- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 22 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of first-time registrations with the Registers of Scotland have been undertaken within the six-month target in each year since 2012.
Answer
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12-13
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13-14
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14-15
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15-16
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16-17
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17-18
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|
FR Despatch Volume
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27,860
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26,092
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26,776
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29,655
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27,948
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15,762
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% Despatched within 20 Days
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7%
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32%
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42%
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19%
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54%
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60%
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% Despatched between 20 days & 6 Months
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56%
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56%
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42%
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56%
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15%
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27%
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% Despatched over 6 Months
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37%
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13%
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15%
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26%
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31%
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13%
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Registers of Scotland aim to complete all first registrations within the six month standard, however this is not always possible due to the complex information that is needed to be created when creating a new title. Registers of Scotland has been working over the last few years to improve its speed of service and this is reflected in the increased proportion of applications being completed within 20 days. Registers of Scotland’s new digital services that will be introduced over the next two years will further reduce the time taken to complete first registrations.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 22 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its response it to reports that some documents that have been downloaded through RegistersDirect contain inaccuracies regarding the information that is held by the Registers of Scotland, and whether it plans to improve the IT system to rectify this.
Answer
Registers Direct has successfully provided access to information on the public registers maintained by Registers of Scotland since 1999, dealing with 1.4m chargeable searches each year. The Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012 sets out the action the Keeper must take when satisfied there is a manifest inaccuracy in the land register.
In October 2017, the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland launched ScotLIS (Scotland’s Land Information Service), a new web-based service designed in collaboration with customers that will not only replace Registers Direct but also provides, for the first time, direct citizen access to information from the property registers. ScotLIS has received very positive feedback from both citizens and professional users on ease of use and the better display of information as compared with Registers Direct.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 22 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the fall in the value of the pound has had on the amount that NHS Scotland spends on importing drugs.
Answer
The pharmaceutical industry operates in a global market in which the purchase of drugs is traded in dollars and euros. Currency fluctuations have always been part of the normal course of business for both NHSScotland and suppliers.
I have previously highlighted my concerns that some medicines manufacturers will be less attracted to the UK as a market following Brexit in terms of additional costs related to tariffs and other barriers to direct trade. As a consequence, there could be a negative impact for patients, and the UK Government should seriously consider these very real concerns.
We have received representations in relation to primary care prescribing from community pharmacy contractors that the fall in the value of sterling is a factor in increased procurement costs for some generic medicines. However, the Scottish Government regularly monitors the cost of drugs in primary care and manages reimbursement costs through the Scottish Drug Tariff, minimising the impact of price fluctuations.
In relation to prescribing in hospitals, there have been no significant issues to date but we will continue to monitor in line with our normal practices. Our aim is always to ensure that we get the best value for money for taxpayers.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on increasing the number of clinical nurse specialists in the NHS.
Answer
Clinical nurse specialists make a valued contribution to delivering services and supporting patients and families who require specialist care. The Scottish Government has invested £2.5 million annually in the Specialist Nursing and Care Fund since 2015. NHS Boards across Scotland have benefited from the investment and have used the funding to enhance specialist nursing and care in ways that reflect local needs. At May 2017, reports from NHS Boards show that specialist nursing capacity had been enhanced through the additional investment by 31.35 whole time equivalents (WTE) and these roles are supporting and caring for patients and families affected by a wide range of conditions, across the life spectrum and across hospital and community settings.
In addition, and as part of this wider effort, the Scottish Government has fulfilled its pledge to double the number of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) clinical nurse specialists and ensure that they are paid from public funds.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 21 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with developing a specialist facility for children with learning difficulties and autism, and by what date this will be opened.
Answer
On 10 November, we were pleased to publish a comprehensive Inpatient Needs Assessment Report which sets out the need for a specialist inpatient service for those with learning disability and/or autism and mental health conditions:
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/11/2477
We are happy to accept, in principle, the report’s main recommendation that a national LD CAMHS inpatient unit for Scotland should be established, subject to initial feasibility and planning processes. This is a significant step forward in ensuring that children and young people with learning disabilities are able to access appropriate highly specialist inpatient support in Scotland
We will now work closely with NHS National Services Scotland on developing the proposal further.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 21 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide secure inpatient psychiatric care for (a) children and (b) children with autism.
