- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the compatibility of the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme and the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answer
The Scottish Government has been following the agreed process for excluding the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) regulations from the Internal Market Act and it has been the subject of discussion with UK Government for many months.
Our original proposal back in 2021 was for an exclusion for both single use plastics and DRS to avoid duplication of effort. This was rejected by UK ministers, resulting in a narrow exclusion for single-use plastics only, and the ongoing process since October 2022 to secure a specific DRS exclusion.
On 28 February 2022 we published correspondence between the Scottish Government and UK Government on this and the First Minister wrote to the Prime Minister to seek the UK Government’s continuing constructive support in finalising the terms of an exclusion where it was needed. You can access the correspondence here: Internal Market Act: correspondence - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to protect people who might be vulnerable to the force-fitting of prepayment meters by energy companies.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14639 on 7 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: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many Protecting Vulnerable Group (PVG) checks have been undertaken in each year since 1999.
Answer
The PVG Scheme was established on 28 February 2011. The number of PVG disclosures completed in each financial year since that date is set out in the following table.
| Financial Year | PVG Disclosures Completed |
| 2010-11 | 5,738 |
| 2011-12 | 205,453 |
| 2012-13 | 248,273 |
| 2013-14 | 336,469 |
| 2014-15 | 343,331 |
| 2015-16 | 322,487 |
| 2016-17 | 282,900 |
| 2017-18 | 281,700 |
| 2018-19 | 280,000 |
| 2019-20 | 288,000 |
| 2020-21 | 211,100 |
| 2021-22 | 293,000 |
2022-23 (to 6 Feb 2023) | 263,608 |
Disclosure Scotland’s Annual Report and Accounts, which includes figures about PVG disclosures, is laid in the Parliament each year and published on the MyGov.Scot website: Disclosure Scotland Annual Report and Accounts 2021-22
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to (a) develop and (b) improve data collection for (i) high cholesterol, (ii) high blood pressure and (iii) atrial fibrillation at a (A) national and (B) regional level.
Answer
In April 2021, Scottish Government commissioned Public Health Scotland to develop and deliver the Scottish Cardiac Audit Programme. To date, hypertension and atrial fibrillation have been included as part of draft indicators shared in autumn 2022.
We continue to work with PHS to develop this programme.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of released non-native gamebirds
are from captive bird operations that are registered with the Animal and Plant
Health Agency.
Answer
The information requested is not held by Scottish Government
In Great Britain, you are legally required to register your birds if you keep 50 or more poultry. Keepers with less than 50 birds are strongly encouraged to register voluntarily. It is also a legal requirement to notify APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency) of any significant changes in the average number of birds kept.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that large numbers of small businesses are still not aware of the requirements of the Deposit Return Scheme due to a lack of effective marketing and engagement within the food and drink sector.
Answer
Any business with questions or concerns about registration should contact Circularity Scotland (CSL) for advice and guidance. They can do this via their website or their dedicated helpline.
CSL has ongoing communications with businesses to raise awareness and help them understand their obligations as part of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) and what they need to do to comply. This includes a recent series of information workshops across the country for businesses affected by DRS.
I also meet regularly with industry stakeholders to discuss their concerns and to help them prepare for the scheme’s launch in August.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to (a) improve access to data relevant to, (b) agree indicators to support data mapping for and (c) support the streamlining and standardisation of information currently collected for heart disease.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14685 on 7 March 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at Questions and answers | Scottish Parliament Website-
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with Public Health Scotland to deliver a cardiac audit programme with a governance structure to support the audit and improvement of services for people with heart disease, and, as part of this programme, whether it is supporting the development of a wider range of heart disease and risk factor quality indicators to gain a better understanding of the provision of care across the full pathway.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14685 on
6 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: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established nationally-agreed pathways of care for heart disease, and, if so, what (a) these include and (b) resources it provides to support their implementation.
Answer
Work is underway to develop a number of cardiac pathways. These will be shared with the Heart Disease Task Force for their review and support prioritisation of work in 2023-2024.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 7 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) meets the needs of people with heart disease, and how it is ensuring the delivery of access to computerised CBT across all cardiac rehabilitation and specialist cardiac nursing services nationally.
Answer
We have significantly increased access to digital mental health treatments, products and services since the first cCBT treatment was rolled out in 2017. We now have 27 different computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) treatments available across all NHS Boards. This includes the tool ‘Space in Coronary Heart Disease’.
Through delivery of the Heart Disease Action Plan, we have worked with five health boards to encourage their utilisation of this tool within cardiac rehab services. We are in the process of evaluating this to support further adoption within cardiac services.