Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-01498

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what urgent steps are being taken to ensure safe staffing across the NHS, in light of recent reports of staff shortages potentially contributing to patient deaths.

Question reference: S6W-11463

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to remove time-related restrictions on the use of the Young Scot National Entitlement Card scheme for rail travel.

The Scottish Government is progressing its Fair Fares Review to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares as we recover from the pandemic. The Fair Fares Review is considering both the availability of services and the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry. The review will consider options that maintain and increase affordability for those who need it most, taking cognisance of the relative changes to the overall cost of travel. I have asked my officials to ensure that the terms and conditions attached to the Young Scot NEC card are considered as part of this wider review.

Question reference: S6W-11552

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce a free rail travel scheme for people aged 22 and under.

The National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Young People currently covers bus travel only. At this time, there are no plans to extend this to rail.

On public transport fares more broadly, the Scottish Government is progressing its Fair Fares Review to develop and assess options to create a fairer, more transparent system of fares across all modes that maintain and increase affordability for those who need it most, taking cognisance of the relative changes to the overall cost of travel.

Question reference: S6W-11269

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish an updated Personal Footcare Guidance.

Question reference: S6W-11337

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has spent on raising awareness in Scotland of the changes to the Highway Code, which were introduced in January 2022.

The Highway Code changes which came into effect at the start of the year were supported by a nationwide multi-media campaign in February 2022. Amendments to The Highway Code are reserved to the UK Government, and DfT is responsible for marketing these changes. The Scottish Government and road safety partners across Scotland support the latest changes.

The Scottish Government was disappointed the UK Government felt unable to promote those changes ahead of 29 January, so we took the proactive decision to do so ourselves in Scotland. Transport Scotland, Police Scotland, Road Safety Scotland and Traffic Scotland all used their social media to raise awareness of the changes, and the Scottish Government provided £103,000 for a three-week awareness-raising campaign, which ran in February on radio and social media. This phase was funded by DfT. Transport Scotland continues to work with partners across the UK, including DfT, to align future awareness campaigns for any further changes to the Highway Code.

Question reference: S6W-11338

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to run a public awareness campaign in Scotland on the changes made to the Highway Code in January 2022.

The Highway Code changes which came into effect at the start of the year were supported by a nationwide multi-media campaign in February 2022. Amendments to The Highway Code are reserved to the UK Government, and DfT is responsible for marketing these changes. The Scottish Government and road safety partners across Scotland support the latest changes.

The Scottish Government was disappointed the UK Government felt unable to promote those changes ahead of 29 January, so we took the proactive decision to do so ourselves in Scotland, and Transport Scotland funded the initial campaign. The second-phase campaign, in August, focused on encouraging mutual respect between road users to help embed the changes to the Code and to deliver behaviour change. This phase was funded by DfT. Transport Scotland continues to work with partners across the UK, including DfT, to align future awareness campaigns for any further changes to the Highway Code.

Question reference: S6W-11270

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide free toenail trimming services for people aged 75 years and older.

Question reference: S6W-11271

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for third sector organisations to provide footcare services for vulnerable and older people.

Question reference: S6W-11267

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will launch its HIV elimination plan, and whether the launch will coincide with World AIDS Day 2022.

The Scottish Government remains committed to reaching its target of eliminating HIV Transmission in Scotland by 2030.

In 2019, The Scottish Government commissioned the Scottish Health Protection Network leads to deliver a proposal for how Scotland can become one of the first countries to eliminate HIV transmissions.

Work on the proposal has been led by Professor Rak Nandwani, Honorary Professor at Glasgow Caledonian University, with input from clinicians, academics, public health experts, the third sector and people living with HIV.

Their work has now concluded, and we anticipate the proposal, along with next steps, will be published on 1 December, to coincide with World Aids Day

Question reference: S6W-10669

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement a new priority booking system, as part of the new ticketing system to be introduced by Caledonian MacBrayne in autumn 2022, similar to models reportedly used in Scandinavia, to allow islanders to book priority spaces on ferries at short notice, including for the delivery of goods and services.

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