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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-12480

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to review the current planning procedures for funding allocated for the construction of Changing Places toilets.

The Scottish Government introduced Scottish Building Regulations in 2019 requiring the provision of Changing Places Toilets in larger new buildings to which the public have access. These provisions are detailed in the Building standards technical handbook 2020 . At the same time, we also amended our Planning System to include these amended building regulations and further detail can be found within the Planning Circular 1/2020: Changing Places Toilets Regulations.We are not planning any further legislative changes in this area at this stage. Our work to amend building standards in 2019 was robust and sought to strike a sensible balance between encouraging further CPT provision across Scotland whilst recognising the resource needed to build these facilities may be prohibitive for smaller buildings.

We have recently published our Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read . This guide, written in collaboration with PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society), details practical considerations when considering installing a Changing Places Toilet in both existing and new buildings. This helpful toolkit will improve Changing Places Toilet provision in the immediate term and ensure that new toilets built following our changes to legislation are appropriate and well considered

Question reference: S6W-12482

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the £10 million of funding for Changing Places toilets that it announced will be released.

The Scottish Government will invest in Changing Places Toilets over this parliamentary term, in order to increase the number of these facilities across the country and to support mobile Changing Places Toilets to allow people easier access to events and outdoor venues.

The Scottish Government is currently planning its budgets for 2023-24 and will publish its draft budget on 15 December. More detailed information about budget allocations will be available next year, once the Scottish Parliament has approved the draft budget.

Question reference: S6W-12481

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated for the construction of new Changing Places toilets in the current parliamentary session.

The Scottish Government is committed to investing in Changing Places Toilets over this parliamentary term, in order to increase the number of these facilities across the country and to support mobile Changing Places Toilets to allow people easier access to events and outdoor venues.

Funding for the construction of new Changing Places Toilets has not yet been allocated. We are progressing the first phase of work in order to design an investment programme that ensures that the Changing Places Toilets which are built are fit for purpose. Further information about this fund will be available next year. We have recently published our Changing Places Toilets: Planning Guide and an accompanying easy read for people who are planning to develop Changing Places Toilets now.

Question reference: S6W-12483

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 30 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with people with lived experience to co-design its current policy regarding Changing Places toilets.

We are committed to working with people with lived experience as we progress our first phase of work to design an investment programme that ensures that the Changing Places Toilets which are built are fit for purpose. We work closely with PAMIS (Promoting A More Inclusive Society) and will engage further with people with lived experience as we develop our Changing Places Toilets investment programme. On 2 November, I also attended a meeting of the Cross-Party Group on Changing Places Toilets to provide an update on progress.

Engaging with people with lived experience is at the heart of policy-making in the Scottish Government. We believe that people have the right to contribute to, and to influence, the decisions that affect their lives, choices and life chances, and that involving the people likely to be affected by the decision in the process results in better decision making.

Question reference: S6O-01576

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the reduction in funding for Covid Recovery will be as part of the Emergency Budget Review.

Question reference: S6O-01555

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns raised by the Chief Constable and SPA Chair regarding the impact of the resource spending review on service delivery in Police Scotland.

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-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.