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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: S5W-09250

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 23 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much EU funding has been awarded in Scotland to support food processing and manufacturing in each year since 2009, broken down by type of funding.

Food Processing Marketing and Co-operation (FPMC) awards 2009-2016 in calendar years

Total awards made:

	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m	£m
Total Capital Projects Awarded	6.050	4.658	4.614	8.532	10.820	-	8.771	10.651
Total Co-operation/Non-Capital Projects Awarded	0.453	0.251	0.468	0.884	-	-	-	-
EU Co-financing rate	31.5%	50%	50%	67.4%	67.4%		36.3%	36.3%
EU funds awarded	2.048m	2.4545m	2,541m	6.456m	7.29m	-	3.18m	3.866m

Question reference: S5O-00995

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a response from the UK Government to its request to halt the roll-out of universal credit in Scotland following reports that the new system is pushing more people into hardship and debt.

Question reference: S5O-00962

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to cancer treatment.

We launched our cancer strategy ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ in March 2016. This strategy, supported by £100 million of investment, will support improvements in the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and aftercare for people with all types of cancer.

The strategy sets out our plans to ensure equity of access to sustainable, high quality, timely treatment across Scotland to improve outcomes. This includes investment of:

£39 million in radiotherapy equipment;
up to £2.5m to support the delivery of the Cancer Plan for Children and Young People in Scotland 2016–2019, developed by the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer; and
£7.5 million over the next 5 years to support improvements in surgical treatments

We are also working to improve access to medicines. In December we announced that we will be taking forward the recommendations from the Montgomery review. We have undertaken extensive work in collaboration with partners and stakeholders to begin implementing these recommendations.

Question reference: S5W-08964

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of damage to the Loch Carron flame shell reef by a scallop dredger, and what protections are in place for marine habitats.

An investigation of the status of the Loch Carron flame shell bed is taking place. This includes collating all existing evidence for a desk based study, camera survey work by Marine Scotland Science, and dive survey work by Scottish Natural Heritage.

There is a broad range of protection in place for marine habitats. The Scottish MPA network covers around 20% of our seas and provides representation of habitats found in our seas. The MPA network has five sites for flame shell beds, all of which have fisheries restrictions in place. The underpinning legislation for the different components of the MPA ensures that decisions made by public authorities, including regulation and consent of activities, do not adversely affect any protected area.

Further details can be found on the Scottish Government website at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/marine-environment/mpanetwork

In addition to this there are also 81 Priority Marine Features, which include flame shell beds. These are given protection by general policy 9 of the National Marine Plan. This policy is designed to ensure that development and use of the marine environment does not significantly impact on the national status of a Priority Marine Feature. In addition Priority Marine Features are given consideration through environmental impact assessments that support the determination of applications for marine licences.

Question reference: S5W-08657

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the environmental impact of military training exercises in Scottish waters on the welfare of whales and dolphins.

The Scottish Government has had no discussions with MoD regarding the possible environmental impacts of military training exercises. MoD have shared their most recent Joint Warrior 171 environmental impact assessment with us which was the subject of consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). This is also published during the exercise.

As a competent authority MoD have responsibility for undertaking appropriate environmental impact assessments, including possible impacts on whales and dolphins, under EU Directives.

All matters relating to the defence of the United Kingdom remain the direct responsibility of the UK Government. Naval exercises are therefore a reserved matter which falls within the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Question reference: S5F-01158

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2017

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on her visit to the United States.

Question reference: S5W-08183

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to improve recruitment and retention in general practice.

The Scottish Government is committed to reinvigorating the core strengths and principles of general practice.

On 10 March , the Scottish Government announced that in 2017-2018 £71.6 million will be invested in direct support of general practice, helping transform the way services are delivered in the community.

The GP Recruitment and Retention Fund will increase five-fold - from £1 million to
£5 million in 2017-18. This investment will enable us to expand and continue to explore with key stakeholders the issues surrounding GP recruitment and retention across Scotland, and which we know can be particularly challenging in remote and rural areas.

This fund is already supporting a range of initiatives including the establishment of a Scottish Rural Medicine Collaborative involving ten NHS boards, bringing together their recruitment strategies and support networks for GPs working in remote and rural areas.

Question reference: S5O-00797

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that every tenant in homeless accommodation in the Highlands is in rent arrears following the roll-out of universal credit by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Question reference: S5W-08010

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 March 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the latest position is regarding the pay supplement for seafaring staff who work for Marine Scotland.

Marine Scotland management has decided to continue to pay the supplement in good faith, and given continuing concerns for recruitment and retention in some areas, at its current level of £2000 per annum until October 2017. This is to allow time for a comparative pay analysis to be completed and for the recognised trade unions to submit any additional information which may support retention of the pay supplement in the longer term. October is the point that the authorisation to pay the supplement will be re-considered by the Scottish Government Pay Supplement Panel in line with their Pay Supplement policy.

Question reference: S5O-00727

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received an update from the Department for Work and Pensions regarding progress of the roll-out of universal credit in the Highlands.

The Scottish Government does not receive updates from DWP on Universal Credit roll out in individual areas. DWP do publish statistics monthly on Universal Credit volumes across the country and Scottish Government and DWP officials are in regular contact about issues arising from roll out in the Highlands and elsewhere in Scotland. We have concerns about the implementation and many aspects of Universal Credit which is why we will use what powers we have to tailor delivery of UC to better suit our needs in Scotland.