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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-11730

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated timescale for the stretches of the A9 that are still to be dualled, including at the Slochd Summit and Birnam, in light of the recent reported accidents on the road.

First, I express my sympathies to everyone who has been affected by the loss of a loved one and to anyone who has been injured on our roads over this year.

The Government remains committed to investment in the A9, including dualling the road between Perth and Inverness.

We are currently progressing the procurement for the Tomatin to Moy section and undertaking design work on the rest of the programme, with ministerial decisions to complete the statutory process confirmed for seven of the remaining eight schemes. I will update Parliament shortly on the progress of this section.

I have also today announced to Parliament through the answer to S6W-12140 progress on dualling the A9 section from Killiecrankie to Glen Garry, in that I have determined that the Orders for that scheme should be made.

The only section not to have started the statutory process is the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing project, where design and assessment is ongoing to identify a preferred route option following the innovative co-creative process with the local community. Work is progressing on announcing a preferred route for this section.

Work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling is also ongoing. This is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the project can be delivered most efficiently by the industry, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-COVID.

I will of course keep Parliament updated on progress in relation to all aspects of these dualling schemes.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6O-01565

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the impact of carbon offset schemes on rural depopulation.

Question reference: S6W-11729

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to expanding access to pre-exposure prophylactics (PrEP) through the development of online services and remote prescribing.

The Scottish Government remains committed to eliminating HIV Transmission in Scotland by 2030.

To support work to meet this target the PrEP short-life working group, a sub-group of the HIV Transmission Elimination Oversight Group, was tasked with maximising PrEP eligibility criteria. The group has formally adopted the new, wider, PrEP eligibility guidelines and are now working on materials to support implementation across Scotland.

The group, which is jointly chaired by community sector and clinical representatives, has also been actively considering the expansion of PrEP prescribing, with a focus on moving away from acute settings such as sexual health clinics. These discussions are on-going as the group considers different models and settings for PrEP care.

Question reference: S6W-11728

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the launch of a Scotland-wide HIV Testing Week ahead of World AIDS Day.

The Scottish Government is committed to eliminating HIV Transmission in Scotland by 2030.

There are no current plans for a testing week in 2022. However, the Scottish Government commissioned an expert-led HIV transmission elimination proposal. Increased and more effective testing is an important focus of the report, which will be published on World AIDS Day. Plans to take that work forward will be published alongside it, and that work will consider both long and short term steps that can be taken to improve testing uptake.

In the meantime, the Scottish Government continues to provide funding to HIV Scotland to support hivtest.scot, a pilot project which provides postal HIV self-testing kits to people across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11804

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update to the Parliament regarding NHS Highland’s escalated position.

NHS Highland has now received all five reports from the Independent Review Panel (IRP) of the Healing Process and the work of the IRP is now concluded.

The Board has made significant progress against the majority of the recommendations included in both the Independent Review Panel (IRP) of the Healing Process and the Sturrock reports. As part of this work, the board have ensured that systems and processes are in place which would allow colleagues to speak up and be heard.

A decision has been taken by Scottish Government Health and Social Care Management Board to de-escalate NHS Highland from Stage 3 to Stage 2 of the NHS Board performance escalation framework in relation to Governance, Leadership and Culture.

NHS Highland will remain at Stage 3 for Financial Management and Mental Health Performance until further progress is made in the provision of mental health services, and a national review of NHS Scotland’s financial position is complete. Measures are in place to support NHS Highland will continue for these areas.

You can find out more about the NHS Board performance escalation framework here: NHS healthcare standards: Board performance escalation framework - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot )

Question reference: S6W-11502

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether environmental protections would be reduced in any Scottish investment zones.

Question reference: S6W-11500

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01419 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 October 2022 (Official Report, c. 21), when it plans to begin exploratory discussions with the UK Government about new investment zones for Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11501

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether legislative and/or regulatory change would be required to provide for any investment zones in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11499

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that any Scottish investment zones are delivered in line with its commitment to keep pace with EU environmental standards under the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021.

Question reference: S6O-01485

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding increasing the employment rate for disabled people.