Parliamentary questions
Oliver Mundell
1,091 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote financial literacy and education for young people in order to help them better understand and manage their finances.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of financial education in order to equip young people to live independently and confidently. These topics are embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and maths, business studies and personal an…
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what safety and maintenance checks are required for community-based defibrillators.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government published OHCA: A Guide to PADs in March 2018. The guide provides practical advice to those considering a purchase and installation of a PAD for their local community including information on safety and maintenance checks (page 3).
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to assist residents in Dumfries and Galloway who are experiencing any difficulties recycling single-use plastic medical blister packs.
Answer · Lorna Slater: The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is responsible for setting all packaging requirements for medicines. Blister packs are not easily recycled because of strict regulatory requirements for pharmaceutical packaging. The Scottish Governme…
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many community-based defibrillators there are in Scotland.
Answer · Maree Todd: Information on the number of public access defibrillators in Scotland is available here: Scotland’s Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Report 2019-2022
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent flooding, what its position is on the reported calls to dredge the River Nith.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Any decision about dredging the River is for the local authority to take forward. In relation to dredging, there are circumstances in which this can be an appropriate measure to reduce the risk of flooding. However, it is important to avoid inappropriate dred…
11 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in securing a long-term reliable bus service between Dumfries and Edinburgh.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: My officials have been in contact with the relevant local transport authorities in respect of bus services between Dumfries and Edinburgh. Regarding the 101/102 service, Houston's Coaches have had a bid approved by SPT, Scottish Borders Council and Swestrans …
21 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of hotels accommodating Ukrainians on its behalf that are waiting for significantly delayed payments, and what advice it would give to any businesses in these circumstances.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government contract Corporate Travel Management (CTM) who contract and manage all of the Scottish Government’s hotel bookings. This includes invoicing. We are aware of one hotel recently that indicated a delay in payment of an invoice. CTM collea…
19 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the independent review of qualifications and assessment is taking into consideration the findings of the independent review of the implementation of additional support for learning.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Independent Review is seeking views from across the education landscape on how a system of qualifications and assessment can uphold the rights of all learners, including those with additional support needs, to have their achievements recognised. I underst…
19 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what further action it plans to take on the recommendation of the independent review of the implementation of additional support for learning that the achievements and successes of children and young people with additional support needs must be celebrated publicly in equivalence to attai…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government published our second progress report and updated Additional Support for Learning action plan on November 30 2022. The action plan and governance arrangements for this work are available from: https://www.gov.scot/publications/addition…
19 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that additional support needs are being met and that specialist educational support is available in Gaelic-medium schools.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: All children and young people should receive the support they need to reach their full potential. Education authorities are legally responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of their pupils, including any additional support needs o…
15 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12383 by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2022, how many doses of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As part of the winter vaccination programme, as at 18 December 2022, 526 Novavax Covid-19 vaccines have been administered in Scotland. This equates to 0.03% of the total vaccines administered as part of the programme. Public Health Scotland do not currently …
14 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how communities are included in consultations about planned road closures on the trunk road network.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, consider local communities and affected businesses during the works planning and consultation process. For planned closures, consultation with the community and business groups is undertaken as part of the …
14 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how specific local considerations, such as factory shift times, can be accommodated when closing a trunk road.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, consider local communities and affected businesses during the works planning and consultation process. For planned closures, consultation with the community and business groups is undertaken as part of the …
14 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what compensation is available to businesses that face significant disruption as a result of road closures on the trunk road network.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Scottish Ministers have a statutory duty to manage and maintain the trunk road network in line with the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. There is no legal requirement for Scottish Ministers to pay compensation for loss of business, inconvenience or additional motor…
14 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reported concerns regarding the impact on local communities of repeat closures in a short time frame of the A76 in Upper Nithsdale.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: My officials in Transport Scotland have advised that neither they, or the south west unit Operating Company, Amey, are aware of any reported major concerns from the community regarding the impact of planned maintenance closures on the A76 trunk road near Uppe…
14 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the interests of local communities are taken into consideration when road closures on the trunk road network are planned.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, consider local communities and affected businesses during the works planning and consultation process. For planned closures, consultation with the community and business groups is undertaken as part of the …
13 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what Forestry and Land Scotland does to promote scavenging permits, and for what reason so few have reportedly been issued in the Dumfries and Galloway area.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Forestry and Land Scotland provides the following guidance on its website: Purchase or scavenge firewood for domestic use Members of the public can obtain a permit to buy timber for the purpose of domestic heating. A firewood permit is available where a se…
6 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12387 by John Swinney on 29 November 2022, whether this same commitment extends to the full reinstatement costs of an alternative pedestrian river crossing.
