- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether NatureScot, by signing the Memorandum of Understanding with Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium, and making disclosure of significant amounts of information relating to it and its operation confidential, has placed an obligation upon itself not to disclose any such information on the basis of it being commercially confidential.
Answer
While some detailed financial and legal information between investors and project land managers will be confidential between those parties, NatureScot’s agreement with partners will remain subject to normal information management obligations, including Freedom of Information. NatureScot will disclose all information in line with those requirements.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether every NHS board has adopted the coeliac disease clinical pathway, and, if this is not the case, which NHS boards are yet to adopt it.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. This is a matter for Health Boards locally.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of ScotRail’s current fare freeze on the bus industry.
Answer
As part of the Scottish Government’s response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, ScotRail fares were frozen until the end of March 2023 to support rail users.
The ScotRail fares freeze has been implemented alongside the extended support for the bus industry through the Network Support Grant Plus (NSG+). The recent extension of NSG+ included a fares freeze for participating bus operators until the end of March 2023. This was part of a cross-modal package of support, which includes the freeze on ferry fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks until October, to keep public transport fares stable both in level and relative to each other.
Given this and the continuing uncertainty around recovery paths following the pandemic, we have not specifically examined the impact on the bus sector of the ScotRail fares freeze. Transport Scotland has, however, kept regular track of demand across modes. Throughout 2022-23, bus and rail demand have moved closely in step with each other, other than where rail demand was impacted by industrial action.
This situation will change with the introduction of the removal of peak rail fares trial during the next financial year. Transport Scotland is putting steps in place to include the impact of the pilot on the bus system as part of the evaluation of the trial.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the recently agreed Memorandum of Understanding, what consultation (a) NatureScot, (b) Hampden & Co, (c) Lombard Odier Investment Managers and (d) Palladium had with the Scottish Land Commission; what agreement was reached on how they would assist the community consultation processes envisaged, and whether the (i) Scottish Land Commission and (ii) NatureScot will be paid by private investors for any assistance given to them.
Answer
NatureScot approached the Scottish Land Commission to provide advice so that the design of the investment meets the expectations for community engagement, benefit and ownership that are set out in the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital. Neither the Scottish Land Commission nor NatureScot will be paid by the investors for their advice.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland are estimated to be living with coeliac disease, and, of those, how many are undiagnosed.
Answer
The Modernising Patient Pathway Programme Coeliac Disease Pathway Test of Change Final Report, September 2020 estimates that the incidence of diagnosed Coeliac Disease is 1% of the population in Scotland with 7-8 people remaining undiagnosed for every person diagnosed.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the user interface of The Scottish Register of Tartans website.
Answer
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) are responsible for the Scottish Register of Tartans website.
NRS has no immediate plans to update the user interface of the Scottish Register of Tartans website but will be considering the Scottish Register of Tartans website provision along with other NRS website provision as they develop their digital strategy.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the expansion of 20 mph speed limits will have on the police force, in light of reports that police in the Scottish Borders are not carrying out regular speed checks in the area’s new 20 mph zones.
Answer
Police Scotland is a member of the multi stakeholder task group for 20 mph speed limits and work closely with road authorities in determining, or considering, any changes to speed limits, reflecting the function of the road and the impacts on the local community and the needs of vulnerable road users.
Roads that meet the place criteria with an appropriate speed limit of 20 mph should aim to be understood by the majority of motorists and therefore self-enforcing. However, roads authorities also have the option to install a number of speed reduction measures to support compliance of the reduced speed limit.
- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to implement the recommendation in the "Principle Conclusions" section of the Expert Working Group report, 48-hour maximum working week (without averaging) for Junior Doctors in Scotland, to improve the provision of nutritious food and drinks for all night shift staff.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15841 on 24 March 2023. 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: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment NatureScot made of how the Memorandum of Understanding with Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium would contribute to wealth owned by the communities local to the investment areas, and whether it will publish any such assessment.
Answer
The partnership will seek to deliver direct community benefit as a result of the investment, in line with the expectations of the Scottish Government’s Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital. This will include full consideration of community wealth building opportunities and exploring potential ways the investment could support more diverse land ownership, drawing on current and emerging advice from the Scottish Land Commission. No assessment has been completed at this stage as the project partners are in ongoing dialogue about how the investment model will work. However, assessments will be published after completion of the project design phase.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the (a) conclusions and (b) findings from all stages of the National Speed Management Review.
Answer
We will consult with stakeholders and the public this year to gather and consider their views on future changes to speed limit policies and speed management measures.
The Scottish Government will look to publish the findings and conclusions thereafter.