- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma among adults with cirrhosis.
Answer
We expect clinicians to adhere to current guidelines from authoritative sources such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). The NICE quality statement on surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma, published in 2017, states that adults with cirrhosis should be offered six monthly surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma. The European Association for the Study of the Liver published updated recommendations in the Journal of Hepatology in 2020.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to follow the same model on VAT with the National Care Service that was used during the centralisation of Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Answer
After competitive tender, a contract was awarded to Anderson Anderson & Brown LLP to obtain expert independent advice on the implications of VAT on the NCS and associated Care Boards. No decisions have been made at this point and a full understanding of the impact of all options will be considered.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that four companies are
currently providing services to assess cladded buildings in Scotland, and that
it could take these companies, focusing on this programme exclusively, a
minimum of two years to assess all high rise buildings.
Answer
We are currently working with six fire engineering companies in the pilot phase of the single building assessment. We are engaging with professional bodies in order to expand the number of assessors and firms involved in this work.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support women affected by the deliberate non-payment of child maintenance payments by non-resident parents, particularly in light of the rising cost of living.
Answer
The UK Government’s Child Maintenance Service (CMS) is reserved. Only the CMS has the power to take action to enforce payment of sums due under a maintenance assessment arranged through the CMS.
The Scottish Government recognises this is an exceptionally challenging and uncertain time for families and we are working across the public and third sector to ensure that support is there for anyone who needs it.
We are investing around £12.5 million this year to support the provision of free income maximisation, welfare and debt advice services.
We provide funding to One Parent Families Scotland, which operates an advice line and debt advice services for lone parent families.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether single building assessment reports are subject to peer review.
Answer
The single building assessment reports undergo a review by technical staff within the Cladding Remediation Unit.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it has introduced to encourage (a) more GPs to work in rural practices and (b) doctors to take up positions in practices and hospitals rather than working as locums.
Answer
We are already taking forward a range of initiatives to support recruitment and retention of workforce in rural General Practice. The Golden Hello scheme offers a one-off bursary of £10,000 to every GP taking up an eligible post in a remote and rural area. Furthermore, ScotGEM is a four-year graduate-entry medical degree which began in 2018, with a focus on rural medicine and healthcare improvement, supporting graduates to choose careers in general practice.
Doctors completing FY2 have a variety of options to continue their careers in NHS Scotland. This includes, but is not limited to, becoming an Locum Appointment for Training physician, an SAS physician or a locum physician; time spent in which can count towards Specialty training and can be good option to gain a wider range of skills and experience and to strengthen future applications to Specialty training. While it is important for local areas to have general practice and hospital doctors which meet the needs of their populations, locums posts can play an important role within our NHS too, working flexibly in response to changes in local need or circumstances and helping to cover leave and other absences.
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that Island Communities Impact Assessments (ICIAs) are required to be carried out in relation to areas that are near to proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas, and, if it is the case, whether any such ICIAs have been conducted to date.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently considering ICIAs in relation to proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas. Engagement with local stakeholders will be carried out during the process where appropriate. We will begin site selection next spring and will actively engage with stakeholders throughout the process.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-09128 and S6W-10972 by Shona Robison on 29 June and 20 September 2022, whether it will publish all data it has received from local authorities on Tenant Grant Fund spending to date.
Answer
The Scottish Government has asked for spending to end March 2022, end June 2022 and end September 2022. This will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course, once it has been collated and quality assured.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been advised by the Institution of Fire Engineers of how many fire engineers in Scotland are (a) included on the starter register and (b) registered as being suitably trained in relation to the initial phase of the single building assessment.
Answer
The Institution of Fire Engineers provided a list of eleven chartered fire engineering firms that operate in Scotland. All UK chartered fire engineers are eligible to participate in the Single Building Assessment programme.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2022
To ask the Scottish Government which of the developers listed as having signed up to the Welsh Government’s Developers Pact, as set out in the Welsh Government’s Written Statement, Building Safety in Wales, published on 7 October 2022, have agreed to the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord.
Answer
There will be some developers who are signatories to both the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord and Welsh Developers Pact. The parties to the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord will be confirmed once The Accord is signed.