- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether any additional financial support will be provided for families with children to counteract any increased cost of infant formula.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13273 on 12 January 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: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that families can afford to feed their babies throughout the cost of living crisis, in light of the 2022 report by the charity, Feed, which refers to some parents watering down infant formula.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13273 on 12 January 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: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 16 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on food banks providing infant formula, and whether it plans to provide clarity to (a) food and (b) baby banks on the best practice for providing formula, in light of reports that many are reluctant to distribute formula due to UNICEF guidelines.
Answer
Anyone supporting a family in desperate need should refer them to their local authority or a health professional such as a health visitor or midwife in order to make sure they are getting the holistic support they need, including financial advice and a referral to cash-first crisis supports such as the Scottish Welfare Fund.
Prioritising cash-first in response to food insecurity is in line with a human rights approach and consistent with UNICEF guidance. Following on from last year’s consultation, we are publishing our plan on ending in the need for food banks later this winter – this restates our commitment to this ambition and to continuing to work urgently with partners to strengthen cash-first support available.
The UNICEF guidance does not prevent the purchase and distribution of milk where there is no immediate alternative. UNICEF note that in certain circumstances food banks can make use of crisis funding to support families to purchase the right supply, but they discourage the redistribution of donated milk as this is not a secure, sustainable or appropriate route for ongoing supply.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to legislate to end unlimited recovery of hydrocarbons.
Answer
Oil and gas exploration and production, including licensing, remains reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government is clear that unlimited extraction of fossil fuels is not consistent with our climate obligations and is not the right solution to the real cost of living crisis families are facing. To reduce energy costs we need to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. This means investing more in renewable energy and energy efficiency.
We are also supporting the fastest possible just transition for the energy sector and the oil and gas workforce, the communities in which they live and work, and the regional economies that have greatly benefited from oil and gas activities and have much to gain from the transition to net zero.
Our draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan was published for consultation on 10 January 2023.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 12 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported warning by the charity, Feed, that babies are at risk of malnutrition and being underfed as families in poverty are struggling to afford formula milk, or access it at foodbanks due to policies that restrict redistribution.
Answer
We are deeply concerned about these reports. The only nutrition suitable for babies under 6 months is breastmilk or first stage formula milk.
Parents should be advised to speak to a health professional for further advice and support for breastfeeding or safe formula feeding, and can be directed to their local authority for crisis funding in an emergency. Food banks are not a safe, secure or sustainable route to accessing infant formula milk.
We continue to work with partners to ensure that our financial supports, such as Best Start Foods, Best Start Grants and the Scottish Child Payment, are maximising the support available for families to live dignified lives and meet their basic needs. It is crucial that families follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to make up baby’s formula feeds safely. We have adapted existing information for safe formula feeding on our Formula feeding | Parent Club website and are promoting this through our social media channels.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 11 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns that the NHS Scotland Agenda for Change pay offer will significantly and disproportionately disadvantage clinical psychologists, resulting in a real terms pay cut of approximately 6-9%, depending on their banding, and whether it will consider extending the minimum 5% pay increase to any such clinical psychology staff who are disproportionately disadvantaged by the pay offer.
Answer
The Scottish Government values all NHS Scotland staff, at every level and in every profession. The latest pay offer we have made is significantly more generous than the 2022-23 pay settlements which have been put in place in the rest of the UK and was negotiated through a partnership process with the input of all recognised Agenda for Change Staff Side organisations. Depending on the grade, under this pay deal Clinical Psychologists will earn anywhere between £53,513 and £112,673 per annum.
The Scottish Government is proud that our Agenda for Change staff are the highest paid in the UK. This applies to both starting salary and people at the top of their Band. It may be helpful to contrast the latest pay offer in Scotland against the settlements which have already been implemented in England and Wales for Band 8 and 9 staff. This information is set out in the following table.
Band | Point | Scottish AfC Pay Offer 2022-23 | English and Welsh AfC Pay Settlement 2022-23 | Scottish Premium |
Band 8A | 1 | £53,513 | £48,526 | £4,987 |
2 | £57,767 | £54,619 | £3,148 |
Band 8B | 1 | £63,530 | £56,164 | £7,366 |
2 | £68,223 | £65,262 | £2,961 |
Band 8C | 1 | £75,711 | £67,064 | £8,647 |
2 | £81,426 | £77,274 | £4,152 |
Band 8D | 1 | £90,590 | £79,592 | £10,998 |
2 | £94,629 | £91,787 | £2,842 |
Band 9 | 1 | £107,840 | £95,135 | £12,705 |
2 | £112,673 | £109,475 | £3,198 |
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 11 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns by the General Secretary of School Leaders Scotland that budget reductions will lead to (a) a reduction in the range of school subjects available and (b) an increase in class sizes.
Answer
This Government has delivered the highest school spending, and has more teachers per pupil, than any other UK nation. Our pupil teacher ratio is just 13.2 – its lowest level since 2009 - compared to 18 in England and 18.5 in Wales.
In our Budget we have sought to protect Councils by providing over £13.2 billion in the Local Government Settlement for 2023-24. This funding package represents a real terms increase compared with 2022-23 and enables the continued delivery of high quality education for our children. As part of this, we will continue to provide local authorities with specific funding of £145.5 million per year to support the school workforce.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations regarding tackling mould outbreaks in their homes ahead of winter.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12852 on 10 January 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: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) local authorities and (b) housing associations about ensuring their homes are mould-free, and that any concerns or complaints regarding mould outbreaks are taken seriously.
Answer
Social Landlords are required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS), which is monitored by The Scottish Housing Regulator(SHR). SHR wrote to all Social Landlords on 1 December 2022 on the importance of having appropriate, proactive systems to identify and deal with any reported cases of mould and damp timeously and effectively. The Regulator will also be working with the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers (ALACHO) to identify and promote good practice in the management of mould and dampness. Scottish Government officials will keep in close touch with the progress of this work.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 10 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many people it expects will receive the £50 Winter Heating Payment.
Answer
We expect around 400,000 people to receive our Winter Heating Payment each year, more than double the 185,000 people who on average have received Cold Weather Payments over the last 7 years.