Parliamentary questions
Alex Cole-Hamilton
2,700 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
19 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the introduction of a UK Government Bill to restrict the serving of foods high in fat, salt or sugar in schools by 2022, whether it has considered introducing a similar target.
Answer · John Swinney: Our school meal uptake is higher now than when current Scottish school food regulations were first introduced in 2008 and we are leading the way by becoming the first part of the UK to set a maximum amount of sugar and processed red meat that can be made avai…
15 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many unlicensed acupuncturists there are in each NHS board area.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Responsibility for enforcing tattooing and skin piercing, including acupuncture, legislation lies with Local Authorities. This falls within the remit of Local Authorities who have the statutory responsibility under The Civil Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (L…
15 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of pneumothorax (collapsed lung) have been recorded by each NHS board in each year since 2015-16, broken down by cause.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the number of NHS Scotland hospital admissions with pneumothorax (spontaneous tension pneumothorax and other pneumothorax ) and the number of hospital admissions with traumatic pneumothorax are shown i…
15 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the paper that was published in the Scottish Medical Journal on 7 January 2015, “Acupuncture-induced pneumothorax: the hidden complication”, for what reason each NHS board has stated in response to an FOI request regarding figures from 2016 that they do not record acupunctur…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland uses the UK approved World Health Organisation International Classification of Diseases Revision 10 (ICD10) classification system to code in-patient admissions. There is no ICD10 code available which can specifically identify acupuncture as the c…
14 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on tree planting and woodland preservation; what targets it has set, and what its position is on whether these are sufficiently ambitious.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government’s position on woodland creation and maintaining existing woodland cover are outlined in Scotland’s Forestry Strategy 2019-2029 . Scotland’s woodland creation target is set out in the Climate Change Action Plan: 10,000 hectares per ye…
13 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24372 by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 August 2019, what the outcome was of the visit to (a) the Brownlee clinic and (b) Waverley Care's street support team.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I found the visits to the Brownlee clinic and Waverley Care’s street support team informative and was impressed by the collaborative working taking place between the NHS and 3 rd sector organisations. I continue to take a close interest in measures to tackle …
13 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24371 by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 August 2019, which NHS boards have waiting lists for access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), broken down by the waiting time.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The two NHS Health Boards with waiting lists for access to PrEP are NHS Highland and NHS Lothian. NHS Highland has a four week waiting time, and NHS Lothian has a five month waiting time.
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Women's Aid report, The Domestic Abuse Report 2019, when it last considered how to ensure there is the best possible protection and support for people experiencing domestic abuse or forced marriage.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: Preventing and eradicating all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic abuse and forced marriage, is a priority for the Scottish Government. We are working collaboratively with COSLA and key partners to implement Equally Safe, our strate…
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline Annual Report 2017-2018, what action it will take in response to the finding that a quarter of people who contact the helpline reported that they were experiencing difficulties with housing issues.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: We understand the impact of domestic abuse on survivors’ housing situation, whether they require emergency accommodation, temporary or permanent accommodation. We know that the National Helpline and the local services we fund through the Equally Safe Fund can…
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline Annual Report 2017-2018, how it plans to help women who "feel unsupported and let down during legal proceedings" regarding child contact and residence arrangements.
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it (a) has had and (b) plans to have with the (i) Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) and (ii) manufacturer, Vertex, regarding the two cystic fibrosis drugs reportedly rejected for routine use within the NHS; what the obstacles are to the SMC approving the drugs’ routine…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Since the Scottish Government became aware of the SMC’s now announced decision not to recommend Orkambi® or Symkevi® for routine availability on the NHS, officials have held a number of meetings with the SMC, with the manufacturer and with other interested pa…
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of Thought Field Therapy within the NHS, and what information it has on what medical research or trials on the use of this therapy (a) have been undertaken and (b) are planned to be undertaken in Scotland.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Thought Field Therapy is not included as an evidence based treatment in standard UK clinical guidelines. In particular, it is not included in “The Psychological Matrix” (2015) which is a comprehensive guide to delivering psychological therapies in Scotland. …
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Reform Scotland briefing, Closing the early years gap, which states that 50% of children are not guaranteed two years of funded early years education, what action it is taking to remedy this.
