Parliamentary questions
Adam Tomkins
214 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Ministerial Task Force on Health Inequalities last met.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22436 on 24 April 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/…
26 Feb 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to the Recovery Café at HMP Barlinnie.
18 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in implementing the UN Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok rules).
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scotland has established standards for the treatment of women in a custodial and non-custodial setting, which comply with the broad principles set out in the Bangkok Rules. In December 2017, the Scottish Government published its response to the UN Human Righ…
22 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason its external affairs budget increased by 52% from 2017-18 to 2019-20.
8 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the rural economy.
12 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its policy regarding the Planning (Scotland) Bill and land value capture.
4 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any assessment has been made of the Recovery Outcomes web tool for addictions, and whether it will provide data on the recovery journey that has been collected using the tool.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Recovery Outcomes web tool for addictions was developed in consultation with stakeholders to provide a holistic measure of recovery for substance misuse treatment services. A pilot and evaluation exercise has raised concerns over the validation of the too…
25 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its approach to preventing and managing school exclusions.
18 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to be able to share draft UK common frameworks with the Parliament.
Answer · Michael Russell: We continue to engage with the UK Government on common frameworks, and will co-operate to establish these where they are in Scotland's interests. Officials continue to make progress in determining what may be needed in any given policy area. However, all co-o…
4 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with its policy to tackle climate change, and whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to expand the electric vehicle charging infrastructure as part of this.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland is making excellent progress in tackling climate change. The most recent statistics show that greenhouse gas emissions have almost halved since 1990. The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan contains a package of transformative measures to conti…
29 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many whole time equivalent consultant radiologist vacancies there are as of August 2018, and how many of these posts have been vacant for six months or more.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Consultant vacancy data for Clinical Radiologists is collected on a quarterly basis and published on the ISD website. The most recent Medical and Dental dashboard, published on the 4 th September 2018 for posts vacant as at 30 June 2018, can be found at htt…
29 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide figures that demonstrate the average patient waiting time across Scotland for diagnostic imaging test results.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The specific information requested is not available centrally. Information on the 8 key diagnostic tests including imaging tests is only collected on the number of patients on the waiting list on the last day of month and provides information on the number of…
29 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments from the Royal College of Radiologists in Scotland that the NHS needs at least 25 extra trainee radiologists per year to protect the delivery of radiology services, rather than the 10 extra trainees pledged by the Scottish Government for each of the next …
Answer · Jeane Freeman: We review annually the number of radiology training places looking at factors including supply and demand. That led us to increase the number of radiology trainees by 50; giving a total training establishment of 191 radiologists in training by 2022. The annu…
29 Aug 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17784 by Jeane Freeman on 23 August 2018, whether NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has received the additional £5.6 million of funding on top of the £5.6 million already made available to the board.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The second tranche of the £50 million to address waiting times will be issued to Boards shortly - with Greater Glasgow and Clyde receiving a further £5.6 million. The second tranche will be issued against specific improvement plans.
25 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support will be available from local authorities in advance of 2020 to assist private nurseries with the delivery of 1,140 hours of childcare, and how this support will meet its stated objectives of affordability, sustainability, flexibility and choice.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is committed to making an unprecedented level of investment in high quality early learning and childcare through the near doubling of the funded entitlement from 600 to 1140 hours per year from August 2020 for all 3 and 4 year olds, an…
19 Jun 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its response to the Local Government and Communities Committee’s stage 1 report on the Planning (Scotland) Bill, what its position is on whether there is a case for extending the Agent of Change principle and for placing it on a statutory footing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: I do agree with the Committee that the principle should extend to all existing sources of noise. I note that Mr Tomkins has lodged an amendment to the Planning Bill on Agent of Change, as has Lewis Macdonald. We will look at these and other options and contin…
4 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research commissioned by Social Bite, which indicates that the number of homeless households in hostels across Scotland has increased by 43% since 2010.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Temporary accommodation is an important part of Scotland’s strong homelessness legislation and we are committed to ensuring that temporary accommodation is of good quality and serves the needs of its residents in helping to ensure positive outcomes for those …
4 Jun 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the potential impact of establishing a safer drug consumption facility on organised crime groups operating in Scotland.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Glasgow Health and Social Care Partnership, who are responsible for developing this proposal, have been working closely with Police Scotland from the start to ensure that they are included in any discussions around the development of this facility, and an…
4 Jun 2018 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Answer · Shona Robison: Ministers and Scottish Government officials regularly meet with representatives of all Health Boards, including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
22 May 2018 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 42% of problem drug users in Scotland are in treatment, compared with approximately 60% in England.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Whilst we have seen significant reductions in treatment times for those who need help with their drug use, we are aware that much more must be done to engage with those who are not currently in contact with treatment or support services. The percentages cite…
16 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the SGN gasholders in Glasgow and Dunfermline are of national significance and, in light of OFGEM's position that all such structures should be dismantled by 2029, whether it is reconsidering their category B listing.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Four appeals have been lodged with Scottish Ministers against the decision by Historic Environment Scotland to include in the list of buildings of special architectural interest gasholders in Glasgow and Dunfermline. In keeping with the majority of appeals to…
16 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comment in the report, National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2018, that drug trafficking "remains a high volume threat with two-thirds of [organised crime groups] in Scotland involved".
Answer · Michael Matheson: The recently published National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime 2018 by the National Crime Agency presents a high-level picture of serious organised crime in the United Kingdom and contains a section on Scotland which draws on existing inf…
16 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board since November 2017.
Answer · Keith Brown: Since the announcement of the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board on 27 November 2017, the Board has met on 4 occasions. Nora Senior, Chair of the Strategic Board gave evidence to the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work Committee on Scotland’s Economic Performance…
16 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish an updated 7 Cities Summary briefing on the city regions and, if so, by what date.
Answer · Keith Brown: An update to the 7 Cities Summary briefing will be published on 27 June 2018.
16 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01083 by Michael Matheson on 15 May 2018 (Official Report, c. 3), what discussions it has had or plans with Police Scotland regarding the report's comments about the escalation in threat from organised crime groups in Glasgow and the central belt, i…
Answer · Michael Matheson: I receive regular briefings from Police Scotland on all aspects of serious organised crime. In addition, Police Scotland are represented on the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce which I chair.
8 May 2018 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the impact of adverse childhood experiences on the attainment gap.
4 May 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will (a) provide a list of stakeholders that it consulted in relation to the UK Government’s Race Disparity Audit; set out concerns raised by them regarding the audit and confirm whether any were in favour of Scotland participating in the audit.
Answer · Angela Constance: Stakeholders whose views were considered in relation to the UK Government’s Race Disparity Audit included BEMIS - Empowering Scotland Ethnic & Cultural Minority Communities, Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations, Coalition for Racial Equality & R…
29 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has with local authorities regarding foster care procurement.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government don't hold formal discussions with local authorities about the procurement of foster care placements. Responsibility for managing foster care services that meet the needs of children who come into their care, including any decisions to…
29 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, in 2016-17, 793 looked-after children did not have a care plan in place.
Answer · Maree Todd: Children who are looked after by a local authority should each receive a care plan including information about the child’s care, education and health needs, as well as the responsibilities of the local authority, the parents and the child. The Scottish Gover…
29 Mar 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the rate of looked-after children per 10,000 children in Scotland is higher than that for the rest of the UK.
Answer · Maree Todd: When considering comparisons of looked after populations between individual countries within the UK, it should be borne in mind that differences exist between the legislations and social work systems of each country, as well as the categorisations of looked a…