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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.

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Question reference: S6W-08896

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to The Promise Oversight Board's conclusion in its first report, published in May 2022, that “current systems and structures do not make it possible to effectively monitor progress” towards the commitment to keep The Promise by 2030.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Promise Scotland’s Oversight Board report and the continued focus and momentum across all stakeholders to Keep The Promise.

The Scottish Government remains committed to Keeping The Promise by 2030, working in partnership with Local Authorities, The Promise Scotland, third sector, health boards and importantly the care community.

The Scottish Government Keeping The Promise Implementation Plan published on 30 March 2022 sets out a wide range of actions over a range of areas including education, health, justice and child poverty and how we will continue to work with The Promise Scotland, COSLA, Local Authorities. This includes actions on data gathering and monitoring.

The setting up of the Promise Collective as a strategic forum to ensure alignment of all Scottish Government funded delivery and improvement initiatives that are working to Keep The Promise. The group will be co-Chaired with COSLA, Scottish Government and The Promise Scotland.

The Scottish Government has committed £500m over the course of this Parliamentary term, beginning with £50m in 2022-23, to preventative spend through the Whole Family Wellbeing Funding. We will evaluate the impact of this funding on supporting transformational change and this will inform future policy, planning and development.

Working with The Promise Scotland to build an evidence base to understand the best governance, financial arrangements and models of care to assess how we can best Keep The Promise. This will explore the options for the future of children’s services from an evidence based position and enable us to assess the best way to Keep The Promise.

We are developing an Outcomes Framework for Children, Young People and Families which will provide a holistic understanding of what we mean by wellbeing, based on what children and families have told us matters, and rooted in GIRFEC and children’s rights.

Question reference: S6W-08898

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has analysed the labour market implications of thyroid dysfunction, including in relation to the gender pay gap.

The Scottish Government acknowledges the recent research publication Thyroid Dysfunction – Can it Help Explain the Gender Wage Gap? and notes the implications that hypothyroidism can have on women’s labour market opportunities. We are committed to ensuring that people living with hypothyroidism are able to access the best possible support and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care. Information on symptoms and treatments are available at NHS Inform .

We are currently working with stakeholders to inform a refresh of our Gender Pay Gap Action Plan alongside and aligned with our Fair Work Action Plan and Disabled People’s Employment Gap Action Plan, to ensure that we take appropriate focussed and intersectional actions to tackle the Gender Pay Gap.

Question reference: S6O-01264

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its Resource Spending Review publication, Investing in Scotland’s Future, will ensure that children and young people’s rights to food, education and fun will be met.

Question reference: S6W-08900

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 15 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allocate any funding specifically for alcohol services, in addition to that allocated to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for drugs services.

We are currently working in partnership with Simon Community Scotland to pilot and evaluate an innovative Managed Alcohol Programme for people who experience homelessness.

Funding allocated to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs) is for both alcohol and drug treatment services. In 2021-22 ADPs and Health Boards received over £106m for alcohol and drug services.

This funding is used to ensure that services meet the needs of people who experience alcohol as well as drugs harms, including preventative approaches.

Question reference: S6W-08646

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what support can be offered to young people in South Lanarkshire in applying for the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme, in light of reports that the area has the lowest uptake rate in Scotland.

The level of uptake in South Lanarkshire as of 7 June 2022 was 23%, this is an increase of 8% since 13 May 2022, however I recognise South Lanarkshire are not yet at the level of other Local Authorities in terms of application rates. Following my meeting with COSLA last week I will be writing to all new administrations in our local authority areas, including South Lanarkshire. Meantime I have asked my officials in Transport Scotland to contact the new administration in South Lanarkshire in relation to their work to support the implementation of the under 22s free bus travel scheme.

Question reference: S6W-08899

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the National Records of Scotland report stating that alcohol-specific deaths increased by 17% in 2020, what (a) short-, (b) medium- and (c) long-term actions have been taken to reduce harm and prevent further deaths.

The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Framework sets out our priorities for preventing alcohol-related harm. It contains 20 actions building on existing measures to change Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, including our world-leading minimum unit pricing policy.

We take a whole population approach to tackling alcohol-related harms, in line with the World Health Organization’s focus on affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol.

Key actions in the framework include:

? Consulting on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion in Scotland this year

? reviewing the level of minimum unit pricing

? progressing a review of Alcohol Brief Interventions

? working with the UK Government on the forthcoming Alcohol Treatment Guidance

We are also exploring the evidence around Managed Alcohol Programmes and are delighted to be able to contribute to the running of the innovative model being piloted in Glasgow by Simon Community Scotland and its evaluation.

Question reference: S6W-08897

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to increase the number of people that receive treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism following diagnosis.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that people living with hypothyroidism are able to access the best possible support and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

We expect clinicians to adhere to current guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment options from authoritative sources such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the British Thyroid Association (BTA).

Question reference: S6W-08719

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include information in Scotland's Baby Box to raise awareness of local authority reusable nappy schemes and community nappy libraries.

Scotland’s Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life. From the outset we have ensured that the only written information contained within the Baby Box is tailored to its specific aims and contents.

There are currently 7 leaflets contained within Scotland’s Baby Boxes including advice and information on safe sleeping, breastfeeding, postnatal depression and Social Security child payment.

The Nappy Voucher contained within the Baby Box signposts to the Scottish Government’s ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies.

Question reference: S6W-08720

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has evaluated the uptake of the reusable nappy voucher in Scotland's Baby Box, and how many people it estimates have gone on to use reusable nappies after redeeming the voucher.

Question reference: S6W-08718

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost to (a) individuals and (b) the economy of using single-use nappies compared with reusable nappies.