- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what contaminant analysis work it is undertaking on marine animals in Scottish waters, in light of reports that fish in English waters have been contaminated with prescription and illegal drugs.
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly monitors for hazardous substances in the Scottish marine environment. Hazardous substances highlighted to be of particular concern and routinely monitored include heavy metals (cadmium, mercury and lead), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These contaminants are measured in biota (mussels and fish) collected as part of the UK Clean Seas Environment Monitoring Programme for four biogeographic regions: Irish Sea (Clyde and Solway), Minches and Western Scotland, Scottish Continental Shelf and Northern North Sea.
More information related to the testing for contaminants in marine animals in Scottish waters can be found in the Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 | Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 .
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to address and minimise any disruptions to the supply of (a) Creon and (b) other medicines for people with cystic fibrosis.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware that there are global supply issues with Pancreatic Enzyme Replacement Therapy (PERT) medicines, including Creon ® , which are licensed for the treatment of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency for those with cystic fibrosis.
While the supply of medicines and the associated legislation are a reserved matter for the UK Government, Scottish Government officials continue to engage with them on this supply issue and other medicine shortages. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO) for Scotland is a member of a UK-wide Medicines Shortage Response Group (MSRG), set up to identify and co-ordinate responses to medicines shortages across the UK and provide advice to prescribers on alternative therapeutic options.
In May, the Scottish Government issued a Medicine Supply Alert Notice (MSAN) and National Patient Safety Alert (NatPSA) which outline actions to be taken by prescribers to ensure patients are moved onto alternative treatments and measures to help conserve stocks of PERT medicines, including Creon ® .
- Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to replace the fishery protection vessel, MPV Minna, which came into service in 2003.
Answer
MPV Minna was commissioned in 2003 with an expected service life of 25 years. Concept designs for the vessels replacement have been developed and we are currently looking at funding options for a replacement in the near future. To ensure service continuity, upgrades and replacement of machinery and equipment have been scoped so we can safely extend the service life of the vessel should that be required.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether the new funding announced for diabetes technology will be ringfenced.
Answer
Yes – this funding is specifically for the provision of diabetes technologies and will be managed by a central team. A small part of this investment will cover costs of infrastructure to enable delivery at scale.
- Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to (a) prevent severe topical steroid withdrawal (TSW) reactions that can result from long-term use of topical steroid treatments, (b) monitor and review the prescribing of topical corticosteroids on the NHS and (c) consider a four-nation approach to include TSW in the MedDRA clinical coding system.
Answer
Following the recent MHRA review into topical steroid withdrawal, regulatory action means topical steroids will soon be labelled with their potencies. This will aid correct selection and simplify the advice for patients. The Scottish Government will cascade the MHRA updated safety alert, new labelling and revised patient safety leaflet to prescribers through clinical networks.
The Scottish Government encourages individuals to review their treatment plans with their healthcare professionals at least annually, and we are working with Health Improvement Scotland to develop searches for clinicians to identify patients using steroids.
We are already working on a four nations approach with MHRA as a hub.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy on 18 April 2024, what measures will be included in its timeline for implementing demand management as part of its route map to 20% reduction in car km; whether road pricing will be included as one of these measures, and what discussions it has had with the UK (i) Government and (ii) Office of the Leader of the Opposition regarding the implementation of such measures across the UK.
Answer
The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy confirmed to the Scottish Parliament on 18 April 2024 that we will deliver the commitment made to publish by autumn the route map for reduction in car use by 20% produced in partnership with CoSLA. It will include a timeline for implementing demand management and within the context of our commitment to a just transition.
As outlined in the draft route map, published in January 2022, the Scottish Government recognises that powers for local authorities to introduce potential road charging schemes were established in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 and that Local Authorities are best placed to determine whether a local road user charging scheme supports the objectives set out in their local transport strategy.
The finalised route map will also ask the UK Government to reform motoring taxes, given that they are the most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car. Fuel duty and vehicle excise duty are reserved matters. We have made a number of attempts at both ministerial and official level to engage the UK Government on these issues, without any meaningful response. The Scottish Government has not had discussions with the Office of the Leader of the Opposition on this matter.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a business case regarding the provision of diabetes technology, and, if so, when it plans to make a decision.
Answer
I refer the member to answer to question: S6W-27895 on 28 May 2024. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes can access the care that they need to live their lives well. This includes increasing access to diabetes technologies.
Between 2016 and 2022, we invested £29.6 million of additional funding to support the increased provision of diabetes technologies.
I am delighted to confirm that this financial year, up to £8.8 million of funding will be made available to expand access to diabetes technologies in Scotland. The focus will primarily be on providing access to all children that want Closed Loop Systems, but will also allow us to continue increasing access to adults.
This investment will allow us to continue developing innovative care models for diabetes in Scotland that have a focus on digital pathways and peer support.
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: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the rate of Education Maintenance Allowance, and whether it will consider an inflationary increase in advance of the next Scottish Budget.
Answer
The Education Maintenance Allowance is vital in supporting young people from lower-income households to overcome financial barriers and to stay in education. It is a central component of this government’s support for young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Scottish Government has faced its most challenging budgetary settlement since devolution began – a settlement which has not been inflation-proofed, and which has subsequently required difficult decisions to be made, due to the pressures on our public services. Any future changes to EMA would need to be considered in this context.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the Parliament on its work to bring forward and implement a minimum income guarantee, and what it currently estimates the financial cost of such a policy to be.
Answer
The work to define a Minimum Income Guarantee for Scotland continues to be led by an independent Expert Group who are due to publish a full report, which will include consideration of costs, later this year. The Scottish Government will respond to the recommendations made in due course. The report is expected to focus on what is deliverable and fiscally responsible now, alongside a longer-term vision for what a Minimum Income Guarantee with full powers might look like. The Expert Group’s work has been overseen by a cross-party Strategy Group who will continue to be updated as the work progresses.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of reports of a group of protesters forcing entry into a parliamentary constituency office in Glasgow on 21 February 2024 and intimidating parliamentary staff in their place of work, and Police Scotland's subsequent description of the incident as a "peaceful protest", what discussions it (a) has had and (b) plans to have with Police Scotland to clarify whether such incidents are considered acceptable.
Answer
In the wake of the protest at Mr Sweeney’s office, the Parliament’s Security Office engaged with the ‘Operation Sandbed’ team within Police Scotland on behalf of the SPCB. Protest activity can cause alarm and the Security Office shared Mr Sweeney’s concerns, and the experience of his staff, that this protest had been unsettling and upsetting for those involved.
Taking into account the issues experienced by Mr Sweeney’s office, the Security Office will undertake further engagement with Police Scotland on behalf of the SPCB to discuss additional support and training that can be provided to local office staff, and Members, should protest occur at a local office.