Jeremy Balfour

11 Apr 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Government whether it plans to increase investment in local advice services, including government-funded services and those provided by housing associations, to help provide people with advice and support amid the reported cost of living crisis, in line with the recommendation of the Zero Emissions Social H…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Home Energy Scotland (HES), administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government, provides free, bespoke, impartial advice and support on energy efficiency, renewable heating and fuel poverty support in Scotland. This year, we have commit…

11 Apr 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Government how it plans to mitigate fuel poverty among social housing tenants, in light of the recent energy price cap increase and the data from the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce showing that over one third of social tenants already experience fuel poverty.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We recognise the importance of upgrading the energy efficiency of homes in order to make them more affordable to heat. Regulation of energy efficiency in the social housing sector has already ensured that it has the most energy efficient housing stock of any …

22 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position, including that of Transport Scotland, is on the use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras to enforce School Streets, and whether there are any barriers, including legal ones, that could prevent using ANPR cameras in such a way.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) to monitor and fine moving traffic would require local authorities to have the powers to enforce moving traffic violation. Local authorities currently do not have the powers for such enforcement. This would requ…

15 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has supported former Hong Kong residents who have resettled in Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: We welcome people from Hong Kong who have chosen to move to Scotland. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting their integration into our communities and we have also published a dedicated British National (Overseas) welcome pack, in both English an…

1 Mar 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to end the early medical abortion at home arrangements that were put in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, and if so, by when. 

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has commissioned an independent evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the current approach to early medical abortion at home. The evaluation is being led by NHS Lothian, along with a number of academic experts. The Scottish Governm…

28 Feb 2022 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) whether it will consider amending its policy on party identity or affiliation appearing on publications paid for by the SPCB.

15 Feb 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the Fair Start Scotland programme addresses the needs of those who face the greatest barriers to unemployment, such as severely disabled people.

4 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation took place to inform its proposed plans to accredit new providers for the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme, and whether people who have already been allocated a vehicle under the scheme will be affected by the change.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The 2016 Consultation on Social Security in Scotland asked correspondents if the new Scottish social security system should continue to support access to the Motability scheme. Of the 200 respondents, 97% answered 'Yes'. During the subsequent consultation on …

1 Feb 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost will be of its proposed plans to accredit new providers, in addition to Motability Operations, for the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme, and when these plans will come into effect.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government plans on beginning work to re-open further accreditation rounds later this year and will make an announcement in due course. As this is an administrative exercise rather than a procurement exercise, there will be no new costs and all c…

25 Jan 2022 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the £10 Christmas payment will continue to be paid by the DWP to recipients of Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment once the benefits are fully devolved.

21 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when breast screening for over-70s will resume.

Answer · Maree Todd: The UK National Screening Committee, an independent scientific body that advises all four UK nations on screening, currently recommends that women between the ages of 50 and 70 are invited for three yearly breast screening. Therefore, while programme capacity…

21 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm if personal data, including ethnicity, which is taken when a COVID-19 vaccine is administered, is retained securely and is only used by NHS Scotland for the purpose for which it was obtained.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Full information on what personal information we process , including ethnicity, and how we use your data as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme can be found on NHS Inform under Data, Privacy and Ethics. Personal information we process - Personal …

20 Dec 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to farming charities.

15 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what considerations it has given to setting up a support fund for victims of domestic abuse that would deliver recurring payments in the short term to support someone who is leaving an abusive partner.

Answer · Shona Robison: This fund is one of the recommendations in the Improving Housing Outcomes for Women and Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse report . We have convened an official level implementation and monitoring group to oversee implementation of the recommendations wit…

14 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether representatives from (a) Scottish Trans Alliance, (b) Stonewall Scotland and (c) any other transgender advocacy group are involved in allocation decisions concerning transgender prisoners, and, if so, what the nature of that involvement is.

