Parliamentary questions
Alex Cole-Hamilton
2,700 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what interim targets it has set to clear (a) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and (b) psychological therapies waiting times by March 2023, as set out in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has not set interim targets towards 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 the reported £40 million it invested in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) to improve services and reduce waiting times has been (a) allocated and (b) spent.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The investment of around £40 million to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in 2021-22, through the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund, was calculated and allocated to NHS Boards using the agreed National Resource Al…
8 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the repair costs for maintaining the Forth Road Bridge in (a) 2019-20 and (b) 2020-21.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In 2019-2020 the Scottish Government spent £15,849,263.61 in 2020 (1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020) and £11,106,352.64 in 2020/21 (1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021) on the maintenance of the Forth Road Bridge.
8 Jun 2022 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has now published all the legal advice it has received in relation to a second independence referendum.
7 Jun 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cutaneous Melanoma QPI Review Group will publish the final cutaneous melanoma quality performance indicators document.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Public Health Scotland published the Melanoma Quality Performance Indicators report on 7th June. It can be found here: Melanoma Cancer Quality Performance Indicators - Patients diagnosed between July 2018 and June 2021 - Melanoma Cancer Quality Performance I…
24 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07966 by Humza Yousaf on 17 May 2022, how much of £12 million made available in 2021-22 to support the mental health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce has been spent, broken down by where it has been allocated.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: From the £12 million we made available to support the wellbeing of the health, social work and social care workforce in 2021-22, we:Used £3.5 million to assist in the continuation of our national wellbeing resourcesAllocated £2 million to Health and Social Ca…
23 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support airshows in Scotland in the future.
Answer · Neil Gray: In 2022, the National Events Programme, which has now closed for applications, would allow an eligible airshow to apply for EventScotland funding of up to £25,000. EventScotland are supporting the Largs Viking Festival (27 Aug – 4 Sept) and the Making Waves f…
12 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to inform any NHS patients who are unable to access the new waiting times website about indicative waiting times for their procedures.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is working 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 treatments within their health board area. We expect the platform to be av…
12 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the new website to provide NHS patients with indicative waiting times, whether details of all NHS procedures and their indicative waiting times will be made available, and if this will not be the case, whether it can provide details of the procedures that will be included.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08571 on 30 May 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/…
12 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it anticipates the new website to provide NHS patients with indicative waiting times will go live.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08571 on 30 May 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…
12 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is building the new website to provide NHS patients with indicative waiting times, and how much it estimates this process will cost.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08571 on 30 May 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…
12 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the website that is being designed with Public Health Scotland to give patients indicative waiting times, how it will work; how specific the date ranges provided will be, and whether it will provide patients with (a) average and (b) longest waiting times.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is working 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 treatments within their health board area. We expect the platform to be av…
9 May 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support communities affected by recent bank branch closures, and what representations it is making to those banks regarding their proposals to close branches.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government recognises that physical bank branches provide an important service for many individuals and businesses across Scotland. The closing of branches in Scotland raises concerns around access to cash and banking services - particularly for …
9 May 2022 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can request the consent of Crown Estate Scotland (CES) to disclose the two reports commissioned by and received from CES that discuss the net present value analysis and/or any other value for money analysis of the ScotWind auction, as referred to in the response to freedom of …
Answer · Michael Matheson: As per the FOI (FOI/202200277291) referred to in the question, CES have already been asked about disclosure of the document and at that time did not consent to it due to the ScotWind clearing process still being underway. Publications of those documents at th…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it proposed that ScotWind’s option fee model should include annual fees, and, if so, whether it did so (a) prior to or (b) following the announcement of the results, in February 2021, of the Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 auction by the Crown Estate.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland (CES) is responsible for the ScotWind seabed leasing process and undertook the review following the Round 4 announcements. The Scottish Government was informed of options under consideration by CES and of the review’s conclusions, which …
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ScotWind Offshore Wind Leasing: Advisory Note, produced for it by the University of Strathclyde Centre for Energy Policy, in April 2020, other than the three pre-defined option fee levels, what, if any, other levels of option fees were considered at that time, and whethe…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government did not set the ScotWind seabed lease Option Agreement fees. The advisory note prepared for the Scottish Government recommends that any new, higher, levels be appropriately justified. Crown Estate Scotland (“CES”) proceeded to satisfy …
