Annie Wells

29 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 83.3% of cancer patients in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are starting treatment within 62 days of referral, compared with the 95% target.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s performance of 83.3% is below what we would expect and while the median wait for treatment was 42 days we must continue to do more to ensure timely access to diagnostics and treatment for those patients who did not receive thei…

29 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that more than 6,000 young people are living in temporary accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Homelessness Statistics produced by the Scottish Government on homelessness applications and assessments generally define youth homelessness as relating to young people aged between 16 and 24 years, however information on the number of young people aged 16 to…

29 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions there have been between the Minister for Transport and Islands and Glasgow City Council regarding parking charges in and around the site of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, and what the outcomes were.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Due to the impacts on my constituents, I made representations both to the Council and at a public hearing, in my capacity as the constituency MSP for the area. I have not made any representations in my capacity as Minister for Transport and the Islands as per…

28 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-09659 by Humza Yousaf on 27 June 2017, whether it will commit to publishing the cost of the delays, and what the cost of the project was.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As I have previously confirmed, the cost of the recent delay is being determined by Network Rail and the EGIP Alliance contractors. Once this work is complete I will provide Parliament with an update regarding both the cost of the delay and the estimated fin…

27 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to recent statistics, which show that housebreaking figures in Govanhill have more than doubled in two years.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Day to day decisions on operational policing are a matter for Police Scotland, with the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. I understand that Police Scotland is helping to tackle housebreaking in Govanhill through dedicated Community Investigation Uni…

27 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to tackle reported child safety concerns regarding a new feature on Snapchat that reveals users' locations.

Answer · Mark McDonald: Internet safety is a reserved matter. However, Scottish Ministers do have significant scope to develop and implement policy relating to child internet safety as a direct result of devolved responsibility for education, policing and child protection. The Scot…

26 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to encourage graduates to apply for teacher training courses, particularly in key subjects with reported teacher shortages, such as science, computing and maths.

Answer · John Swinney: We have taken a series of actions to help address issues around teacher recruitment. These include the launch of a new teacher recruitment campaign, increasing student intake targets for the sixth year in a row, taking steps to maintain teacher numbers as a c…

23 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response it to the Scottish Housing Regulator document, Report on statutory intervention at Wellhouse Housing Association, in which the regulator detailed the "fundamental failings" that led to its intervention.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Regulator operates independently of the Scottish Government to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants. The Government was not involved in the statutory intervention, but welcomes the steps that the Regulator took to protect the interests of tena…

21 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent BMA Scotland survey, which indicated that nearly 16% of GP practices in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area had at least one vacancy for a doctor.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is committed to reinvigorating the core strengths and principles of general practice. On 10 March , the Scottish Government announced that in 2017-2018 £71.6 million will be invested in direct support of general practice, helping tran…

21 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to fill mental health vacancies at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS and its workforce, which continues to deliver a consistently high quality healthcare service to the people of Scotland. While the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resour…

21 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual running cost is of Glasgow's safer drug consumption facility.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. All relevant queries should be directed to Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership. Further detail on the safer drug consumption proposal can be found at: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?ar…

14 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it issues regarding the allocation of the Pupil Equity Fund.

Answer · John Swinney: Pupil equity funding is allocated by the Scottish Government to schools on the basis of the number of children and young people in P1-S3 known to be eligible for free school meals under the national eligibility criteria. The Government has issued guidance to…

14 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent EIS survey, in which 86% of respondees said that they believed that their burden has increased in the last year, with 19% saying that they would not recommend teaching as a profession.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government takes the views of teachers extremely seriously and we have announced concrete proposals to address teacher workload issues. On 29 August last year, Education Scotland published clear, practical advice for teachers and practitioners o…

13 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost implications would be of the reported delay in the implementation of electric trains on the Glasgow to Edinburgh main line.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Network Rail continue to work with the EGIP Alliance contractors to determine the cost from this latest delay.

30 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to prevent violent crime.

30 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the quality of rivers.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland’s River Basin Management Plans, published in December 2015, set out objectives for improvement of Scotland's water environment. At present 63% of water bodies in Scotland are at ‘good’ or better status and the Plans set out particular actions to supp…

10 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08027 by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 March 2017, whether it will include local authorities as stakeholders as part of the review.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Local authorities are a major delivery partner as licensing authorities for animal breeding and the sale of pets. Local authority representatives have been involved in meetings around the ongoing review of pet welfare and that will continue.

