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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-19209

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered converting guidance on the minimum distance between onshore wind turbines into legislation.

Question reference: S6W-19159

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle crimes related to sextortion.

The Scottish Government recognises the harm and distress this activity causes to those targeted. I would urge anyone impacted to report it to Police Scotland for investigation. Police Scotland have been clear that all reports will be taken seriously, dealt with in confidence and without judgement.

The Scottish Government works closely with national and UK partners including Police Scotland, the National Cyber Security Centre and the Cyber and Fraud Centre Scotland to tackle cyber-crime, including sextortion scams. There is a range of advice to help people improve their online safety, found on CyberScotland.com, as well from the National Cyber Security Centre, Cyber Aware, Take Five and Get Safe Online. Further, Police Scotland have information for victims and links to support services on their web site - Sextortion - Police Scotland . Also, the National Cyber Security Centre have specific guidance on sextortion scams that advises on practical steps for victims to take which is available at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/sextortion-scams-how-to-protect-yourself .

Via the Scottish Government “Our Delivering Equally Safe Funding” £110,822 has been provided to the South West Grid for Learning Trust Ltd to deliver helpline advice to those who have experienced intimate image abuse and improve awareness and understanding throughout Scotland – available here: Revenge Porn Helpline - 0345 6000 459 | Revenge Porn Helpline . Further, we recently refreshed our Safer.scot webpages, which include a section on intimate image abuse: Striving for a safer Scotland - Safer.scot .

Question reference: S6W-19145

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many times since January 2019 train services between North Berwick and Edinburgh Waverley have been cancelled for (a) all and (b) part of their journey due to (i) track problems, including signalling and flooding, and (ii) track congestion.

ScotRail advised that between 6 January 2019 [the start of 2018-19: reporting period 11] and 27 May 2023 [the end of 2023-24: reporting period 2], there were 444 full cancellations and 122 part-cancellations on the North Berwick line as a result of infrastructure issues. This is out of 68,274 trains planned for that route during this time (0.82 percent).

While full- or part-cancellations as a result of track congestion are not reported separately, ScotRail also advise that there were a further 46 full cancellations and 39 part-cancellations to ScotRail services as a result of the actions of other train operating companies. This is out of 68,274 trains planned for that route during this time (0.12 percent).

Question reference: S6W-19149

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of any meetings it has had with (a) industry and (b) local authorities, in the last year, regarding the implications of waste zoning.

In the last year, three meetings have been held on the subject of waste zoning with the Resource Management Association Scotland (RMAS) in June, July and August 2022. One meeting on the subject of waste zoning was held with the Scottish Environmental Services Association (SESA) in February 2023. The issue has also been raised in other forums that industry attend and as part of wider engagement regarding proposals for the Circular Economy Bill and Waste Route Map.

There have been no specific meetings on the topic of zoning with local authorities, but it is a topic that has been raised in various regular forums they attend and as part of wider engagement for the Circular Economy Bill and Circular Economy and Waste Route Map.

Question reference: S6W-19138

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

The Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening programme is commissioned by National Services Scotland (NSS) and operates out of eight centres across Scotland. Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally as this is a matter for Regional Screening Centres. However, Public Health Scotland publish programme statistics on an annual basis and the latest report can be viewed at : https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-aaa-screening-programme-statistics/scottish-abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-aaa-screening-programme-statistics-year-ending-31-march-2022/

Question reference: S6W-19134

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have attended a breast screening programme appointment in each month since July 2021.

The breast screening programme is commissioned by NHS National Services Scotland (NHS NSS) and operates out of six centres across Scotland. Scottish Government do not hold the information requested centrally as this is a matter for Regional Screening Centres. However, Public Health Scotland publish programme statistics on an annual basis and the most recent publication can be accessed on the following link : https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-breast-screening-programme-statistics/scottish-breast-screening-programme-statistics-annual-update-to-31-march-2022/

Question reference: S6W-19137

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many diabetic retinopathy screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

Question reference: S6W-19113

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many service level agreements have been agreed between hospices and NHS boards in each year since 1999.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

It is the responsibility of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to plan and commission adult palliative and end of life care services for their areas using the integrated budgets under their control. As such, service level agreements between hospices and health boards are matters for Integration Authorities, their health boards, and independent hospices. Prior to commencement of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, any service level agreements would have been matters for NHS Health Boards and independent hospices.

Question reference: S6W-19139

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many cervical cancer screenings have taken place in each month since July 2021.

NHS National Services Scotland provides national coordination for the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme, which is commissioned by Boards and delivered by primary care. Scottish Government does not hold the information requested centrally. However, Public Health Scotland publish programme statistics on an annual basis and the latest report can be viewed at : https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-cervical-screening-programme-statistics/scottish-cervical-screening-programme-statistics-annual-update-to-31-march-2022/

Question reference: S6W-19150

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to adopting a kitemark standard to encourage improved performance in the waste collections sector.

This is not currently being pursued. The Scottish Government is open to the adoption of standards where there is evidence of the potential to improve performance.

However, though a kitemark standard is aimed at enabling a consistent, accessible and high performing services, the 2012 Waste (Scotland) regulations along with the existing Recycling Charter and its associated Code of Practice act as the Scottish standard of good service provision for household waste collections.