Answer
On point (a) -
Plans are underway to build a secure adolescent inpatient unit in Scotland. This will benefit the small number of young people who require this specialist level of care and who cannot be treated in the community.
We recognise that there are a small number of young people who require specialist secure care, and we are persuaded that there is a need to build an inpatient facility for the whole of Scotland. This is being taken forward by NHS Ayrshire and Arran.
On point (b) -
I refer the member to the answer to S5W-12754 on 21 November 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 17 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how much public funding it gave to (a) Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) and (b) its precursor organisation, Support After Termination for Abnormality, in each of the last 10 years, and for what purpose funding was given.
Answer
Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC) Awards from the Scottish Government in the last 10 years
2007-2008
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£5,000
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2008-2009
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0
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2009-2010
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0
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2010-2011
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0
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2011-2012
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0
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2012-2013
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0
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2013-2014
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£18,000
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2014-2015
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£11,000
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2015-2016
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£7,000
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2016-2017
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0
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The funding provided to ARC by the Scottish Government in this period was through the Section 16b grants scheme and was to assist ARC in their aims, including their specialised support services.
The organisation ceased to be named Support After Termination for Abnormality in 1993.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) 3- and (b) 4-year-olds there are, also broken down by the number in each local authority area.
Answer
The latest figures show that there were (a) 58,232 3 year olds and (b) 59,741 4 year olds in Scotland as at 30 June 2016. Table 1 shows the number in each local authority.
Table 1; Number of 3 and 4 year olds by council area, Scotland, Mid-2016.
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Age 3
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Age 4
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Scotland
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58,232
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59,741
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Council areas
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Aberdeen City
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2,386
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2,425
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Aberdeenshire
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3,001
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3,095
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Angus
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1,202
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1,200
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Argyll and Bute
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762
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846
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City of Edinburgh
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5,334
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5,259
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Clackmannanshire
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607
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621
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Dumfries and Galloway
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1,402
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1,422
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Dundee City
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1,637
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1,724
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East Ayrshire
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1,346
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1,462
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East Dunbartonshire
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1,139
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1,107
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East Lothian
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1,136
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1,261
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East Renfrewshire
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1,140
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1,198
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Falkirk
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1,737
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1,896
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Fife
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4,042
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4,121
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Glasgow City
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6,891
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6,991
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Highland
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2,363
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2,472
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Inverclyde
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790
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789
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Midlothian
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1,103
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1,174
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Moray
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1,008
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959
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Na h-Eileanan Siar
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253
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266
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North Ayrshire
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1,326
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1,476
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North Lanarkshire
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3,855
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3,958
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Orkney Islands
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207
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219
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Perth and Kinross
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1,469
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1,515
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Renfrewshire
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1,948
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1,957
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Scottish Borders
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1,231
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1,211
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Shetland Islands
|
288
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265
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South Ayrshire
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1,051
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1,071
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South Lanarkshire
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3,478
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3,569
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Stirling
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890
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957
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West Dunbartonshire
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1,036
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1,048
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West Lothian
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2,174
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2,207
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Source; Mid-year population estimates 2016
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of concerns regarding children's health, what its position is on a ban being introduced on junk food marketing on television prior to 9pm, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding this.
Answer
Our consultation paper 'A Healthier Future - Action and Ambitions on Diet, Activity and Healthy Weight' published on 26 Ocotber makes clear that we strongly support this.
Following on from the publication the UK Government ‘ Childhood Obesity: A Plan for Action’ in summer 2016, I wrote on 19 August to the UK Government on this matter, but they made no commitment to reconsider their earlier decision
I have, therefore, written again seeking a discussion and offering our collaboration in going forward. The recent remarks from the Secretary of State for Health Jeremy Hunt MP informing the House of Commons Health Select Committee that the prohibition of advertising of unhealthy foods before 9 p.m. is now under active consideration is welcome. However, as broadcast advertising is currently reserved, I am urging the UK Government to prioritise such action which would have significant benefits for Scotland and the rest of the UK. Alternatively, I am requesting that these powers are devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 14 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10808 by Keith Brown on 25 August 2017, whether the Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy still expects to report by the end of 2017 and, if not, what the reason is for the delay, and by what date the report will be published.
Answer
The Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy will have their final meeting on 30 November at which they will consider their conclusions and recommendations. The panel will report to Scottish Ministers by the end of 2017 and the report is due to be published in early 2018.