- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Elena Whitham on 19 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has begun, or plans to begin, any testing for the drug, xylazine, in light of the first death from the drug having been reported in the UK in May 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of this drug, to date there have been two detections in Scotland that we have been made aware of through the Welsh WEDINOS programme.
Public Health Scotland, through their Rapid Action Drug Alerts and Response (RADAR) programme, are continuing to monitor this situation. Currently xylazine is not routinely screened for in police or post-mortem toxicology throughout the UK, but we will keep this under review and future decisions around adding this to toxicology screening in Scotland would be made by the RADAR pathology and toxicology network.
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD, the UK Government’s drug advisory body) New Psychoactive Substance committee are also monitoring the availability of this substance and are conducting an evidence review which will also inform action in Scotland. Public Health Scotland continue to lead on the ongoing development of RADAR which provides essential and real-time data on drug trends and harms to ensure a quick response to what is happening on the ground, including providing vital public health alerts, such as they issued around nitazenes in January 2023.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it provided any support to local authorities, including technical assistance or funding, to introduce existing bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, such as those in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided funding and technical assistance to local authorities to design and deliver projects through the Spaces for People, Places for Everyone and National Cycle Network programmes that are delivered by Sustrans Scotland, and a small number of these projects contain bus stop bypasses.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 7 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing a moratorium on the creation of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops.
Answer
No consideration has been given to a moratorium on the creation of bus stop bypasses. Local authorities are responsible for management of local roads and paths and the Scottish Government has no authority to make such a mandate.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether any guidance is being developed for local authorities on the implementation of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, and, if not, whether it plans to initiate any such work.
Answer
The updated ‘Cycling by Design’ document was published in 2021 and provides guidance for cycling infrastructure design on all roads, streets and paths in Scotland. It includes design guidance for incorporating cycle facilities past bus stops, with bus stop bypasses as one option. A series of training sessions on the guidance has been undertaken throughout 2022 and early 2023, with attendance by the majority of local authorities.
To inform the design guidance further, Transport Scotland commissioned Living Streets in 2021 to investigate issues of inclusion where bus stop bypasses have been introduced, primarily to accommodate cycle facilities. The study is due to report late summer 2023.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what work has been carried out to review the safety implications of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, and whether it will confirm when any such work took place.
Answer
Transport Scotland commissioned Living Streets in 2021 to investigate issues of inclusion where bus stop bypasses are introduced, primarily to accommodate cycle facilities. The study has visited sites across the UK, photographing, measuring and recording behaviours of pedestrians and cyclists, and has analysed footage using fixed cameras. The study has also included a literature review, and consultation with a wide range of user groups including disabled people and others who are most affected. The study is due to report late summer 2023.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement work has been undertaken to understand the impact of bus stop bypasses, also known as "floating" bus stops, on pedestrians, particularly (a) people with visual impairments, (b) wheelchair users and (c) older people.
Answer
Consultation was undertaken prior to publishing design guidance on bus stop bypasses in the updated ‘Cycling by Design’ document in 2021, and considered impacts on those walking and wheeling as they interact with cycling infrastructure. The consultation included representation from the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, Guide Dogs Scotland, Royal National Institute of Blind People, Spinal Injuries Scotland, Living Streets, Cycling UK and Cycling Without Age.
To inform the design guidance further, Transport Scotland commissioned Living Streets in 2021 to investigate issues of inclusion where bus stop bypasses have been introduced, primarily to accommodate cycle facilities. The study has visited sites across the UK, photographing, measuring and recording behaviours of pedestrian and cyclists, and has analysed footage using fixed cameras. The study has also included a literature review, and consultation with a wide range of user groups including disabled people and others who are most at risk. The study is due to report late summer 2023.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the development and implementation of training that is based on the NICE 2021 guideline on myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), in light of its commitment to implement the guideline.
Answer
Our Neurological Care and Support Framework 2020-25 sets out our vision to ensure everyone with a neurological condition, including ME/CFS, can access the care and support they need to live well.
Through the Framework we have funded Action for ME and partners to disseminate an online learning module on ME/CFS for GPs and health professionals, authored by Dr Nina Muirhead, which aims to support person-centred care, informed by good practice and current research.
In addition to Scottish Government activities, we understand that NHS Education for Scotland (NES) are currently finalising a Practice Based Small Group Learning (PBSGL) CPD module for GPs, Pharmacist and Nurses working in General Practice/Primary Care.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Elena Whitham on 27 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to third sector organisations dealing with drug addiction in each financial year since 2007-08, also broken down by organisation.
Answer
Information prior to 2017-18 is unavailable as it was deleted in accordance with our standard records management practice, before the date of your request.
Funding at the local level is distributed through alcohol and drug partnerships and many of the projects and organisations we support at the national level also work in both alcohol and drugs, therefore it is not possible to disaggregate funding allocated specifically for drug services rather than drug and alcohol services.
Alcohol and Drug Partnerships commission services from both statutory and third sector providers. Data on how this funding is broken down is not held centrally. Financial accounts are published annually by Health Boards and Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships (ADPs) and accessible via each areas website.
Scottish Government funding for drug and alcohol services is allocated to various organisations these are grouped below as:
- Core Funded Organisations (CFOs)
- Other third sector organisations
- Distributed via the Corra Foundation to third sector and grass roots organisations
Details of how funding was allocated by the Corra Foundation can be found in their published annual grants released from 2017 to 2021 at Publications - Corra
Table 1: funding for drug and alcohol services to third sector organisations. 2017-18 to 2022-23
Financial Year | Allocation £ (million) | Description |
2022-23 | 89.3 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
3.1 | Core Funded Organisations |
5.8 | Third Sector |
| | 13 | Corra Foundation |
2022-23 Total | 111.2 | |
2021-22 | 106.5 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
3.7 | Core Funded Organisations |
3.7 | Third Sector |
16.2 | Corra Foundation |
2021-22 Total | 130.1 | |
2020-21 | 76.6 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
2.2 | Core Funded Organisations |
2.7 | Third Sector |
7.7 | Corra Foundation |
2020-21 Total | 89.2 | |
2019-20 | 72.8 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
1.5 | Core Funded Organisations |
0.5 | Third Sector |
0.9 | Corra Foundation |
2019-20 Total | 75.7 | |
2018-19 | 72.8 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
1.5 | Core Funded Organisations |
0.2 | Third Sector |
2 | Corra Foundation |
2018-19 Total | 76.5 | |
2017-18 | 53.8 | Allocated to Health Boards for ADP commissioning |
1.3 | Core Funded Organisations |
0.06 | Third Sector |
0.05 | Corra Foundation |
2017-18 Total | 55.21 | |
| | 537.91 | |
Information prior to 2017-18 is unavailable as it was deleted in accordance with our standard records management practice, before the date of your request.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many fast-track cancer diagnosis centres it (a) has built to date and (b) plans to build in the future, and whether it will provide as much detail as possible on any proposals it has to build more centres.
Answer
Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services (formerly known as Early Cancer Diagnostic Centre) are established within existing NHS infrastructure.
RCDSs provide primary care with access to a new fast-track diagnostic pathway for patients with non-specific symptoms suspicious of cancer, such as weight loss and fatigue. So far, NHS Ayrshire & Arran, NHS Fife, NHS Dumfries & Galloway and NHS Borders have established a RCDS with NHS Lanarkshire expected to be operational by June 2023.
- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used to determine how much funding should be spent on active travel projects.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
