7 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its planned consultation on the removal of the not proven verdict.

30 Aug 2021 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the joint statement by the World Health Organization and UNICEF on the need to prioritise in-person classroom-based learning as efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic continue.

24 Aug 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will protect the interests of farmers under the draft cooperation agreement with the Scottish Green Party.