Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-34700

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 29 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32106 by Fergus Ewing on 26 October 2020, whether the public agencies group reported back in November 2020 and, if so, what actions are being taken by the cabinet secretary regarding (a) camping, (b) pressure on rural communities and (c) the environment, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.

The group has made positive progress. A Visitor Management Strategy for the 2021 season has been agreed and focuses on 3 areas: Education and Marketing, Investment and Infrastructure, and Prevention, Regulation & Reassurance.

An announcement will be made ahead of the 2021 season outlining steps taken.

It should be noted though that although some progress has been made by the Scottish Government and its partners, this will not resolve all the issues. This will require an ongoing partnership approach from relevant authorities and communities. Littering, roadside dumping and antisocial behaviour should continue to be tackled through enforcement. The ultimate responsibility for adequate service provision also remains the responsibility of local and national park authorities.

The group has made positive progress. A Visitor Management Strategy for the 2021 season has been agreed and focuses on 3 areas: Education and Marketing, Investment and Infrastructure, and Prevention, Regulation & Reassurance.

An announcement will be made ahead of the 2021 season outlining steps taken.

It should be noted though that although some progress has been made by the Scottish Government and its partners, this will not resolve all the issues. This will require an ongoing partnership approach from relevant authorities and communities. Littering, roadside dumping and antisocial behaviour should continue to be tackled through enforcement. The ultimate responsibility for adequate service provision also remains the responsibility of local and national park authorities.

Question reference: S5O-04983

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met The Highland Council and what was discussed.

Question reference: S5W-34229

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what instructions it has given to hospitals in the Highlands and Islands with regard to undertaking (a) routine and (b) priority operations.

In view of the emergence of the new and more virulent variant of the virus and increasing pressures on NHS services as we move through the busy winter period, we have advised Health Boards that they can pause, where necessary, non-urgent elective and routine activity during January and February to help free up capacity to manage these pressures. It has also been made clear to Health Boards that they must maintain urgent elective and vital cancer services including national cancer screening programmes.

However, the expectation remains that Health Boards should continue to provide planned services where these can be delivered safely and effectively, on the basis that these are in compliance with the Framework for Clinical Prioritisation of Elective Care which was published on 16 November 2020.

It is remains of the utmost importance that all Health Boards are fully prepared to respond to Covid cases and that emergency, urgent, maternity and vital cancer services are protected and prioritised.

Question reference: S5F-04740

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 January 2021

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that there is adequate protection for victims of domestic abuse.

Question reference: S5F-04716

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2021

To ask the First Minister what analysis the Scottish Government has undertaken regarding whether the level of police enforcement of emergency COVID-19 regulations is appropriate and the impact this is having on compliance with the restrictions.

Question reference: S5O-04909

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will allocate to support businesses experiencing difficulties due to COVID-19 that do not qualify for current schemes, or for which the assistance is inadequate to meet their needs.

Question reference: S5W-33914

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the number of mobile telephone calls that have been made by prisoners to (a) Samaritans, (b) Breathing Space and (c) other mental health helplines in each month since April 2020, broken down by prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

The following table provides information on the number of calls made to the Samaritans by establishment, from the date on which the mobile phones were introduced. At the moment, the Samaritans is the only mental health helpline number available on the mobile phones.

We also do not hold any information in relation to calls made from HMP Kilmarnock as they introduced their own in cell telephony service rather than mobile phones, however individuals in HMP Kilmarnock can access the Samaritans from their phones.

Establishment	Implementation	Calls to Samaritans (up to 18 Nov 2020)
Addiewell	29-07-20	177
Barlinnie	21-07-20	1363
Castle Huntly	22-06-20	12
Cornton Vale	15-06-20	77
Dumfries	25-06-20	60
Edinburgh	16-07-20	1216
Glenochil	30-06-20	307
Grampian	14-07-20	281
Greenock	06-07-20	116
Inverness	29-06-20	41
Low Moss	27-02-20	356
Perth	09-07-20	297
Polmont	17-06-20	737
Shotts	07-09-20	244
Total		5284

Question reference: S5W-33915

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many virtual prison visits there have been each month since January 2020, broken down by prison.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond.

The following table provides information on the number of virtual visits that have taken place in each establishment since implementation. The legislation to allow SPS to legally facilitate the new virtual visit model was laid before Parliament on 15 June 2020. Virtual Visits were available in every establishment across Scotland by 29 June 2020.

Establishment	Number of Virtual Visits taken place ( position at end November 2020)
Addiewell	1691
Barlinnie	2185
Castle Huntly	949
Cornton Vale	308
Dumfries	247
Edinburgh	2919
Glenochil	2406
Grampian	838
Greenock	218
Inverness	177
Kilmarnock	994
Low Moss	877
Perth	1336
Polmont	1465
Shotts	1091
Total	17701

Question reference: S5W-33934

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there has been a delay with the statutory consultation on the merger of Shetland College with Train Shetland and the North Atlantic Fisheries College Marine Centre; by what date the consultation will begin, and how long it will last.

There are no statutory consultation requirements on the Scottish Ministers at this stage in the process. The consultation duties on Scottish Ministers under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 1992 only apply to incorporated colleges. Shetland College is not currently an incorporated college, so the duties would not be triggered unless it decided to become one. Similarly, if the merged Shetland College wants to be assigned to the University of the Highlands and Islands, then under the Further and Higher Education (Scotland) Act 2005 Scottish Ministers would need to consult on the assignation. This would also require secondary legislation, which would be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament. The formal business case for the merger has not yet been submitted to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5O-04893

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the calls for young people living on Scotland's islands to be given first refusal for available housing in order to tackle depopulation.

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