Parliamentary questions
Rachael Hamilton
1,432 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent from the Bus Partnership Fund in (a) 2021-22, (b) 2022-23 and (c) 2023-24.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The amount spent through the Bus Partnership Fund was £2.54 million in 2021-22, £9.93 million in 2022-23 and £8.03 million is expected to be spent in 2023-24 following the processing of final grant claims from Partnerships (consisting of local authorities, bu…
17 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment was conducted regarding the impact of the £500 million funding for the Bus Partnership Fund.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Bus Partnership Fund has so far delivered a number of projects for which Partnerships are currently undertaking monitoring and evaluation, with reporting once schemes have been in operation for a sufficient period of time. Once complete, these will be co…
17 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its humanitarian aid funding, what engagement it has had with mines and explosives clearance charities in Scotland that operate internationally.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government recognises the devastating impact land mines have, killing and maiming thousands each year. Indiscriminate and unpredictable, their presence drives whole communities from their homes and land. That is why, in September 2022 following R…
15 Apr 2024 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review the New Build Heat Standard.
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to local businesses, in light of any customer behavioural changes resulting from road closures caused by renewables developments.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Road closures on the local road network are the responsibility of the local authority in that area. They have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made regarding any impact of renewables developments and resultant road closures on local businesses.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Road closures on the local road network are the responsibility of the local authority in that area. They have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government where the reported unspent money, which was originally allocated to the Bus Partnership Fund, will be spent.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The £500 million investment in bus priority infrastructure to tackle the negative impacts of congestion on bus services is over the longer term. The Bus Partnership Fund is the first step towards delivering this investment which will extend beyond the term o…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce wheat intolerance as a criteria for access to gluten-free foods on prescription.
Answer · Jenni Minto: People who have had a clinical diagnosis of coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis are eligible to access staple gluten-free food products on NHS prescription. There are no current plans to change the criteria. Coeliac disease is an auto-immune disease …
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £500 million, which was originally allocated to the Bus Partnership Fund, has been spent.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: We have awarded £26.9 million in funding for bus priority through the Bus Partnership Fund, with £20.5 million expected to be spent by 31 March 2024. However that figure will need to be confirmed following the processing of final claims from Partnerships - co…
21 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to NHS Borders to ensure that the 18-week child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) waiting time standard is met.
Answer · Maree Todd: For all NHS Boards including NHS Borders, tailored support is provided giving access to professional specialist advice, making sure that they have robust plans place and are continually monitoring their implementation. Regular and structured engagement with N…
21 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to preventative and early interventions in each year since 2016, also broken down by NHS board area.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold the detail of this funding. Local decisions on how to allocate funding is the responsibility of NHS Boards. Public Health Scotland (PHS) collects data and provides analysis on NHS spending and the cost of running service…
21 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information and signposting to alternative support is communicated to families and young people in cases where a referral to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has been rejected.
Answer · Maree Todd: We expect NHS Boards to follow the National CAMHS Service Specification , which sets out that CAMHS services " provide support and personalised, meaningful signposting to the child/young person and their family/carers, with informed consent, to access other…
21 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to young people whose referral to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) has been rejected.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25449 on 4 March 2024. 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…
20 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planned minimum land size threshold required for farmers to receive agricultural payments under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill, including what assessment it undertook to arrive at the planned threshold of 3ha, and what evide…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The adaptive framework under the new Bill will enable tailored provisions and support to be implemented to support our food producers and we continue to co-develop effective policies to deliver the Vision for Agriculture. As a framework Bill it will not set t…
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by when loan payments from the Self-Build Loan Fund are required to be repaid.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Each application and subsequent loan offer made under the fund will depend on the individual circumstances of the applicant and nature of the particular build, however the typical period for repaying loans made under the Self Build Loan Fund is 12 months. It …
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to reshape the Self-Build Loan Fund to better tailor it to the areas and people utilising it most, and to extend it beyond its current completion date.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Self Build Loan Fund (“the Fund”) is a demand led and flexible fund available across all of Scotland. Recognising that self-build is an important option particularly for those in rural areas to provide a home that meets their needs, the fund offers suppor…
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider expanding the Self-Build Loan Fund to all applicants in rural areas, other than just those who are unable to access standard bank lending, to help increase the number of homes that are available in non-urban settings.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Self-Build Loan Fund (“the Fund”) offers short-term loan funding of up to £175,000 to self-builders who are unable to access standard bank lending, to assist with development costs to support build completion. The Fund is not intended to replace market le…
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to increase the £6 million that is currently available through the Self-Build Loan Fund.
