- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will allocate to the HIV transmission elimination implementation group.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to reaching its target of eliminating HIV Transmissions in Scotland by 2030.
On 1 December 2022 the Public Health Minister announced the establishment of the HIV Transmission Elimination Implementation Group for Scotland. The groups primary focus will be on prioritising the recommendations within the HIV transmission elimination proposal, having particular regard to their impact, deliverability and resource implications.
In her statement on the 1 st of December the Minister announced significant funding of £400,000 to support two pilots, the development of an E-PrEP clinic and a national media campaign. Both pilots support the findings within the HIV Elimination Proposal.
Officials will continue to liaise closely with the chairs of the implementation group as this process unfolds to understand any implications for central funding.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to fund a National HIV Testing Week for Scotland, as is in place in England and Wales.
Answer
On 1 December 2022 the Public Health Minister announced the establishment of the HIV Transmission Elimination Implementation Group for Scotland. The groups primary focus will be on prioritising the recommendations within the HIV transmission elimination proposal, having particular regard to their impact, deliverability and resource implications. Of the twenty two recommendations outlined within the proposal, seven focus on testing. We will therefore await the outcome of the HIV Implementation Group’s deliberations on where efforts should be focused before making any new commitments.
However, while we await the outcomes of this work, we are providing funding for a national marketing campaign to tackle longstanding misconceptions around HIV. Our third sector partners, in collaboration with public health and academic experts, are currently developing plans for this campaign, but it is likely that increased awareness of testing will play a part.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) individual or (b) public body the HIV transmission elimination implementation group will be answerable to.
Answer
The HIV Transmission Elimination Implementation Group will be responsible for assessing and prioritising the recommendations contained within the HIV Transmission Elimination Proposal.
The group is currently being formed and will be co-chaired by Professor Nicola Steedman, the Scottish Government’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Dr Dan Clutterbuck, Lead Clinician for Sexual and Reproductive Health, Lothian Sexual and Reproductive Health Services and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Edinburgh.
The formal governance and reporting structures are still to be agreed upon and will form part of the discussion at the first meeting, which is scheduled for the end of March.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) energy companies and (b) their representatives on issues regarding the force-fitting of prepayment meters.
Answer
While policy on energy markets is a matter reserved to the UK Government and the responsibility for supplier guidance sits with Ofgem, the Scottish Government opposes the forced installation of prepayment meters, which increases the risk of self- rationing and self-disconnection. The additional costs associated with prepayment meters also lead to increased debt.
We are engaging with Ofgem regarding its request to suppliers to immediately halt forced installations and remote switching to prepayment meters until 31 March 2023, as well as its consultation on the rules and guidance on the use of prepayment meters by suppliers. We will use this engagement to ensure that the rights and interests of Scottish consumers are fully considered.
Last year, the First Minister chaired two energy summits which were attended by energy suppliers. We continue to build upon the progress made at these summits, and are looking to suppliers for assurance that they are exploring all possible options to support struggling customers, especially those living in vulnerable circumstances.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to protect people who might be vulnerable to the force-fitting of prepayment meters by energy companies.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14639 on 7 March 2023. 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
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14330 by Lorna Slater on 8 February 2023, when it anticipates that Zero Waste Scotland's urgent review of the environmental impacts and management of single-use vapes will report.
Answer
We expect Zero Waste Scotland to submit the review report in May, and we will then consider its findings.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by George Adam on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on proposing parliamentary business on days when strike action is being taken by workers in the Scottish Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Cabinet determines the proposed programme of Government business with due regard to current circumstances, including any decisions taken by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body regarding the operation of the Parliament. It is for the Parliamentary Bureau and, ultimately, the Parliament as a whole to agree the terms of the business programme.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Priority Action to 2030 in its draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045, to continue effective species recovery, reintroduction and reinforcement programmes, adequately reflects the goals and targets for species recovery in the outputs from the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and whether it will increase the ambition and priority given to targeted species recovery programmes in its draft strategy.
Answer
The Priority Action in the draft Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, ‘Continue effective species recovery, reintroduction and reinforcement programmes’, is one of several actions that supports the recovery and protection of vulnerable species in Scotland, and will help us to meet Goal A and Target 4 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
We are committed to continue protecting vulnerable species, and are determined to step up our ambition in taking action to support nature-friendly farming, fishing and forestry, and to expand, restore and connect existing protected areas, to ensure high quality landscapes for all species across Scotland to thrive, and adapt to our changing climate.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the compatibility of the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme and the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answer
The Scottish Government has been following the agreed process for excluding the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) regulations from the Internal Market Act and it has been the subject of discussion with UK Government for many months.
Our original proposal back in 2021 was for an exclusion for both single use plastics and DRS to avoid duplication of effort. This was rejected by UK ministers, resulting in a narrow exclusion for single-use plastics only, and the ongoing process since October 2022 to secure a specific DRS exclusion.
On 28 February 2022 we published correspondence between the Scottish Government and UK Government on this and the First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister to seek the UK Government’s continuing constructive support in finalising the terms of an exclusion where it was needed. You can access the correspondence here: Internal Market Act: correspondence - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can commit to setting a (a) start date and (b) timetable for its national conversation on rail services, as announced by the Minister for Transport in the Scottish Parliament on 9 February 2022.
Answer
The National Rail Conversation will be formally launched in April to mark the one year anniversary of ScotRail coming in to public ownership. Through the National Rail Conversation, we will listen to feedback from passengers, staff and stakeholders to shape a vision for ScotRail which best meets the needs of the people of Scotland. I will announce the timetable for the conversation at the launch.