Alex Cole-Hamilton

5 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that some patients are being advised by their GPs to seek private treatment due to the length of waiting times, particularly in relation to mental health services.

Answer · Clare Haughey: It is a matter for individual patients and their GPs whether to have a conversation about private healthcare options; clear guidance on the approach to NHS and private provision is available in cases where it is required. However, when an individual experienc…

5 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether receiving private treatment for long-term therapies should impact on a patient's standing on NHS waiting lists.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The decision to opt for private treatment is a matter for individual patients. However, receiving private treatment for long-term therapies should not impact on a patient’s standing on NHS waiting lists.  

29 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement of 13 July 2016 regarding paramedic training and recruitment, how many training places have been (a) available and (b) filled in each year since, and whether it is on course to meet its five-year target.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government, on the 13 July 2016, announced our commitment to supporting the recruitment and training of 1000 paramedics over the next 5 years to deliver care in the community. The data tables below outline the paramedic and specialist paramedic …

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to following the Welsh Government's example by introducing and funding a "Real Nappy Campaign", which aims to encourage more parents to make the switch to cotton nappies.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We are aware of this campaign, which is similar to local "Real Nappy Schemes" that have been active in a number of areas in Scotland in recent years.

22 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing a nappy recycling scheme run by local authorities, similar to that available in local authorities in Wales.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has considered a similar scheme. Zero Waste Scotland carried out a trial collection of disposable nappies for recycling in 2014. This was operated in 4 Council areas and the disposable nappies were recycled in the West Midlands, at a f…

21 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria the Edinburgh Division of Police Scotland uses when considering whether to deploy hand-held speed enforcement devices, and whether it will confirm on what streets these devices have been used over the last 12 months.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

21 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many speeding infringements have been recorded in the last 12 months by officers using hand-held speed enforcement devices in the Edinburgh Division of Police Scotland; how many fines were issued, and how much was raised.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

21 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the unit cost is of a new hand-held speed enforcement device, and how much it costs Police Scotland to train an officer on their use.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

21 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hand-held speed enforcement devices are owned by the Edinburgh Division of Police Scotland, and how many of its officers are trained to use these.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

19 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much court time has been spent on cannabis-related offences, and what the cost of this has been, in each of the last three years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who will reply in writing within 20 days.

19 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much police time has been spent on cannabis-related offences in each of the last three years.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

15 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to cervical screening in order to increase coverage of this screening.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Increasing coverage in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is a key objective for the Scottish Government and that is why up to £5m of funding from the Cancer Strategy 'Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action' 2016 is being invested in our screening program…

15 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to pilot mobile cervical screening clinics in order to increase access and improve screening coverage.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We have no current plans to pilot mobile cervical screening clinics. NHS Boards are responsible for the delivery of the cervical screening programme; this includes publicising screening within their local area and working closely with their communities to in…

15 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14041 by Humza Yousaf on 6 February 2018, what progress has been made by Transport Scotland on the review of (a) traffic sign and general signage policy and (b) Fairtrade accreditation signs.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The review of traffic sign and general signage policy is currently on-going. The current focus is on reviewing and revising the list of primary destinations in Scotland to align them with the current Trunk Road network and developing the scope of a proposed f…

7 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been consulted by the UK Government regarding the terms of reference for the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Ministers received the proposed Terms of Reference of the UK Infected Blood Inquiry for consultation on 15 June. We will respond with our views as soon as possible. Under section 27 of the Inquiries Act 2005, Scottish Ministers must be consulted in …

5 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the annual suicide statistics for 2017 have been brought forward from August to 27 June 2018; what representations were made with stakeholders regarding this, and when ministers agreed the decision.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Suicide statistics are produced by National Records of Scotland (NRS). Towards the end of 2017 NRS published a user consultation on the timing of Vital Events statistics. The consultation was published on the NRS website consultation page https://www.nrscotl…

4 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in response to the figures in the report, Homelessness in Scotland: Update to 30 September 2017, which recorded that 6,581 children were in temporary accommodation, representing an increase of 594 on the previous year.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We want time in temporary accommodation to be as short as possible and we are increasing housing supply to help with this. Temporary accommodation is an important part of Scotland’s strong homelessness legislation and we are committed to ensuring that tempor…