Answer · Keith Brown: have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Allocation decisions concerning transgender prisoners are the responsibility of SPS. To inform decisions, a multi-disciplinary …

14 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed timeline for the review of the Scottish Prison Service Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment Policy, including the expected timing of internal and external stakeholder consultation, and at what point the review is currently.

Answer · Keith Brown: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The review of SPS’ Gender Identity and Gender Reassignment policy is taking place in two main stages. The first stage involves…

13 Dec 2021 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what flexibility will be afforded for the installation of interlinked fire alarms in light of recent reports about the available funding for low-income households.

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when VoiceAbility will begin providing advocacy services in relation to the devolved social security benefits system, and when the roll-out of services will be fully operational.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: VoiceAbility will begin providing advocacy services for those who require support to access Social Security Scotland assistance from 31 January 2022. VoiceAbility will continue to build capacity in the service after that date to ensure the service scales up p…

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on Universal Credit (UC) Scottish choices split payments, where UC payments can be split between members of a couple in a household, in order to ensure that everyone has access to an independent income based on their individual circumstances, and what its posit…

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Following a pause, due to capacity challenges related to the pandemic from March 2020 to March 2021, officials from the Scottish Government and the UK Government's Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have resumed work to finalise a proposal for introducing…

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the remit is of the proposed review of the Scottish Welfare Fund, and what the timescale is for (a) the review to be completed and (b) its findings to be published.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: We have committed, both in the Programme for Government and in our initial response to the Social Renewal Advisory Board’s report, to a full, independent review of the Scottish Welfare Fund. The review will examine many areas of the Fund including accessibili…

7 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported discussions involving other devolved administrations regarding the Down Syndrome Bill, introduced in the UK Parliament, what its position is on whether the provisions in the bill should be applied in Scotland; what discussions it (a) has had and (b) plans to have on…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government wants to improve opportunities, outcomes and support for people with Down’s Syndrome. To this end, we have committed to introducing a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill as part of the Programme for Government. This Bil…

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its Single Building Assessment programme, and when it anticipates the programme will be concluded.

Answer · Shona Robison: My officials are working closely with the homeowners of the 25 buildings within the pilot phase of the Single Building Assessment. Our approach is to understand the fire safety of those buildings and particularly the external cladding. The programme will be c…

10 Nov 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it recognises long COVID as a disability.

4 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm the date for the removal of the requirement for EWS1 forms, and their replacement with Scottish Government-funded Single Building Assessments.

Answer · Shona Robison: The EWS1 certificate was developed by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) along with UK Finance and the Building Societies Association (BSA). It is not a Government form, nor is it a legal requirement. The initial phase of the Single Building …

27 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that NHS patients in Scotland can access Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultra-Sound (MRgFUS) to treat the condition, essential tremor.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Patients in Scotland with medication-refractory essential tremor can be referred for MRgFUS treatment to the current centre in London which offers this service. These arrangements are managed through robust commissioning arrangements between NHS England and N…

26 Oct 2021 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the ecological status of Scotland’s lochs and rivers.

19 Oct 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with trade unions representing ScotRail staff.

15 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings and recommendations in the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care report, Every Story’s Ending, published in September 2021.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government welcomes the Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care’s report: Every Story’s Ending. This report provides a helpful insight into the experiences that people and their families have at the end of life in Scotland. The findings of the …

11 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the forthcoming bonfire night celebrations, whether it will confirm what the outcome was of its consultation on the use of fireworks.

Answer · Ash Regan: The consultation ‘Use and Sale of Fireworks in Scotland, and tackling the misuse of pyrotechnics’ ran from 20 June to 15 August 2021. The consultation consisted of two sections; the first sought views on proposed changes to how fireworks can be supplied and u…

30 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason NHS boards are reportedly not being provided with clear face masks to aid people who are hearing impaired, in light of these reportedly being provided to NHS trusts in England.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Transparent masks have the potential to bring significant benefits in aiding communication and the Scottish Government is supportive of their introduction where appropriate. We are aware that NHS England have previously trialled transparent masks in non-clini…