- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether clearing the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and psychological therapies waiting times by March 2023, as set out in the NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026, is referring to meeting the target for (a) 90% of people referred to CAMHS and psychological therapies to be seen within 18 weeks or (b) no person having to wait longer than 18 weeks to start treatment, or whether it is referring to another measure.
Answer
We are committed to meeting the standard that 90% of patients start treatment for CAMHS and Psychological Therapies within 18 weeks of referral by March 2023.
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated to the No One Left Behind strategy in each year it has run.
Answer
Delivery under No One Left Behind commenced in April 2019. The annual allocations from this point are set out in the following table.
| | 2019-20 (£m) | 2020-21 (£m) | 2021-22 (£m) | 2022-23 (£m) |
No One Left Behind | 7.078 | 7.078 | 7.078 | 15.643 |
Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF) | 2.100 | 12.350 | 8.650 | 8.790 |
Long Term Unemployed support (LTU) | | | 20.000 | 20.000 |
Young Persons Guarantee (YPG) | | | | 15.300 |
Child Poverty (additional) | | | | 53.060 |
TOTAL | 9.178 | 19.428 | 35.728 | 112.793 |
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the economic impact of removing 700 ScotRail services.
Answer
ScotRail has not undertaken an economic impact assessment on what is a temporary timetable change. There is positive progress being made on pay negotiations with ASLEF in Scotland, and I am hopeful that additional services will be added in the near future.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the environmental impact of removing 700 ScotRail services.
Answer
I have not instructed ScotRail to undertake an environmental impact assessment on what is a temporary change. There is positive progress being made on pay negotiations with ASLEF in Scotland, and I am hopeful that additional services will be added in the near future.
I would note that any environmental modelling undertaken but UK government in relation to the UK-wide RMT strikes, has not to this point been shared with the Scottish Government, although I would welcome sight of any such reports.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Highland bus operators regarding providing extra bus services at times when ScotRail is no longer operating a train service.
Answer
Transport Scotland has not held any discussions with Highland bus operators regarding providing extra bus services at times when ScotRail is operating a temporary timetable. The temporary timetable currently in place is an operational matter for which ScotRail is responsible for. The temporary timetable aims to provide the best possible service to as many passengers as possible with the available resources.
The Scottish Government allocated £93.5 million in funding to support bus services in 2022-23. This includes temporary additional recovery funding to bus operators, including those in the Highlands, through the Network Support Grant Plus. And I am pleased to confirm that the Scottish Government is making a further £25.7 million in recovery funding available to support bus services across Scotland.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it uses data from 2020 to apportion Pupil Equity Funding allocations, and, if so, (a) for what reason and (b) what plans it has to use more up-to-date figures.
Answer
Data from the 2020 Healthy Living Survey was one of the components used to determine 2022-23 Pupil Equity Fund allocations.
Due to COVID-19 disruption, the full Healthy Living Survey could not take place in 2021. The previous year’s data was therefore used to prepare funding allocations which aligned with pre-existing PEF allocations to ensure there was no major, disruptive fluctuation between years.
We have listened to headteachers and provided certainty to support long term planning to build on the excellent work we know headteachers are doing by setting PEF allocations for the next four years. In response to fluctuating demand brought on by the pandemic, we have increased allocations to £1,225 from £1,200.
Officials continue to review possible alternatives to Free School Meal data, and a decision on which datasets will be used will be made at the end of that four-year cycle.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it uses data from 2014 to estimate the number of pupils claiming free school meals in P1 to P3, and, if so, (a) for what reason and (b) what plans it has to use more up-to-date figures.
Answer
Data from the 2014 Healthy Living Survey was one of the components used to determine 2022-23 Pupil Equity Fund allocations for Primary 1 to 3 pupils.
In 2015 the Scottish Government introduced free school meals for all Primary 1 to 3 pupils. The 2014 Healthy Living Survey therefore represents the last dataset fully capturing how many pupils were registered for FSM on income-based criteria before universal entitlement.
We have listened to headteachers and provided certainty to support long term planning to build on the excellent work we know headteachers are doing by setting PEF allocations for the next four years. In response to fluctuating demand brought on by the pandemic, we have increased allocations to £1225 from £1200.
Officials continue to review possible alternatives to Free School Meal data, and a decision on which datasets will be used will be made at the end of that four-year cycle.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it plans to improve ferry services to the islands.
Answer
As I confirmed in the chamber last week, the second strategic transport projects review recommendations include continued investment in ferry replacements and port upgrades to improve their resilience and reliability.
This is backed by our commitment in the Infrastructure Investment Plan to invest £580m over 5 years, including in the two new vessels for Islay and in the MV Loch Frisa.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in (a) the Galloway and West Dumfries constituency and (b) other rural areas.
Answer
Scotland has the most comprehensive public charging network in the UK outside of London, with close to 3,000 public charge points. The Scottish Government has invested over £50 million to develop the ChargePlace Scotland network, with over a third of charge points installed in rural areas. Dumfries and Galloway Council has received £1.65 million to develop public electric vehicle charging.
In January we launched our vision for the future of Scotland’s electric vehicle charging network, and announced a new fund to enable £60 million of public and private investment in this network. We have also provided £2 million to local authorities to develop their charging strategies and expansion plans, with Dumfries and Galloway Council receiving £60,000.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, following registration not to be a donor on the Organ Donation Scotland website, confirmation correspondence indicates that the individual should let family and next of kin know of their decision not to donate.
Answer
Family and friends will always be involved in discussions about organ or tissue donation. If a person is in hospital and dies in circumstances where donation may be possible, a Specialist Nurse would check if the person has registered a decision on the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR). The Specialist Nurse would then discuss any registered decision, or lack of one, with family and friends in order to ascertain the potential donor’s most recent views, which may have changed since the recording of any decision.
These discussions help to ensure that people don’t become donors if that would be against their wishes. This is why, as well as recording any decision on the ODR, individuals are encouraged to let family and friends know about their decision and latest views.