- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the accidental spilling of raw sewage into the River Almond from the East Calder Treatment Works on 6 April 2020, and by what date it will be safe for people to walk near the area, including those exercising dogs.
Answer
The incident referred to was a minor spill which occurred during routine maintenance works. It was resolved immediately at the time and SEPA, as environmental regulator, was notified.
Given the relatively small volumes involved and the fact that the spillage was cleared up, it is safe for the public to use the amenity and surrounding footpaths. SEPA has confirmed that this incident does not represent a risk to the environment.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will resume the work of the Sustainable Housing for Everyone (SHORE) standards, and for what reason it paused this workstream.
Answer
A national review of the Sustainable Housing on Release for Everyone (SHORE) standards has been paused as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic so that Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and partners can focus on the public health emergency. That in no way detracts from the implementation of the standards. SPS, local authorities and their local partners are working together tirelessly to ensure individuals have suitable accommodation to go to on the day they are liberated from prison and this has been a focus of the early prisoner release planning.
The implementation of the SHORE standards has continued since its publication in December 2017. Scottish Government has engaged regularly with local authorities, SPS, COSLA, ALACHO, SOLACE, Community Justice Scotland and other partners to understand what impact the standards are having on individuals’ reintegration into communities, not just through meeting housing needs, but also by improving access to other public services and supporting them to avoid reoffending.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to halve childhood obesity by 2030, and what action it is taking to achieve this.
Answer
Latest data from the 2018 Scottish Healthy Survey shows that the prevalence of childhood obesity has remained relatively stable at 16%.
Our Diet & Healthy Weight Delivery Plan recognises that halving childhood obesity is a major challenge and sets out over 60 actions to make it easier for children and their families to eat well and have a healthy weight. To date we have made good progress on a number of fronts, including significant additional funding for Health Boards to support improvements in type 2 diabetes prevention and new national standards and investment in child and adult weight management services. The next phase of work will include strengthening support for children and families in the early years, a critical time for establishing good nutrition and healthy eating habits.
Although our response to contain Covid-19 is now the top priority, we are working closely with Boards, Public Health Scotland, Food Standards Scotland and others to ensure we maintain momentum in our efforts to tackle obesity during these very challenging times.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to implement each of the 29 recommendations made by the Drug Deaths Taskforce in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, which were published on 16 April 2020.
Answer
We welcome the Taskforce’s recommendations and we are now working with them, and partners, to implement as many of these as possible as a matter of urgency.
I met with the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Taskforce on 21 April to discuss the recommendations and the work that needs to be undertaken to progress them. Additionally, I have issued a joint letter (16 April) with the interim Chief Medical Officer, to Health Boards and Integration Joint Boards emphasising the need to maintain provision of essential alcohol and drug services.
Work is already underway on a number of the other recommendations. We recognise the need for prompt action at this challenging time, as well as clear guidance and direction, and we are already in contact with a range of colleagues across Government, key stakeholders and other relevant bodies to discuss the best way to progress work on these recommendations.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 April 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, with the school term resuming, whether it will provide an update on how it is ensuring equal access to learning, including for those with additional support needs and from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 April 2020
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 April 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to relax the requirement for landlords to obtain an annual gas safety certificate during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer
The annual gas safety regulations are reserved to the UK Government and the Scottish Government cannot change them.
Whilst the Scottish Government recognises the importance of the annual safety checks, during the current health emergency, the Scottish Government would like to see the postponement of the annual gas safety check to ensure the spread of the Covid-19 virus is reduced, unless work is essential for the safety and security of occupiers, or for homes to be fit for human habitation.
I have written twice to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Health and Safety Executive with my views and urged them to take a pragmatic and proportionate approach by providing a temporary extension of the statutory obligations for gas safety in light of the current pandemic and restrictions that are in place across the country.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 14 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there has been an 11% increase in referral rates for paediatric ENT services in NHS Lothian.
Answer
The Health Board do not recognise where the figure of an 11% increase in the referral rate for Paediatric ENT services within NHS Lothian. The Board’s Annual Operational Plan for 2020/21 has been compiled with an assumption of a generic 1% annual increase, and they have advise that this is in line with their short term data.
In light of current COVID-19 position, we are working closely with Health Boards to support them to plan and prepare for the anticipated increase in demand for health and care services.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 14 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how many podiatrists are employed by each NHS board, and how this compares with 2010, also broken down per head of population.
Answer
The whole time equivalent numbers of podiatrists and podiatrists per 10,000 population by NHS Board, at September 2010 and December 2019, are as follows.
NHS Board | 2010 total | 2010 per 10,000 population [1] | 2019 total | 2019 per 10,000 population [2] |
Ayrshire and Arran | 57.9 | 1.6 | 43.9 | 1.2 |
Borders | 19.9 | 1.8 | 11.7 | 1.0 |
Dumfries and Galloway | 25.1 | 1.7 | 22.9 | 1.5 |
Fife | 60.5 | 1.7 | 53.6 | 1.4 |
Forth Valley | 30.3 | 1.0 | 24.6 | 0.8 |
Grampian | 60.8 | 1.1 | 49.4 | 0.8 |
Greater Glasgow and Clyde | 162.2 | 1.4 | 134.1 | 1.1 |
Highland | 37.2 | 1.2 | 32.4 | 1.0 |
Lanarkshire | 75.9 | 1.2 | 73.6 | 1.1 |
Lothian | 70.3 | 0.9 | 58.9 | 0.7 |
Orkney | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.6 | 1.6 |
Shetland | 2.6 | 1.1 | 3.6 | 1.6 |
Tayside | 50.5 | 1.2 | 47.0 | 1.1 |
Western Isles | 5.6 | 2.0 | 7.4 | 2.8 |
Podiatrists are recorded as qualified (Agenda for Change bands 5-9) podiatry professionals working within NHSScotland.
[1] National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish annual population data by NHS Board area as mid-year estimates. The 2010 podiatrists per-head of population figures have been calculated using Information Services Division Scotland Workforce data (at September 2010) and population estimates (NRS, mid-year estimate 2010).
[2] The 2019 podiatrists per-head of population figures have been calculated using the most recently available Information Services Division Scotland Workforce data (at December 2019) and population estimates (NRS, mid-year estimate 2018).
Sources:
Information Services Division, ‘NHSScotland Workforce’, 3 March 2020.
https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/NES-Publication/2020-03-03/Visualisation.asp
National Records of Scotland, ‘Mid-year population estimates: Scotland and its NHS Board areas by single year of age and sex: 1981 to 2018’, 25 April 2019.
https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/population/population-estimates/mid-year-population-estimates/population-estimates-time-series-data
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the equality impact assessment for its deposit return scheme, what plans it has for further consultation with (a) disabled people and (b) access panels throughout the scheme's implementation phase.
Answer
Zero Waste Scotland is conducting research with disabled people and carers, and representative organisations, to understand their views on Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). The intention is for this work to inform communications regarding DRS and to be shared with any scheme administrator(s) once approved.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 April 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the equality impact assessment for its deposit return scheme, how it plans to increase the accessibility of return points for (a) older people, (b) people with reduced mobility and (c) people generally.
Answer
The Regulations to establish Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), published on 16 March 2020, have taken full account of the importance of accessibility. In particular, to maximise accessibility, Scotland’s DRS will follow a ‘return-to-retail’ model, with every drinks retailer required to operate a return point unless exempted.
It is for the businesses with responsibility for implementing DRS, including retailers, to determine how best to ensure accessibility of return points to all. The Scottish Government is clear that it expects industry to comply with best practice and all applicable legislation, including the Equality Act 2010, in implementing DRS.