12 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Reform Scotland briefing, Closing the early years gap, what its position is on whether there should be a single start point for the provision of funded early years education, in the same way there is for primary school, and what this should be.
Answer · Maree Todd: Eligibility for funded early learning and childcare starts from the term after a child’s third birthday, although local authorities also have the flexibility to provide funded early learning and childcare before the statutory eligibility date, if they choose …
9 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the provisional levels of spending for the Tackling Child Poverty Fund set out in the report, Every Child, Every Chance: Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: First year Progress Report 2018-19, to what areas or projects the remaining £18 million of the Fund will be allocate…
Answer · Aileen Campbell: As set out in the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan first year Progress Report 2018-19, we will consider how we can utilise the remaining Tackling Child Poverty Fund to scale up existing programmes; to maximise impact, and invest in new initiatives to addr…
9 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated from the Tackling Child Poverty Fund in 2019 to date, broken down by project.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: As outlined in the Tackling Child Poverty Deliver Plan First Annual Progress Report, £4.9 million has currently been committed for 2019-20 from the Tackling Child Poverty Fund. Anticipated investment is set out in the following table: Programme Investment …
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport approved the payment of £11.6 million made by NHS Lothian to Integrated Health Solutions Lothian to facilitate resolution of issues at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Child and A…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which non-profit distributing contracts since 2007 have involved repayments being made between the certification of a facility or project and prior to it becoming operational; how long each period lasted, and how much was repaid, broken down by facility or project.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Under the terms of Non-Profit Distributing (NPD) contracts, the unitary charges become payable when the contractor has met its obligations and the procuring authorities “take the keys” to the facility. This is the contract completion date. For buildings, this…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £80 million of enabling and equipment works at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Edinburgh; who payments will be made to; whether the Scottis…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what learning it has shared with other bodies in the course of building the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Department of Clinical Neurosciences and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in Edinburgh; what this related to, and who it was shared with.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on? 2 September 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/parliamentarybusine…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports in The Herald on 6 August 2019, whether its representatives on the project board of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People were aware of the minutes of a meeting of NHS Lothian’s Finance and Resources Committee in September 2018, which refer to “residual te…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Royal Hospital for Sick Children was due to be handed to developers; what flexibility there is in this arrangement, and whether NHS Lothian will incur any penalties for a late handover.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contracts Multiplex (a) previously held and (b) currently holds for projects across the Scottish public sector.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table incudes Scottish public sector contracts awarded to Multiplex through the Public Contracts Scotland web portal. Brookfield is the parent company of Multiplex. Contract Award Title Public Sector Procurement Body Contract Award Details …
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS Lothian has paid in repayments for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People to date, and how much it is expected to pay in each of the next 12 months.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any part of the financing or management of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People project is included in its target for the Scottish Futures Trust to save between £100 and £150 million a year across its infrastructure programmes.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People is part of the Scottish Government’s Non-Profit Distributing (NPD) programme. Of the £139m of annual Benefits delivered by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) during 2017-18, approximately 12% was attributed to th…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who is on the Oversight Board established to provide coordinated advice on the readiness of, and migration to, the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People; on what dates the board (a) has met and (b) plans to meet, and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Cen…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on? 2 September 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/parliamentarybusine…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it being considered unsafe to open, for what reason NHS Lothian is reportedly paying approximately £1.4 million per month for the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People; whether the (a) Scottish Government and (b) Scottish Futures Trust (i) advised on or had sight of t…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusi…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it instructed or advised NHS Lothian not to talk to unions regarding the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and, if so, whether it will place a copy of this advice in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost is of repairing the parts of (a) the ventilation, (b) the drainage and (c) any other system that have been found to be faulty since the handover of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People from Integrated Health Solutions Lothian to NHS Lothian in February…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusin…
7 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the BBC report, Union warns Edinburgh’s £150m hospital may never open, which states that UNISON claims that NHS Lothian has paid millions of pounds in a settlement to help resolve some of the problems at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, how much has been pai…
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-24637 on 2 September 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/parliamentarybusines…