10 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08026 by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 March 2017, what discussions it (a) has had and (b) plans with local authorities regarding the standardisation of licence fees for pet shops or dog breeding establishments.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Pet Animals Act 1951 and the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973, as amended, empower local authorities to charge reasonable fees for the licensing, respectively, of pet shops and dog breeding establishments. Representatives of local authorities participated in a m…

10 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the Blue Cross report, Unpicking the Knots.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government officials have met with representatives of Blue Cross to discuss the content of that organisation's report. The views of Blue Cross, and other animal welfare stakeholders, will be taken into consideration when taking forward the improvemen…

2 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of students seeking counselling has increased in recent years; what assistance it provides to the students seeking this, and how it supports colleges and universities in providing adequate facilities.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government would encourage everyone in society, including our students, to come forward to seek help with mental health issues. We want to create a Scotland where all stigma and discrimination related to mental health is challenged, and our colle…

2 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 17 out of 20 colleges recorded a technical deficit in 2015-16, and what action it is taking to insure that the institutions receive adequate funding.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is working directly with those colleges that need support because of their particular circumstances. The 2015-16 accounts are the first year that colleges reported under the new FRS 102 accounting standard. This means there …

21 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the recent Fraser of Allander Institute study that suggests that more than 500,000 jobs in Scotland are supported by exports to the rest of the UK compared with 125,000 that are supported by exports to the EU.

Answer · Keith Brown: The study estimates the number of jobs supported by exports from Scotland to the rest of the UK. Trade is two way: the rest of the UK exports to Scotland and this trade supports over 500,000 jobs in the UK economy. Scotland does not face a choice between exp…

20 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed closure of Lightburn Hospital.

Answer · Shona Robison: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are currently undertaking formal public consultation on their proposals concerning rehabilitation services for the elderly in North East Glasgow, including Lightburn Hospital. The Government would encourage all local stakeholders…

18 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish Police Authority’s appointment of a new director.

Answer · Michael Matheson: On 27 February, the SPA Chair and Chief Constable launched their ten year “Policing 2026” Strategy for consultation. It sets out how the SPA and Police Scotland intend to address new and emerging demands on policing by transforming the service’s approach acro…

12 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to improve travel times on the M8, which was recently named the seventh slowest UK motorway.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Satrak report, to which you refer, is not representative of normal conditions on the M8. It presents findings from a small sample size, for a time period over which a 50mph speed limit was implemented on substantial sections of the M8 and M73 to allow ess…

11 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures from the Local Data Company suggesting that, in the last year, more shops closed in Scotland than in any other part of the UK.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We are aware of the report from the Local Data Company and whilst the figures on shop closures are of concern it is encouraging to note that Scotland fares particularly well in terms of stores opening. The report shows that the average retail vacancy rates in…

10 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to encourage the uptake of bowel cancer tests among 50- to 74-year-olds, and what its response is to reports that 52% of people in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area who are offered the test do not take it.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: NHS boards have responsibility for publicising screening within their local area and for working closely with their communities to increase screening uptake. GPs also play a pivotal role in highlighting bowel screening to their patients. Scottish Government o…

10 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on research by the Scottish Retail Consortium and its (a) estimate that almost a quarter of shops in Scotland could close by 2025, (b) suggestion that, although productivity in the retail sector in Scotland is increasing, it is doing so at a slower rate than that for…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government recognises that the retail sector in Scotland is transforming in response to, among other things, changes to shopping habits and through new technology. The proportion of retail businesses in the UK (with 10 or more employees) making e…

10 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the estimate by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) that there are 322,000 people in Scotland who are not in work but who are eligible to be, and for what reason this figure is different to statistics that state there are 132,000 people in Scotland …

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government assesses the labour market in Scotland based on a range of indicators from a range of official sources including, the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and Annual Population Survey (APS). These are published regularly by the Office for Nationa…

4 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of a recent report that revealed that eight out of ten of the most overcrowded rail journeys in Scotland either start, end or go through Glasgow stations.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In recent years 140 extra carriages have been introduced to the ScotRail fleet with an extra 200 to follow in the next 30 months. This will deliver more than 50% extra carriages since 2007. The ScotRail franchisee will deliver major enhancements to train faci…