- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether additional support for people attending mammogram appointments, such as an updated NHS preparation guide for patients and optional aftercare support for those who find the appointment to be distressing, will be included in its new Cancer Strategy.
Answer
The content of the Cancer Strategy is still being developed, however, a Breast Screening Modernisation Programme has been established which will drive forward work around the 17 recommendations that were included in the Major Review of the Breast Screening Programme, published May 2022 – Scottish Breast Screening Programme: major review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
A Breast Screening Modernisation Programme Board has also been established with an independent chair – Dr Marzi Davies. The work of this Board will strengthen the breast screening programme and address inequalities, including additional support and equal access for all.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the locations of all of the accommodation that it has supported local authorities to use to accommodate people through its Super Sponsor Scheme.
Answer
We regularly review our temporary accommodation in order to provide the best support to our Ukrainian guests and do not want people spending any longer than necessary in temporary accommodation. Disclosing this information may result in a significant risk to the health and safety of the individuals staying in these hotels. Therefore, we currently have no plans to disclose this information.
The Scottish Government publish regular Scotland-level data and information on people displaced by the war in Ukraine. The latest data, published, 20 October 2022, can be found on our website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-statistics-october-2022/pages/welcome-accommodation/
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Emergency Budget Review will have on the provision of financial support to homeowners for cladding remediation work.
Answer
There will be no impact to homeowners as the overall budget remains unchanged.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many residents have been accommodated on the MS Victoria for more than (a) two, (b) four, (c) six, (d) eight, (e) 10, (f) 12 and (g) 14 weeks.
Answer
This information is not collected by Scottish Government.
We do collect information for the number of people accommodated on the MS Victoria. This is published in our monthly statistics on our website. The latest publication was on 20 October 2022 and can be found via: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-statistics-october-2022/pages/welcome-accommodation/
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what budget was allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner's office in each of the last five years.
Answer
The budget allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years is set out in the table below.
Year | Approved Budget |
2022/23 | £2,120k |
2021/22 | £2,030k |
2020/21 | £1,903k |
2019/20 | £1,673k |
2018/19 | £1,565k |
2017/18 | £1,573k |
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many staff members have been employed in the Scottish Information Commissioner's office (a) in total and (b) for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals, in each of the last five years.
Answer
The average number of FTE staff employed by the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years broken down into the total number of staff employed and those employed for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals is set out in the table below.
Year | No of staff [FTE] | Staff handling FOI request appeals [FTE](1) |
2022-2023 | 18.4 | 11.6(2) |
2021-2022 | 25.01 | 13.4 |
2020-2021 | 23.6 | 14.2 |
2019-2020 | 22.8 | 14.7 |
2018-2019 | 21.4 | 13.5 |
2017-2018 | 20 | 14 |
(1) The figures include all members of the Commissioner’s Enforcement Team which handle FOI request appeals made to the Commissioner. The Enforcement Team consists of the Head of Enforcement, Deputy Heads of Enforcement, Freedom of Information Officers (Investigators), Validation Officers, and the Enforcement Team Support Assistant.
(2) actual FTE numbers of staff employed as at 15/11/22. The Commissioner is in the process of recruiting 3 Enforcement Team investigators.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many homebuyers have tranched up their equity stakes to date for properties in which it still holds an equity stake, broken down by scheme.
Answer
Providing the information requested prior to April 2017 could only be answered at disproportionate cost. Following a change to the way we record shared equity sales from 2017-18 we are able to provide the information requested.
Since 2017-18 there have been 7 partial tranche-ups where the Scottish Government still hold an investment. This includes 3 properties purchased through the Open Market Shared Equity Scheme, 2 through the Help to Buy scheme and 2 through the New Supply Shared Equity Scheme.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the availability of swimming lessons to young people, in light of reports of waiting lists as long as six years in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
The Scottish Government have been working with Scottish Swimming, Education Scotland, sport scotland and Scottish Water to develop interventions and approaches to provide opportunities for children to become confident, safer and competent swimmers.
Scottish Swimming aim to run a number of Delivery Model Pilots in 2022-23 to support schools to understand and consider different approaches and models of delivery to help educate and provide opportunities for children across Scotland to experience the water in a fun, safe and inclusive approach. This reflects the many different scenarios faced by schools when deciding how best to support young people to access school swimming.
In terms of the issues reported in Dumfries and Galloway, we understand that the waiting list expanded significantly due to the reduced capacity available to deliver lessons whilst they operated from the temporary swimming pool at Dumfries Ice Bowl. This was then further exaggerated by COVID closures. The local authority are looking at their swimming pool timetables with a view to securing lessons for as many children as possible within their existing resources and available teaching complement.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Enterprise has undertaken an equalities impact assessment to inform its reported proposal to close all its office locations except those in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen.
Answer
Any proposals around its future operational estate are a matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have therefore asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to respond to you directly. However, I do understand that the current consultation on office requirements - which includes consideration of co-location with other public sector bodies and industry partners, to enhance collaborative working – will include completion of an Equality Impact Assessment as a key component.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 18 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10678 by Shona Robison on 22 September 2022, whether the meeting with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities colleagues has now taken place, and what further funding has been secured to assess and remediate buildings in Scotland affected by combustible cladding.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have fortnightly meetings with counterparts in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. We have committed all the consequentials so far, £400 million, to the programme of work.