Answer · Paul McLennan: At present, there are no plans to increase the value of the Self-Build Loan Fund (“the Fund”). The Fund is demand led, but currently has sufficient uncommitted funding to meet potential demand. The funding is also recyclable, meaning that repaid loans can be …
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the Self-Build Loan Fund have been (a) received and (b) successful in obtaining funding since the Fund was established, and how much money it has allocated from the £6 million available.
Answer · Paul McLennan: A total of 101 applications have been made to date, including 2 for the same project, 1 of which was subsequently withdrawn. From those applications 49 loan offers have been made and accepted, with a total value of £7,389,567. This sum is higher than the valu…
12 Mar 2024 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the waiting time for external stakeholder parliamentary events sponsored by MSPs.
27 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Bus Partnership Fund, including what the spending plans are for the £473.1 million that is reportedly unspent to date, and when the fund will be resumed.
26 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been convicted of livestock worrying since the increased penalties were introduced in November 2021.
Answer · Angela Constance: The worrying of livestock by dogs is completely unacceptable and is something the Scottish Government takes very seriously and recognises the distress and the serious welfare and financial implications it may cause. From November 2021 to September 2023, 21 a…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any consideration has been given to expanding the referrals criteria that are used by healthcare professionals in primary care to refer patients to Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services.
Answer · Neil Gray: Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services are a useful addition to how cancer can be diagnosed in Scotland. They provide primary care with access to a new fast-track diagnostic pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, such as weight loss a…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent steps have been taken to improve diagnosis times for those affected by brain tumours.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government published our ten year Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033 along with an initial three year Cancer Action Plan ( Cancer Plan for Scotland 2023 – 2026 ) in June 2023. Over the next 10 years, our strategic aim is to improve cance…
22 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to people with optic discs showing signs of papilloedema, whether cancer pathways exist in all NHS boards for optometrists to refer patients directly to secondary care.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Community optometrists across Scotland will normally refer patients who require secondary care directly to the hospital eye service in the relevant Health Board. Patients with suspected papilloedema require an emergency referral in common with some other opht…
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Rape Crisis Scotland in each financial year since 2020-21, and how much it will provide in the financial year 2024-25.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Please see below the funding that has been provided to Rape Crisis Scotland (RCS) in each financial year since 2020-21. Please note for 2023-24, we have provided the total committed spend for the current financial year, which may change by April 2024. We can…
21 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter sent to MSPs from over 120 colleges, businesses and trade unions, on 5 February, urgently asking for the reinstatement of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund for Scotland’s colleges, which has been removed from the draft Budget for 2024-25.
13 Feb 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the £58.7 million reduction to the College Operational Expenditure budget for 2024-25 on the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency.
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the occupied range of muntjac deer in Scotland, and the extent of any damage being caused by the species.
Answer · Lorna Slater: There is no established population of muntjac in Scotland. There have been sporadic sightings of muntjac in Scotland, most of which are unverified. Any confirmed sightings of muntjac have been captured or culled. In the past 30 years, only five muntjac recor…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being taken to tackle the reported encroachment of feral pigs in Scotland.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: It is an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to release any type of pig, including wild boar. It is also an offence to allow them to escape from captivity. The primary responsibility for controlling feral pig populations in the …