- Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider standardising testing for coeliac disease by encouraging local audits of blood tests against endoscopies and biopsies.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with long term conditions such as coeliac disease are able to access the best possible care and support.
The provision of healthcare services, such as audits of blood tests, is the responsibility of NHS Boards, taking into account national guidance, local service needs and priorities for investment.
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that the terms of reference of the review being carried out by the National Audiology Review Group are sufficiently broad to allow any lessons learned by it to be used to improve services for all people with hearing loss.
Answer
The National Audiology Review Group’s Membership reflects key stakeholders across the clinical pathway and the healthcare system. This is alongside interested third sector organisations who have stakeholder engagement experience with those with lived experience.
The Review Group convened for the first time on 3 May 2022 and members discussed the draft Terms of Reference. Review Group members were invited to share their key priorities for development of the Terms of Reference to help shape the future of Audiology Services in Scotland. The finalised Terms of Reference and relevant information about the National Audiology Review Group including a membership list will be published on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the conclusion of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the Carmont rail crash, when it will replace the 25 Class 43 HSTs in the ScotRail fleet, and, if Transport Scotland's position remains that this will occur only when "Network Rail has completed the electrification of all or most of the routes they serve", as reported in The Herald on 21 May 2022, when that electrification will be completed.
Answer
The RAIB report into the Carmont accident did not state that the High Speed Trains (HSTs) are unsafe. There is a need to identify the optimum programme of any practicable changes that may emerge from the analysis of duty holders and safety bodies in following the recommendations of the RAIB Carmont Report with respect to HSTs in Scotland.
The aim is to do this in a practical way, and in an appropriate timescale in the context of the Scottish Government’s plans for decarbonisation of the rail network and the development of the future train fleet which will support that objective.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown, by local authority area, of the area of green space currently being created and/or restored through projects funded by (a) the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme and (b) the Nature Restoration Fund.
Answer
a)We do not request that each applicant provides a breakdown of green space created and/or restored by the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. However, 20 projects have received funding from the low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme to date and the projects listed in the following table include green space creation as their primary focus.
Project | Local Authority | Project Site Area |
Dalmarnock Riverside Park | Clyde Gateway | 3.50 ha |
Levern Water Revival | East Renfrewshire Council | 1.00 ha |
Lionthorn bing greenspace | Falkirk Council | 3.60 ha |
Belle Gro'@ The Meat Market | Glasgow City Council | 0.30 ha |
Transforming Avenue End Road Greenspace | Glasgow City Council | 3.60 ha |
Hamiltonhill Green Infrastructure Project | Glasgow City Council | 0.90 ha |
Ruchazie Greening and Growing project | Glasgow City Council | 3.70 ha |
Carwood Street Food Growing Project | Inverclyde Council | 0.22 ha |
Glenmanor Greenspace | North Lanarkshire Council | 0.49 ha |
Clyde Cycle Park | South Lanarkshire Council | 8.25 ha |
ONECarluke Community Growing | South Lanarkshire Council | 0.60 ha |
Community Food Growing – Former Bonhill PS | West Dunbartonshire Council | 0.47 ha |
Further to this the projects listed in the following table include green space creation as a part of their delivery.
Project | Local Authority | Project Site Area |
Western Villages Granton | City of Edinburgh Council | 4.50 ha |
Greendykes North Affordable Housing | City of Edinburgh Council | 2.10 ha |
Applications are currently open for Round 3 of the fund (for 2023-24 funding) and we anticipate announcing the next round of successful projects by the end of 2022.
b) We do not hold the information requested. Local Authorities were allocated £5 million from the 2021-22 Nature Restoration Fund. They have been asked to submit returns by the end of May 2022 setting out how the money has been used. Analysis of these returns has not yet started.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to define and promote best practice in Invasive Non-native Species (INNS) biosecurity, eradication and long-term control.
Answer
The Scottish Government and its agencies collaborate closely with their counterparts in Wales and England on the control of INNS. Scottish Government officials have played an active role with their counterparts in drafting the 2022-2030 Great Britain Invasive Non- Native Species Strategy. This key document sets out our agreed, collaborative approach to preventing invasive non-native species reaching our shores, through surveillance, early detection and rapid response provisions and long terms management and control of species already established. The provisions in the Strategy will be implemented in Scotland through the Non-native Species Action Group, and similar partnerships, which has representatives from the public and voluntary sectors.
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation has been made of the Home2Fit accessible housing register.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08754 on 14 June 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to FIVEXMORE's Black Maternity Experiences Survey, in particular the finding that 43% of respondents reported feeling discriminated against during their maternity care.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of FIVEXMORE’s [The] Black Maternity Experiences Survey – a Nationwide Study of Black Women’s Experiences of Maternity Services in the United Kingdom , published on 24 May 2022, and we are considering its findings carefully, alongside the actions and recommendations from all audit reports and the MBRRACE-UK confidential enquiries. Our expectation remains clear: that mothers and babies receive high-quality, person-centred maternity care at all times, tailored to their needs, with quality and safety central to decision-making.
We are participating in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Race Equality Taskforce . The Scottish Government’s Senior Medical Officer for Maternity and Women’s Health is a member of the Taskforce, which will make recommendations for actions in maternity services to tackle the inequity in outcomes for pregnant women and babies from minority ethnic communities.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the guidance, capital and equity limits, and eligibility criteria in relation to the Home Owners' Support Fund.
Answer
My officials are currently reviewing the operational and delivery arrangements for the Home Owners Support Fund to consider what improvements can be made, including capital and equity arrangements for the scheme.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what metrics it uses to decide on the geographical settlement of Ukrainian refugees under its Super Sponsor scheme.
Answer
The Super Sponsor scheme is designed to provide a quick and safe route for displaced people from Ukraine to come to a place of sanctuary by removing the need for applicants to be matched to an individual sponsor prior to being given permission to travel to the UK.
Once people have arrived, a national matching service, delivered by COSLA, will match those settling here with longer-term accommodation across Scotland.
Displaced people from Ukraine are asked to complete a short questionnaire that captures key information and preferences. This information is then used to find suitable longer-term accommodation. All 32 of our local authorities are taking part in this programme, and hosts have offered up their homes right across the country. The national matching service will ensure that people are offered settlement opportunities across Scotland, recognising that people will have different preferences and available housing is limited in some local authorities.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include information in Scotland's Baby Box to raise awareness of local authority reusable nappy schemes and community nappy libraries.
Answer
Scotland’s Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life. From the outset we have ensured that the only written information contained within the Baby Box is tailored to its specific aims and contents.
There are currently 7 leaflets contained within Scotland’s Baby Boxes including advice and information on safe sleeping, breastfeeding, postnatal depression and Social Security child payment.
The Nappy Voucher contained within the Baby Box signposts to the Scottish Government’s ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies.