Alex Cole-Hamilton

11 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what enforcement powers exist to ensure that family contact judgements are upheld.

Answer · Ash Denham: Currently, if someone believes an order under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (the 1995 Act) has been breached the person can go back to court and seek a further order (such as a variation of the order or a switch in residence), and/or ask the …

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the progress that the city is making toward meeting its air quality targets.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Edinburgh City Council has produced an action plan containing a number of measures to improve air quality. The Scottish Government is working closely with the Council as it implements the measures contained in the plan and is providing practical and financial…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish a progress report on the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The second annual progress report for the Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy was pubished on 10 August 2018. The report can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/cleaner-air-scotland-annual-progress-report-2017-18/ On 6 November 2018, the Scottish G…

5 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to help Scotland meet its air quality targets.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is in regular discussion with Defra in relation to air quality matters, and we work closely together on issues of common interest.  

4 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reviewing the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme to support charities whose income exceeds the exemption limit due to them receiving funds for important new projects.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A review of the exemption scheme, published on 6 March 2018, concluded that the qualifying income levels remain relevant. There is therefore no further review planned at this time. A copy of the review can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/water-…

1 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to Give a Kidney Scotland with its campaign work to encourage people to consider becoming living kidney donors.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government works with a number of kidney charities, including Give a Kidney Scotland, to help raise the awareness of the benefits of living donation. The Scottish Government will continue to support Give a Kidney Scotland by meeting them on a reg…

31 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms there are for patients to complain about food quality in (a) hospitals and (b) social care settings.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In a hospital setting, all patients should complain to the nurse in charge of their ward if they are not happy with the food provided and they should be offered an alternative meal. Patients can also complete a questionnaire as part of the mealtime observatio…

31 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what standards and regulations govern the (a) quality and (b) inspection of food provision in (i) hospitals and (ii) social care settings.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Boards are required to comply with the ‘Food in Hospitals: National Catering and Nutrition Specification for Food and Fluid Provision in Hospitals in Scotland’ guidelines which were revised and updated March 2016 and Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Food…

31 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what procurement criteria prospective private contractors must meet when hospitals are outsourcing the provision of their food.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The catering service in every Board must comply with National Food Safety Standards and the Food in Hospitals specification (the National Catering and Nutrition Specification for Food and Fluid Provision in Hospitals in Scotland) with regards to the quality o…

31 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of hospitals produce their food (a) in-house and (b) through private contractors, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Of 168 healthcare sites across Scotland that receive a catering service, 33 receive their catering provision from an outsourced provider. The remaining sites receive catering provision from an outsourced provider. NHS Board Sites with Outsourced Provision …

28 Jan 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the not-for-profit energy supply company, Our Power, going out of business.

24 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve and build relationships with countries that have a strong connection with Scotland's historic role in slavery.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government’s international ambitions are set out in our International Framework and various country plans. It aims to create an environment within Scotland that supports a better understanding of international opportunities and to influence the w…

24 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to improving the general level of education and cultural liaison concerning slavery.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: History is an area of the curriculum which provides opportunities to study a wide range of people and historical events, and diversity is important within that, ensuring that pupils develop a nuanced, balanced, informed understanding of past people and events…

24 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent research and projects highlighting Scotland's previously underplayed part in the slave trade, what steps can be taken to recognise Scotland's historic role in slavery.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Scotland has many different and complex aspects to its history and it is important that these are acknowledged. In order to support this process, in March 2007 a book was published entitled “Scotland and the Slave Trade” to mark the bicentenary of the aboliti…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure that early detection of high blood pressure is prioritised, particularly among people at high risk or those underserved by current models of detection, including those with poor health or literacy and BME communities.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W- 21212 on 6 February 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…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to consider the proposal in the report by the Cross Party Group on Heart Disease, Beating High Blood Pressure: Scotland’s Silent Killer, to implement an effective approach to tackling common modifiable drivers of poor cardiovascular health.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-21212 on 6 February 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…

23 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether, as recommended by the Cross Party Group on Heart Disease report, Beating High Blood Pressure: Scotland’s Silent Killer, it plans to consider the proposal to research the feasibility and cost effectiveness of the provision of BP monitors to people with high blood pressure.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government welcomes the Report of the Cross Party Group on Heart Disease and Stroke. The Report was launched on 22 January 2019 and the Scottish Government will consider the Report and individual recommendations in due course.  

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area are on the kidney transplant waiting list.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The following table lists the number of people in Scotland currently listed as active on the waiting list for a kidney-only transplant by NHS Board. NHS Board  AYRSHIRE & ARRAN 23 BORDERS 11 DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY 16 FIFE 26 FORTH VALLEY 31 GRAMPIAN …

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area have died in each year since 2009 while waiting for a kidney transplant.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The following table provides number of residents of Scotland recorded as having died between 2009-2018 whilst on the waiting list for a kidney-only transplant. Please note we have not provided data by individual NHS Board as that would risk potential identifi…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on altruistic kidney donation, and what action it can take to encourage people to consider becoming living kidney donors.  

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is supportive of altruistic kidney donation, although it is of course entirely for individuals to decide if they wish to donate a kidney, whether to a stranger or to a loved one. The role of the Scottish Government is to help raise pub…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to mark the 10th anniversary of the first person in Scotland to become an altruistic kidney donor, which was in March 2009.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The 10th anniversary of the first person in Scotland to become an altruistic kidney donor will be marked during National Living Kidney Donation Awareness Week from 11 – 17 March 2019. I will meet one of the first people in Scotland to donate a kidney altruist…

16 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are available to deal with persistent breaches of the code of conduct by private factoring companies regarding the complaint process for individual clients.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Protections for homeowners are provided under the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011. Homeowners who are unhappy about the service provided by their property factor should, in the first instance, raise the matter with the factor directly and follow the fact…

15 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance the NHS provides to primary healthcare practitioners to help them understand and address the healthcare needs of trans people.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government provides policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards to allow them to deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. All healthcare professionals receive high quality training and education on the care of trans p…

15 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the NHS educates its staff at all levels regarding LGBT issues and discrimination.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: All NHS Scotland Health Boards are required to deliver mandatory equalities training to all staff, which includes LGBT issues and discrimination as outlined in the Equality Act. Guidance is available to Boards on how to develop training and what should be inc…

15 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the NHS handles the reporting and management of allegations of homophobic and transphobic abuse among its staff.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The welfare of staff in our NHS is paramount and everything must be done to eradicate bullying in the workplace. This is why we have made clear to Health Boards that bullying and harassment is unacceptable, and we expect them to ensure any reported incidents …

9 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it will make to protect air quality standards in the event of Brexit.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has committed to continuing to maintain or exceed EU environmental standards, in the event of Brexit, including air quality standards. Steps have been take to ensure air quality legislation continues to function on EU exit.

21 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many psychologists in weight management services there are; what action is being taken to increase the number, and how many newly-qualified specialists it expects to enter the workforce in each of the next six years.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The workforce data collected on psychologists in Scotland does not provide a breakdown on their areas of work in respect of weight management. In terms of the expected number of psychologists, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20785 on 17 Janua…

21 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time between referral and first appointment weight management services has been in each of the last three years.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Information on waiting times for weight management services is not held centrally. The Scottish Government continues to fund NHS Boards to deliver adult and child weight management services through the Outcomes Framework (£3m in 2018-19). While it is for ind…

21 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) diabetes- and (b) obesity-focused (i) health psychologists specialising in behaviour change and (ii) clinical psychologists specialising in mental health there are; what action is being taken to increase the number, and how many newly-qualified specialists it expects to ente…

Answer · Clare Haughey: The workforce data collected on psychologists in Scotland does not provide a breakdown on their areas of work in respect of diabetes or obesity. However, all psychologists have general psychology training which includes behavioural change. There are currentl…

21 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have (a) applied for and (b) enrolled in postgraduate (i) health psychology and (ii) clinical psychology courses in each of the last two years.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Information on enrolments at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (“HEIs”) is collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (“HESA”), which uses the Joint Academic Coding System (“JACS”) codes to record the chosen field of study. These provide specifi…