Answer · John Swinney: As I set out in my answer to question S6W-12387, the Scottish Government has honoured the commitment I made during my visit on 3 November 2021 to provide financial support to Dumfries and Galloway Council. This included £25,000 of capital support, which repre…
30 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12141 by Humza Yousaf on 28 November 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the 44 GP practices mentioned in the answer.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Practice name Board Alba Medical Group Forth Valley Alba Medical Group - Lockerbie Dumfries & Galloway Alba Medical Group - Moffat Dumfries & Galloway Ashfield Medical Practice Greater Glasgow & Clyde Auchinleck Surgery Ayrshire & Arran Ayrshir…
23 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported decreasing number of people accessing alcohol treatment services.
Answer · Maree Todd: Comprehensive data on the number of people accessing alcohol treatment services are not available. Scottish Government is working to make alcohol treatment services more accessible to those who need them. An important part of this is by tackling stigma, to t…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the speed limit on the A76 in Mennock, including considering reducing it to 40 mph for all vehicles.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In 2012 a Speed Limit Review, in accordance with the Scottish Government issued guidance titled 'Setting Local Speed Limits: Guidance for Local Authorities ETLLD Circular 1/2006’, concluded that given the character, mean speed and accident rates, a 50 mph spe…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it was last in communication with Dumfries and Galloway Council regarding a replacement footbridge over the River Annan in Annan following the storm damage in October 2021.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12387 on 29 November 2022. 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…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has made available for a replacement footbridge over the River Annan in Annan, following the storm damage in October 2021.
Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12387 on 29 November 2022. 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…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Deputy First Minister has any plans to attend a follow-up meeting with the community representatives he met whilst visiting Annan on 3 November 2021, following flood and storm damage in the town.
Answer · John Swinney: I have no current plans to do so but I wrote to Councillor Archie Dryburgh of Dumfries and Galloway Council on 20 October 2022. In that letter I confirmed that the Scottish Government would honour the commitment I made during my visit on 3 November 2021 to pr…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what incentives are in place to install solar panels on (a) existing homes and (b) commercial premises.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: To support the installation of solar panels on existing domestic and commercial premises, the Scottish Government has a number of funding schemes. For domestic properties, Home Energy Scotland provides advice and funding for solar installations of up to £5,0…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote the inclusion of solar panels on new (a) homes, (b) commercial premises and (c) public sector buildings.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government supports the installation of solar panels on new buildings. The Scottish Government provides funding to homeowners, including new-builds and self-builders, through the Home Energy Scotland loan scheme. Building regulations are not pr…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review existing public sector buildings to explore the possibility of retro-fitting solar panels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: There are no current plans to review public sector buildings specifically for the purpose of retro-fitting solar panels. However, the retrofitting of solar panels onto existing public sector buildings is supported through the Scottish Government’s Green Publi…
16 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine will be available for patients with an identified clinical need in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Novavax Nuvaxovid is currently available in all Health Boards as an alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and is only to be used in exceptional circumstances. This means that when mRNA vaccines are not considered clinically suitable, the Novavax…
14 Nov 2022 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it is taking to stabilise NHS dentistry services in Dumfries and Galloway.
10 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason rural connectivity has reportedly not received more priority when funding has been allocated.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Despite telecoms legislation being wholly reserved to Westminster, the Scottish Government continues to prioritise significant funding for digital connectivity. We are investing over £600 million in the R100 contracts that are currently delivering gigabit cap…