Parliamentary questions
Alex Cole-Hamilton
2,700 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09208 by Ash Regan on 30 June 2022, how many buildings in Scotland have (a) been identified as at risk and (b) had evacuation alert systems installed.
Answer · Ash Regan: Evacuation alert systems were introduced to all new high rise domestic buildings over 18m to assist the Fire and Rescue Service in the unlikely event of a partial or full evacuation of the building following the outbreak of fire. The guidance in the technica…
8 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09208 by Ash Regan on 30 June 2022, how much funding has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date on installing evacuation alert systems.
Answer · Ash Regan: Local authorities receive a notional element for housing activities in their general and capital grant funding, but it is for each authority to determine how its funding is used and we do not collect data on allocation.
8 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09208 by Ash Regan on 30 June 2022, whether it will clarify what constitutes its "risk based approach"; what buildings are classified as at risk, and what evidence it is using to both inform and justify this risked-based approach.
Answer · Ash Regan: The Scottish Government Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings includes a template and advice on carrying out a fire risk assessment of the building. The outcome of this assessment will give an idea of the relative risk of …
8 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09207 by Ash Regan on 30 June 2022, whether it has any plans to translate this guidance into formal regulations, and how many buildings currently have personal fire evacuation plans in place for disabled tenants.
Answer · Ash Regan: There are currently no plans to translate the guidance into formal regulations, however the Scottish Government keeps this under review. The Scottish Government does not hold information on individuals who have personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs). Fu…
30 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times it has exceeded the time limit for responding to (a) freedom of information requests, (b) written parliamentary questions and (c) letters to ministers.
Answer · George Adam: The Scottish Government remains committed to answering all correspondence as quickly as possible and within agreed timescales. This question has been interpreted to be seeking figures from the start of session 6 to date. a) The Scottish Government responded …
24 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07576 by Humza Yousaf on 18 May 2022, how much of the £5 million that it provided for the financial year 2020-21 to support the wellbeing of people working in health, social care and social work was spent; how much it has provided for 2021-22, and h…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: In financial year 2021-22, £12m was allocated to support the wellbeing of people working in health and social care of which £11,515,152 was spent.
23 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote the Charter for Grandchildren.
Answer · Ash Regan: The Charter for Grandchildren aims to highlight the role of the wider family. The Charter is available at the link below: https://www.gov.scot/publications/parenting-plan-charter-grandchildren/ . In the Family Justice Modernisation Strategy (FJMS) the Scot…
23 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Long COVID Support Fund from NHS boards in order to provide services for people with long COVID have been (a) accepted and (b) rejected.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Thirteen Health Boards submitted proposals to the Strategic Network on managing the long term effects of COVID-19 for how they intend to utilise long COVID Support Funding across 2022-23. Following review by the Network’s Strategic Oversight Board, funding a…
23 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Long COVID Support Fund have been made by NHS boards in order to provide services to people with long COVID.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09460 on 13 July 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-committees…
22 Jun 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the rural affairs secretary last met with Crown Estate Scotland.
21 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the recruitment target is for mental health workers in primary care settings specifically.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Work is currently underway to deliver our 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment that “by 2026, every GP Practice will have access to a mental health and wellbeing service, funding 1,000 additional dedicated staff who can help grow community mental healt…
21 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many Scottish Ambulance Service call-outs were alcohol related in each of the last four years.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The following table shows incidents by year that have alcohol mentioned as a possible factor by ambulance crews when completing an electronic patient record. The Scottish Ambulance Service does not specifically record alcohol-related incidents. Calendar Year…
17 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is legislation in Scotland equivalent to Section 59 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, giving local authorities the power to make public spaces protection orders to help address any noisy behaviour in public spaces.
Answer · Ash Regan: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling all forms of antisocial behaviour and recognises that this can blight people’s lives. Our national strategy is based on prevention, early intervention and diversionary activities. We recognise that no single ap…
17 Jun 2022 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.
16 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what language support is available to people hosting Ukrainian refugees.
Answer · Neil Gray: We recognise that language is a critical element of integration and that this may be challenging for displaced people and hosts alike. We appreciate those that have opened their homes to guests from Ukraine. We have published guidance to support hosts who …
15 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that all serving police officers have timely access to hepatitis vaccines, in light of reports that there are no available appointments.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is aware that Optima Health, Police Scotland’s occupational health and employee assistance programme providers, have advised that there are no issues in terms of availability of appointments at present.
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it will undertake to improve data collection on people with (a) bronchiectasis and (b) other lung diseases.
Answer · Maree Todd: In March 2021, we published our Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland, setting out our commitments to drive improvement in the prevention, diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions such as bronchiectasis. We reco…
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS boards regarding the collation of lung disease diagnoses in each board.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09214 on 28 June 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-committees…
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS boards are required to collate numbers of bronchiectasis diagnoses, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Maree Todd: NHS Boards do not currently collate numbers of bronchiectasis diagnoses over and above the usual coding of patients that happens as standard at local level. We do recognise the importance of data in understanding and improving respiratory care in Scotland, an…
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people it estimates currently have a bronchiectasis diagnosis.
Answer · Maree Todd: The information requested is not held centrally.
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to ensure that building evacuation alert systems are installed in (a) new and (b) existing high-rise buildings over 11 metres in height.
Answer · Ash Regan: Evacuation alert systems for high rise domestic buildings with a storey more than 18 metres above ground level was introduced in the 2019 building standards technical handbooks (domestic and non-domestic) published on 12 July 2019. The government also publis…
10 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has implemented the recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry to provide a personal fire evacuation plan for all disabled tenants in Scotland.
Answer · Ash Regan: Following the Grenfell Tower fire the Scottish Government produced the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings . Additionally, in February 2020, to assist those with responsibilities for providing personal emergency evacuati…
9 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support exists to allow people who have experienced vaccine injury to recoup any lost earnings.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: We acknowledge that some people can feel unwell after any vaccination, however at this time there is no compensation for those who take time off work following a vaccination, including COVID-19. The UK Government have a vaccines damages payment scheme in plac…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-8571, S6W-8573 and S6W-8574 by Humza Yousaf on 30 May 2022, what treatments will be included on the new NHS website, and whether it will provide the information requested regarding by what date it anticipates the new website will go live.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has continued its work with Public Health Scotland to develop an online platform for members of the public to access information on the average waiting times for a range of specialties within their health board area. It is expected th…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it chose March 2023 as the date by which waiting lists for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and psychological therapies will be cleared, as set out in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026, and whether it will publish the data and evidence that it has to supp…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The date of March 2023 was chosen to drive progress with NHS Health Boards, reflecting the importance of reducing waiting times and meeting the standard that 90% of patients begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral, while also recognising the operational c…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet the target to clear (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and (b) psychological therapies waiting lists by March 2023, as set out in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government remain committed to meeting the standard that 90% of patients start treatment for CAMHS and Psychological Therapies within 18 weeks of referral by March 2023. There have been obvious operational difficulties caused by Covid-19 and the…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many specialist psychiatrists for children and young people have been trained in each year since 2007.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Under this government (since 2007), the number of Psychiatric Consultants across all Specialities in NHS Scotland has increased by 21.6% to 548.8 whole time equivalent posts as of March 2022. In 2020-21 and 2021-22, the Scottish Government has invested in in…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether clearing the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and psychological therapies waiting times by March 2023, as set out in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026, is referring to meeting the target for (a) 90% of people referred to CAMHS and psychological therapies to be se…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are committed to meeting the standard that 90% of patients start treatment for CAMHS and Psychological Therapies within 18 weeks of referral by March 2023.
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health workers have been recruited through the Primary Care Improvement Fund, further to its reported forecast of having an additional 298 recruited by March 2022.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: As at March 2022, a total of 260 WTE Mental Health workers have been recruited through the Primary Care Improvement Fund. This data was published on 21 June 2022 - ( Primary Care Improvement Plans: Summary of Implementation Progress at March 2022 ).
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care in Scotland to recruit 320 additional Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) staff, how many such staff it has recruited in 2022 to date; whether it has set a timeline for this commitmen…
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Responsibility for the recruitment of CAMHS staff lies with NHS Boards. In the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 , the Scottish Government committed to provide sufficient funding for around 320 additional staff in CAMHS over the next 5 years, with the potential t…