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the reasons for Crown Estate Scotland’s position, as stated in the ScotWind Pre-Launch Summary, published in July 2019, that it was “currently minded” that applicants should not pay more than £10,000 per km2 of seabed.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland is responsible for the ScotWind seabed leasing process, including setting Option Agreement fees and rent prices. Crown Estate Scotland informed Scottish Government of its pricing structure based on its own evidence gathering and informat…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the decision to review the option structure for the ScotWind leasing process, as announced by Crown Estate Scotland on 11 February 2021, which states that “the decision has been taken with the support of Scottish Government Ministers”, whether it will provide details of its ro…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland (CES) and the Scottish Government were informed of The Crown Estate’s Round 4 results at the same time. These results indicated a significant change in the offshore wind market. As the ScotWind registration and application process had al…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all the information that it holds on the market value testing of Crown Estate Scotland’s ScotWind sales process, which launched in June 2020 with the pre-defined option fee levels of £2,000/km2, £6,000/km2 or £10,000km2.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland have not sold seabed through the ScotWind leasing process. Option Agreements and ultimately leases to use areas of the seabed for offshore wind energy generation have been provided, raising around £700 million in initial fees and potenti…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all information that it (a) provided and (b) received in relation to the decision to set the maximum fee per km2 of seabed under the ScotWind leasing process at £100,000, as announced by Crown Estate Scotland on 24 March 2021.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland (CES) is responsible for the ScotWind seabed leasing process and the management and collation of the information used to support its decision to review and, ultimately, change the option fee prices for seabed leasing. The Scottish Govern…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) agreed, (b) objected or (c) offered any other advice in response to Crown Estate Scotland’s proposal to have a “a minimum level of fee” per km2 of seabed area and “not place a ceiling on the applicant valuation”, contained within the New offshore wind leasing for Scotland:…
Answer · Michael Matheson: Under the terms of the framework agreement with Scottish Government and Crown Estate Scotland (CES), CES are required to obtain approval from the Crown Estate Sponsor Team, within Scottish Government, for any “novel, contentious or repercussive proposals.” Sc…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all (a) correspondence and (b) minutes of meetings it had with Crown Estate Scotland following the announcement of the outcome of the Offshore Wind Leasing Round 4 auction by The Crown Estate.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Crown Estate Scotland (CES) and the Scottish Government have different but related responsibilities with regard to ScotWind. As such, correspondence between organisations is considerable and recent requests were deemed manifestly unreasonable. Any new request…
27 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on which stakeholders offered views on the topic of option fee agreements in response to Crown Estate Scotland’s New offshore wind leasing for Scotland: Discussion Document, published in May 2018; whether it was one of those stakeholders, and, if it was, what vi…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Discussion Document (2018) was prepared by Crown Estate Scotland, who also administered the engagement process and review of responses. The Scottish Government was provided with a summary of responses but do not hold information on individual responses. A…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07727 by Humza Yousaf on 22 April 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding what continuing pay arrangements NHS Scotland staff, who are experiencing prolonged absence from work specifically due to long COVID, are currently e…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: From March 2020, a series of Temporary Special Leave Measures (specifically through https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)05.pdf and https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/dl/DL(2020)30.pdf )were introduced to both support NHS Colleagues and assist in the prevent…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide access for patients with long COVID to laboratory-based long COVID studies.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports research grant schemes providing funding opportunities for applied research projects across the range of NHS, health and care challenges in Scotland. These are open to applications for research p…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to measure post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infections in Scotland in the event that ZOE COVID-19 funding is reduced by the UK Government, and how it plans to measure the impact of long COVID on individuals, and the workforce.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of measuring post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infections, or long COVID, in Scotland. This is needed to help forecast and plan the provision of healthcare services for people experiencing long COVID. Current…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to fund immunology, virology, haematology, and neurology research in relation to long COVID.
Answer · Maree Todd: Within the Scottish Government funding of health research falls under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office. Following an independent expert review process, 9 projects were funded through the CSO's Long-term effects of COVID-19 call Long Covid Call – Chie…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS board areas have an MND (a) specialist nurse and (b) clinical lead.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: All NHS Boards in Scotland, have a named Motor Neuron Disease (MND) clinical nurse specialist, either employed directly by the Board or provided by a neighbouring Board through Service Level Agreements. NHS Dumfries and Galloway is in the process of recruitin…
26 Apr 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07335 by Maree Todd on 25 March 2022, what the outcome was of the meeting on 10 November 2021, and what steps have been taken since to "work with NHS, third sector partners and people affected by Huntington’s Disease to drive up standards of care".
Answer · Maree Todd: The Minister had a positive and constructive meeting with Scottish Huntington’s Association (SHA) in November to discuss the issues raised within motion S6M-00923. Scottish Government officials will meet with the SHA this month in order to further explore the…