4 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the figures released under Freedom of Information in January 2018 regarding vacant private sector homes across 23 local authorities, which record (a) 20,027 as being empty for more than six months and (b) 927 being empty for more than 10 years.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is keen to encourage owners of empty properties to bring them back into use to increase the supply of housing in Scotland. We are tackling the problem through legislative changes, provision of funding, and practical advice and assistan…

4 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the National Statistics report, Unintentional Injuries in Scotland, which recorded that the rate of falls by people over 65 was 21.4 per thousand in 2016-17, compared with 19.5 in 2007-08.

Answer · Shona Robison: The rate of emergency admissions due to falls has slowly been increasing over the last ten years as our population ages and more people are living longer with frailty and multiple long term health conditions. However, unintentional injuries data from the last…

4 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the National Statistics report, Unintentional Injuries in Scotland, which recorded that people from the most deprived areas were almost twice as likely to have an unintentional injury than people from the least deprived. 

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to building safer communities across Scotland. Key to this is our work with partners including: Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT…

4 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the National Statistics report, Unintentional Injuries in Scotland, which recorded that there were 850 deaths due to poisoning in 2016, representing an increase of 28% on the previous year.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The rise in ‘poisonings’ in 2016 as highlighted in the Unintentional Injuries in Scotland report can be predominantly attributed to the rise in drug related deaths that were reported in 2016. The Scottish Government is fully committed to tackle the many chal…

30 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there is a shortage of the hepatitis B vaccine for staff, particularly for nurses and other ancillary workers, in NHS Lothian.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Since mid-2017 the NHS in Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom has experienced a shortage of hepatitis B vaccine due to global manufacturing issues. The vaccine supply position was very constrained in 2017. In August 2017 Scotland adopted temporary …

28 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether additional resources will be made available to GP practices to help them deliver free access to medical records.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government and the BMA have agreed that GP income should not be subject to arbitrary variation and should instead reflect the value of a GP’s work as an expert medical generalist. This can only be achieved by providing practices with the necessary fu…

28 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the financial costs associated with allowing people free access to their medical records.

Answer · Shona Robison: As part of the preparatory work for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) the Scottish Government eHealth Division has worked closely with NHSScotland Boards and considered the financial implications of these changes in legislation in consultation wit…

21 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on car-free zones around schools, and what plans it has to include provisions on this in its Miscellaneous Transport Bill.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Transport Bill will be introduced to Parliament before summer recess. At this time the Scottish Government’s proposals in relation to responsible parking will be set out in detail and subject to the as…

21 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13849 by Humza Yousaf on 23 January 2018, whether it will provide an update on the progress of its Miscellaneous Transport Bill and, in particular, any provisions regarding parking on pavements.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In line with the Programme for Government commitment, the Transport Bill will be introduced to Parliament before summer recess. At this time, the Scottish Government’s proposals in relation to pavement parking will be set out in detail and subject to the asso…

17 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review legislation on the banding and valuation of properties for council tax purposes.

Answer · Derek Mackay: We have no plans to review the legislation on banding and valuation of properties for council tax purposes.

16 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with educational and youth organisations to encourage young women to discuss body confidence issues with medical professionals.

Answer · Maureen Watt: Children and young people should know where to go if they have worries or concerns, which is why all staff in schools share a responsibility for identifying the care and wellbeing needs of children and young people. Schools should establish open, positive, su…

16 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that an average of one-in-three women aged 25 to 29, and one-in-four women overall, do not take up the offer of cervical testing.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Increasing participation in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is a key objective for the Scottish Government. Last year we ran a successful advertising campaign ‘Flower’ to raise awareness of cervical screening among women aged 25-35. In 2018, we wil…

16 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote awareness of the importance of cervical screening.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scottish Government promotes cervical screening on an on-going basis. Last year we ran a successful advertising campaign ‘Flower’ to raise awareness of cervical screening among women aged 25-35. In 2018, we will focus on the overall benefits of early detecti…