- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Aileen McLeod on 26 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13413 by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 March 2013, what progress there has been on improving the information held on contaminated land.
Answer
The Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 provides for the removal of areas from the contaminated land register once the relevant local authorities (or in the case of special sites, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) are satisfied that appropriate remediation has been completed. Statutory guidance is required to support this and the Scottish Government intends to consult on this in 2016. As part of this consultation stakeholder views will be sought on the way contaminated land information is held.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 26 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28020 by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015, how many properties it expects the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust to make available for rent in 2015-16.
Answer
The Scottish Government loan agreement with the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust (LAR) is for the delivery of long term affordable mid-market rented homes. LAR is expected to deliver up to 1,000 homes over five years. Decisions about the acquisition and letting of homes are for the board of LAR to make. The first homes expected to be available for rent within 2015-16.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 26 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28020 by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015, whether it has set a limit to the amount that the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust can draw down in 2015-16 from the financial transactions consequentials.
Answer
The Scottish Government will support the Local Affordable Rented (LAR) Housing Trust with a £55 million loan. No limit has been set on the amount that LAR can draw down in 2015-16 from the financial transaction consequentials.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Margaret Burgess on 26 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28020 by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015, whether it has an agreement with the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust on the number of properties that it should make available for rent in 2015-16.
Answer
The Scottish Government loan agreement with the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust (LAR) is for the delivery of long term affordable mid-market rented homes. LAR is expected to deliver up to 1,000 homes over five years. Decisions about the acquisition and letting of homes are for the board of LAR to make. The first homes expected to be available for rent within 2015-16.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK National Screening Committee regarding the absence of an antenatal screening programme for group B streptococcus.
Answer
The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) is an independent expert advisory group which advises ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening. We are represented at the NSC meetings and are actively involved in all discussion the NSC has regarding group B streptococcus.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to Reston and East Linton railway stations being operational by December 2016.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to providing services that can call at Reston and East Linton subject to the completion of the stations by the promoters and the granting of necessary track access rights, however, the date of December 2016 was not given as a confirmed date for the stations and the services commencing. Rather this was the earliest possible date based on the programme information available at that time.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its decision not to establish a systematic antenatal screening programme for group B streptococcus.
Answer
On screening issues we are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.
The NSC reviewed the policy for group B streptococcus (GBS) in November 2012 considering all the available medical evidence regarding the risks and benefits of screening pregnant women. The committee recommended that a national screening programme for GBS should not be introduced.
The NSC is due to review the recommendation on antenatal screening for GBS in 2016 and we will give careful consideration to any recommendation the NSC makes at that point.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates a test for group B streptococcus would cost and whether it has carried out a cost-benefit analysis of introducing routine antenatal screening.
Answer
As there is currently no recommended test for group B streptococcus that would be suitable for routine antenatal screening no cost-benefit analysis has been carried out by the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 13 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27298 by Shona Robison on 15 September 2015, how the £100,000 to fund the returner scheme will be used.
Answer
This money will provide an opportunity for GPs who are: on (or eligible to be on) the general medical council’s GP Register; on a NHS National Performers’ List; and who have previously worked in NHS general practice to safely return to general practice following a career break of at least two years or time spent working abroad.
- Asked by: Jim Hume, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 16 November 2015
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 November 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28198 by Shona Robison on 13 November 2015, whether it will provide details of what it considers the reasons for the 11 practices receiving support from their respective NHS boards.
Answer
Information on the reasons, nature and extent of any support being given to practices must remain confidential and is the responsibility of the contracting NHS board.
Scottish ministers would expect boards, as the responsible body for the provision of primary medical services for their areas, to work with and support practices to ensure that patients are not disadvantaged.