Parliamentary questions
Jeremy Balfour
489 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
3 Sep 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders have been or will be consulted during the development of the evidence base for the consultation on its proposed Gender Recognition Bill, and what the basis is for their selection.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government will work on the evidence base for the consultation in-house, using published material where available. The Scottish Government will also draw on evidence and information provided in response to the consultation on general principles i…
28 Aug 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farm businesses in the Lothians region are still to receive 2016-17 and 2017-18 CAP basic and pillar 2 payments.
19 Jun 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis the transport secretary has carried out regarding how the proposed workplace parking levy could affect disabled people accessing employment.
10 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce excessive waiting times for young people in Lothian to access mental health support.
21 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with NHS Lothian regarding staff car parking at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
3 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the number of babies born with Down syndrome is recorded and, if not, for what reason, and whether NHS boards will be instructed to collect this data in the future.
Answer · Clare Haughey: NHS Information Services Division (ISD) recently began work on a project setting up a congenital anomaly register. The project is called the Congenital Anomaly and Rare Disease Registration and Information System Scotland (CARDRISS). CARDRISS is at the beginn…
3 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when plans for the implementation of non-invasive prenatal testing will be published, and whether the plans will be open to public consultation.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The UK National Screening Committee undertook a three month public consultation in 2015 which informed its subsequent recommendations on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) in 2016 and endorsed by the Scottish Screening Committee in March 2018. Given that th…
3 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many women have had fetal anomaly screening in each of the last five years.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government or Information Services Division (ISD). NHS Health Boards may hold this information locally.
3 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many babies with Down syndrome were born in (a) 2016, (b) 2017 and (c) 2018.
Answer · Clare Haughey: This information is not held centrally. Please see the answer to question S5W-22521 on 24 April 2019 for more information All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at …
29 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consult on the recommendations of the Review of the Regulation of Legal Services (the Roberton Review).
Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking an analysis of the recommendations of the report of the independent review of legal services regulation in Scotland, and has discussed the findings with key stakeholders. The Scottish Government will issue a fo…
28 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce details of the Wave 4 capital spending for Edinburgh's schools.
Answer · John Swinney: The Wave 4 Programme is the City of Edinburgh Council's school infrastructure investment programme. However, through our Scotland's Schools for the Future Programme, the City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded over £63 million towards the construction of f…
26 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle air pollution in Edinburgh.
20 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it took the decision to delay the roll-out of the second wave of social security benefits.
19 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the roll out of 5G across Scotland will not result in the removal of healthy trees from the urban landscape.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) sets out that the planning system should support digital connectivity, in particular infrastructure provision which is sited and designed to keep environmental impacts to a minimum. SPP also sets out policy protection for trees …
12 Mar 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Transport Scotland requires disabled people to renew their National Entitlement Card every three years, including when their disability is permanent or progressive.
8 Mar 2019 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it plans to recruit more disabled people.
Answer · Kezia Dugdale: The SPCB is committed to building a diverse and talented workforce that reflects the people of Scotland and we firmly believe in using positive action in the recruitment of disabled people. We have taken steps to ensure our recruitment processes are fair…
21 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, where the full funding allocation requested by local authorities is not being fulfilled, which areas of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan it will prioritise, or whether such decisions would be at the discretion of individual councils.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Individual tailored feedback on the rapid rehousing transition plan will be provided to each local authority. Once the feedback is provided, officials will hold individual discussions with each local authority to ensure that a joint approach to making appropr…
21 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the process is and timescales are for signing off and rolling out the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan across Scotland.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is no single rapid rehousing transition plan for Scotland but 32 individual rapid rehousing transition plans developed by each local authority. Officials are currently in the process of reviewing the rapid rehousing transition plans and individual tailo…
21 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to make a decision on the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is no single rapid rehousing transition plan for Scotland but 32 individual rapid rehousing transition plans developed by each local authority. Officials are currently in the process of reviewing all 32 rapid rehousing transition plans. Individual tailo…
19 Feb 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its draft regulations for disability assistance.
29 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the processing of applications to the PVG scheme for people working in schools will change as a result of Disclosure Scotland's new IT system, and what progress has been made on this.
9 Jan 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Drinkaware campaign, Drink Free Days, and whether it will engage in the charity’s monitor insights, which examine drinking behaviours and attitudes.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government runs its own alcohol health campaigns, utilising partnerships with the third sector, NHS Health Scotland and Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to reach into local areas Our new Alcohol Framework, published in November last year, sets out …
19 Dec 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it has in place for the Motability scheme once PIP payments are devolved; whether the eligibility criteria for the scheme will remain the same, and which agency will manage it.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is currently developing its approach to disability benefits including to the Motability scheme and will ensure people continue to have access to the support they require for their mobility needs.
18 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the size is of the Scottish Reserve.
6 Dec 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to amend the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas (Scotland) Regulations 2010 to widen the definition of an "interested person" to include community councils and to require replacement planting of trees.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2010 provide that any person may make a representation with respect to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). Where a TPO is made, the planning authority …
4 Dec 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent figures reportedly showing that the number of doctors in training in Scotland is at a five-year low, how it plans to address GP recruitment issues.
27 Nov 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many more people would be eligible for the Young Carer Grant if it was extended to include (a) more than one young carer per household and (b) 18- to 25-year-olds in full-time education.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: These figures are not held.
24 Oct 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to protect vulnerable older people from bogus callers and rogue traders.
16 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to break down the barriers of social stigma that prevent men from seeking support from professional services for victims of domestic abuse.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: Tackling gender stereotypes, such as those that present barriers of social stigma that prevent men with experience of gender based violence from seeking support, are a key part of the work of Equally Safe. Priority 2 of the Equally Safe delivery plan is to ta…
16 Oct 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had or plans to have with stakeholder groups on its approach to women who are perpetrators of domestic abuse.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government will convene a roundtable with stakeholders to look at what more we can do to support male victims of gender based violence.