Oliver Mundell

25 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the reported community concerns regarding the culling of feral goats in Eskdale, and whether a form of protected status is a potential option to preserve their existence.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Government understands that feral goat populations may need to be managed as part of a sustainable grazing management plan. Sometimes feral goat numbers need to be reduced to prevent damage to sensitive habitats or forestry interests, in much the…

28 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to distribute the additional £4.5 million in its draft Budget 2025-26 for long COVID, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and other similar conditions.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Work is ongoing to determine how the additional £4.5 million announced in the draft 2025-26 budget to deliver new specialist support across the country for Long Covid, ME, Chronic Fatigue, and other similar conditions will be allocated.Allocation of thi…

28 Jan 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve NHS services in Dumfries and Galloway.

21 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on GPs visiting patients in care home settings.

Answer · Neil Gray: GPs should visit their registered patients as clinically required.

10 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent the emergence of a franchise model of GP provision.

3 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason South of Scotland Enterprise is reportedly not able to continue funding the Langholm Alliance.

Answer · Kate Forbes: This is an operational matter for South of Scotland Enterprise. I have passed your query to Jane Morrison-Ross, South of Scotland Enterprise Chief Executive and asked her to respond to you directly.

26 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21560 by Jenni Minto on 2 October 2023, what work it has done with stakeholder groups to explore how it might further review and implement the NICE guideline on myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) in Scotland.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We are committed to driving more equitable ME/CFS care across Scotland, to ensure that people receive appropriate help whenever and wherever they need.In May 2023 we published an analysis of survey data of health boards’ arrangements for ME/CFS care. Th…

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it can give to people impacted by the Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme reportedly being put on hold due to funding constraints.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Warmer Homes Scotland remains open for referrals and has an allocated budget of £65m in 2024-25, its highest ever budget level. Anyone that is considering applying to the scheme should contact Home Energy Scotland in the usual way.The Scottish Governmen…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent action it has taken to address the reported continued differential in payments per child between local authority and private early learning and childcare settings.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: Scottish Government publishes data each year on the rates paid by local authorities to funded providers in the private and third sector, and to childminders, to deliver funded early learning and childcare (ELC). Data for 2023-24 showed that rates increased by…

5 Nov 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local residents to take forward a replacement river crossing in Annan following storm damage in 2021, in light of the findings of the recently completed feasibility study.

29 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent contact its agencies have had with the owner of the former Pinneys site in Annan.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I can advise that South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) are working closely with Bhagat Holdings in regard to the former Pinneys Site in Annan.With apologies, SOSE need a little more time to report fully on the latest position and I shall be in touch as soon as…

9 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Scottish Forestry is reportedly not processing grant applications for grey squirrel control, and whether it will provide an update on its position on the value of this scheme.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scottish Forestry is reviewing its approach to assessing Forestry Grant Scheme applications for grey squirrel control. This has been necessary because the Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrel project is no longer able to provide assistance with the assessment…

9 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent action it has taken to reduce the number of non-smokers, particularly young people, taking up vaping.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s Tobacco and Vaping Framework, published in November 2023, committed to taking action to reduce vaping among non-smokers and young people.Alongside the Framework, we launched the Take Hold marketing campaign which successfully i…

3 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current (a) average and (b) longest waiting time for an appointment is for non-emergency cardiology referral in NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Neil Gray: Public Health Scotland (PHS) does not hold the information requested. NHS Boards submit patient level records to the national waiting times datamart but the information provided on the clinical priority of a referral is not available for reporting as it isn&r…

17 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve pay and career pathways in social care.

Answer · Maree Todd: Since 2016, the Scottish Government has provided funding to ensure that adult social care workers, delivering direct care in commissioned services, are paid at least the Real Living Wage (RLW). This pay uplift has been extended to workers delivering direct ca…

17 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent consideration it has given to widening access to PSA tests to help increase the early detection of prostate cancer.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government relies on advice on prostate screening from the UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC).The UK NSC does not currently recommend population screening for prostate cancer – this was last reviewed in November 2020. As part of this r…

17 Sep 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve access to GP appointments.

11 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect agricultural land from solar development.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Scotland’s agricultural land and farming sector have a critical role to play in Scotland’s food security, producing food for consumption in Scotland, and increasing our economic resilience through exports of food and drink worth £7.6 billion…

6 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are for patients to qualify for patient transport.

Answer · Neil Gray: The service the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) provide is based on a medical and mobility requirement and the Patient Needs Assessment (PNA) is designed to identify the patients who have the following needs. All patients requesting patient transport are tak…

6 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provision there is for transporting care home residents to and from hospital appointments.

Answer · Neil Gray: Where a publicly funded resident under the National Care Home Contract qualifies for transport from the NHS to attend for a clinical appointment/ treatment the provider will, where practicable, ensure this is arranged. For the avoidance of doubt, the cost of …

4 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Woodlands regarding reported community opposition to the planting scheme at Warblaw in Langholm.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Neither Scottish Government or Scottish Forestry have had recent discussions with Scottish Woodlands regarding community opposition to the Warblaw planting scheme.The project developer has recently been seeking feedback on their draft planting proposals and p…

4 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cumulative impact of the loss of farmland in Eskdale as a result of commercial forestry planting.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The loss of agricultural land, including the cumulative loss with other recent forestry projects, is considered as part of the formal assessment of significant woodland creation applications.An agricultural assessment is also normally carried out as part of a…

4 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on large-scale commercial forestry schemes being planted in close proximity to communities, and whether such communities should have the right to object to these.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In 2023, Scottish Forestry published refreshed guidance on Forestry Engagement and Consultation Processes, which reflects the principles of the Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement and provides greater clarity on expectations, requirements and roles and…

2 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote public awareness of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in (a) general and (b) relation to adults.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is taking a range of steps to promote awareness of ADHD, often targeted at professionals in healthcare and education settings in order to maximise impact.The Scottish Government published the National Neurodevelopmental Specification: …

2 Sep 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides to organisations and services providing post-diagnostic support for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not currently provide dedicated funding to organisations and services providing post-diagnostic support for adults with ADHD.However, we know that ADHD often co-occurs with autism. Accordingly, through the Adult Autism Support Fun…

29 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether road planings are a suitable road surfacing material for residential developments.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Ministers are responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of the trunk road network. The requirements for surfacing materials used on the trunk road network are laid out in the Specification for Highway Works and the Design Manual for Roads an…

29 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are available for park home owners who believe that a local authority is not upholding site licence conditions.

Answer · Paul McLennan: If a resident believes that a local authority is not upholding site license conditions, they should report this to the relevant team at the local authority in the first instance. If the response received is unsatisfactory, the resident can make a complaint un…

28 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available for bereaved parents who do not qualify for any other benefits or welfare payments.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting bereaved parents and tackling funeral poverty.We have removed child burial and cremation fees for children under 18 years old and for stillborn babies, financially supporting bereaved parents.Parents whose ba…

27 Aug 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve road safety on the A75.

21 Aug 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its position on climate change, for what reason it supports the planting of new commercial forestry on land with peat depth greater than 30cm.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Expanding our woodlands alongside restoring peatlands are critical elements of our plans to reach net zero and address climate change.Woodland creation and re-stocking in Scotland must comply with the UK Forestry Standard which defines deep peat as greater th…