- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the statement to the Scottish Parliament on 18 April 2024, by the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, aligns with the global affairs framework of good global citizenship.
Answer
This Government’s commitment to ending Scotland’s contribution to global emissions as soon as possible, and by 2045 at the latest is unwavering.
This will contribute to delivering international action on reducing emissions under the Paris Agreement and is a more ambitious target than most other countries. The Global Affairs Framework states that as an outward-looking country, we are committed to working in partnership with other governments and using our networks to raise ambition and push for greater action. We will use our position as the European co-chair of the Under 2 Coalition, the largest global network of state and regional governments committed to reducing emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, to mobilise action from states, regions and devolved governments and to advance towards a just transition to net zero. In doing so, we will continue to put the values of good global citizenship, solidarity, fairness and inclusion at the centre of our approach to the global climate crisis .
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to deliver action 131 of the Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023 to 2026 to improve data collection on metastatic breast cancer.
Answer
The Scottish Government is reviewing options in relation to collecting data on secondary breast cancer in Scotland. This includes consideration of the NHS England audit, data available in Scotland, clinical time required, other cancer data priorities and how it can be used to improve services.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme is closing.
Answer
The increased scale and pace of Transport Scotland’s ambition in active travel is bringing wholesale reform of the delivery model for both active travel infrastructure - through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) - and for behaviour change - through the creation of the Regional Transport Partnership (RTP) led Active Travel People and Place Programme (ATPP). With public funds facing unprecedented levels of pressure, it is vitally important that active travel investment is targeted where it can make most impact.
Support for grass-roots community groups and charity-led projects is also being decentralised, with acknowledgement from everyone involved in active travel that decisions about how to support grass roots behaviour change work needed to be taken closer to communities, and in a way that’s more joined up with local and regional transport strategies. As part of this process, it was decided we would not be continuing with direct support for a number of programmes, including the ebike loan fund.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20679, S6W-22695 and S6W-24757 by Neil Gray on 31 August 2023, 15 November 2023 and 1 February 2024 respectively, whether it will provide an update on the establishment of an advisory group as required under section 29 of the Scottish National Investment Bank Act 2020.
Answer
Work to establish the group is ongoing. Discussions around membership, appointment processes and meeting frequency are taking place and an announcement on this will be made in the coming months.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been allocated to the delivery of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 1, and how many kilometres of "connected neighbourhoods" this delivers.
Answer
The Scottish Government funds a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 1 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to create connected neighbourhoods. This includes funding provided to local authorities via the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme and the new Active Travel Infrastructure fund, and directly through the Cycling Walking Safer Routes (CWSR) grant. Our projects are designed to connect neighbourhoods and communities.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the first set of quarterly data from the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer for England and Wales, whether improved data collected on metastatic breast cancer will be published in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government has followed the publication of the National Audit of Metastatic Breast Cancer for England and Wales with interest. We are working with Public Health Scotland to determine our options for future data collection on metastatic breast cancer and its publication.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether patients receiving their free NHS dental check-up may be charged for receiving verbal advice on dental health and toothbrushing during their appointment.
Answer
In introducing dental payment reform from 1 November, we have rightly sought to place greater focus on preventive treatment, including detailed clinical advice on the importance of self-care for good oral health.
During routine check-ups, and where a dentist deems it clinically appropriate, an individual may receive enhanced preventative advice as part of a treatment plan. This must include a physical demonstration of toothbrushing techniques and has been introduced to better support individuals in maintaining their own oral health between appointments. This activity attracts a claimable fee for dentists – to cover the costs of their time and any equipment used to teach patients – and therefore there is a related charge for those patients who are not eligible for free NHS dental care.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what will replace the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme when it closes.
Answer
There are no plans for Transport Scotland to replace the Energy Savings Trust e-bike loan scheme. Through the Active Travel Transformation Project (ATTF), support for grass-roots community groups and charity-led projects is being decentralised, with acknowledgement from everyone involved in active travel that decisions about how to support grass roots behaviour change work needed to be taken closer to communities, and in a way that’s more joined up with local and regional transport strategies.
It is a matter for Local Authorities and Regional Transport Partnerships to make decisions on which projects are supported through their funding under the new active travel delivery model.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it is recording growth in active travel along routes funded by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 1 on "connected neighbourhoods".
Answer
The Scottish Government funds a range of projects throughout Scotland that deliver on recommendation 1 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to create connected neighbourhoods. This includes funding provided to local authorities via the Sustrans Places for Everyone programme, the new Active Travel Infrastructure fund, and directly through the Cycling Walking Safer Routes (CWSR) grant.
All active travel grants are assessed and awarded against the criteria set in the Active Travel Framework | Transport Scotland . Programmes delivered by partners are monitored and evaluated against the framework using a variety of quantitative and qualitative methods to evidence the impact and confirm delivery of Active Travel outcomes. This includes monitoring the growth in active travel within the study area.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria will need to be met for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) recommendation 2, which is a recommendation that scores highly across the STPR2 objectives, to be taken forward into action.
Answer
The strategic case for investment in Recommendation 2 (see recommendation-2-active-freeways-and-cycle-parking-hubs.pdf (transport.gov.scot) has already been met through the STPR2 appraisal process.
Work is ongoing under this recommendation, but it remains the responsibility of local authorities to deliver active travel lanes on local authority owned roads.
As with any transport investment, schemes will follow the standard business case and design processes. After which, Local authorities can submit to the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund for delivery costs.