Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-03179

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what public health measures are being taken to minimise harm from vaping, prior to the introduction of the proposed ban on single-use vapes.

Question reference: S6W-24884

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 January 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Lorna Slater on 29 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action that it will take to tackle the environmental impact of single-use vapes, following the closure of the four nations consultation, Creating a Smokefree Generation and Tackling Youth Vaping.

The Scottish Government takes the environmental impact of single-use vapes very seriously. Last year I commissioned an urgent review of the environmental impact of single-use vapes, which found that up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away in Scotland in just one year, of which an estimated 10 per cent were littered and more than half were incorrectly disposed.

Our Programme for Government committed to taking action to tackle the environmental impact of single use vapes, including consulting on a proposal to ban them. In September 2023, at the initiation of the Scottish Government, Ministers and senior officials from across the UK met to discuss single-use vapes. They discussed the available evidence, recognised shared challenges, and committed to work together on a range of options to tackle the impacts, up to and including a ban.

Following this, the Scottish Government, along with the UK Government, Welsh Government, and Department for Health and Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland held a four nations consultation on Creating a smokefree generation and tackling youth vaping which ran from October-December 2023. The consultation included a range of proposals, including consideration of a ban on single-use vapes and other measures to reduce their environmental impact. In November 2023 I wrote to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee, to update the Committee on the government’s approach to tackling the issue.

I am pleased to announce that today, that the Scottish Government will take forward the legislation needed to the ban the sale and supply of single use vapes in Scotland, with a view to a ban coming into force at the earliest opportunity.

The four nations consultation response, published today, shows clear support for this measure. We are encouraged that the responses from Scotland accounted for 11% of the 28,000 responses received in total, exceeding expectations for comprehensive representation and highlighting the need for action on these issues. In Scotland, 82.3% supported restrictions on single-use vapes (79.3% UK-wide), and 73.4% favoured an outright ban (68.1% UK-wide).

We will continue to work with UK Government and other Devolved Governments as we develop this legislation, and will engage with Parliament as appropriate and necessary during this process.

Question reference: S6F-02641

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2023

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any social benefit of extending free bus travel to all under 22s.

Question reference: S6W-22896

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to (a) the Barnardo’s report, The Missing Link: Social Prescribing for Children and Young People, and (b) its recommendations for how social prescribing should be applied in Scotland.

The Scottish Government notes the recommendations of the Barnardo’s report, The Missing Link: Social Prescribing for Children and Young People.

Community link workers (CLWs) have a key role for social prescribing in primary care settings. We have not prescribed a specific model for CLW services. Health and Social Care Partnerships base their services on local priorities, and this would include the inclusion of children in CLW services.

Question reference: S6W-22897

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider the expansion of community link workers for children and young people, as recommended in the Barnardo’s report, The Missing Link: Social Prescribing for Children and Young People.

The Scottish Government notes the recommendations of the Barnardo’s report, The Missing Link: Social Prescribing for Children and Young People.

Community link workers (CLWs) have a key role for social prescribing in primary care settings. We have not prescribed a specific model for CLW services. Health and Social Care Partnerships base their services on local priorities, and this would include the inclusion of children in CLW services.

Question reference: S6O-02723

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to its wider approach to tackling domestic abuse, including its work to develop Scotland’s first national multi-agency Domestic Homicide Review model.

Question reference: S6F-02520

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is supporting renters who are struggling with the cost of living.

Question reference: S6O-02686

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its agricultural development projects will boost organic produce and improve environmental practice, as part of its work towards achieving its net zero targets.

Question reference: S6O-02530

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Prison Service regarding supporting and enabling families of prisoners to have better access to visiting their loved ones while they are in prison.

Question reference: S6W-20471

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 5 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which buildings in (a) the Falkirk area and (b) Scotland have been identified as having issues with dangerous cladding, and when work on these buildings will be undertaken and any potential danger addressed and/or cladding removed.

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