- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 10 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on existing health and safety legislation regarding the provision of single-sex toilets.
Answer
The Scottish Government expects all organisations to comply with the law, including health and safety regulations applying in workplaces. The Workplace (Health, Safety and Workplace) Regulations 1992 are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the subject matter of Part 1 of which is a reserved matter.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on delivering each of the recommendations of the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland, in particular, recommendations 52, 53 and 54.
Answer
Valuable work has been undertaken to deliver against the recommendations made by the Independent Review of Audiology Services in Scotland.
In December 2024 work concluded to address all 55 of the recommendations, and each has now been completed or transitioned into ongoing workplans to see the remaining tasks through to completion.
A detailed report will be shared with Parliament in March 2025 outlining the rationale for this, including recommendations 52, 53 and 54, and confirming the timelines for the remaining actions to conclude.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support alcohol-related brain damage services, in light of Public Heath Scotland data reportedly stating that there were over 1,000 more alcohol-related hospital admissions in 2024, compared with 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides local services with support through funding to ensure care is available for alcohol-related brain damage though a range of social care, healthcare community and residential services. The Scottish Government remains committed to doing all it can to reduce harm caused by alcohol through any of these support services.
The UK’s first Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment will be published shortly and will include guidance for services on care for those with alcohol-related brain damage, supporting the wider improvement of alcohol treatment across Scotland.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported view of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland that proposed changes to legislation on religious observance diverge from the recommendation by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child to allow young people to independently opt out of religious observance at school.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2025
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how the increase in funding for alcohol and drugs policy announced in its 2025-26 Budget revision will help to address the need to “increase focus and funding for tackling alcohol-related harm”, as set out in the Audit Scotland report on alcohol and drug services.
Answer
Scottish Government are committed to providing an additional £250 million over the current parliamentary term to reduce drug deaths and improve the lives of people who use drugs and alcohol.
The increase in funding of £2.5 million to the alcohol and drugs budget announced in the budget revision will allow us to go further and build on our National Mission on Drugs. £1 million of this will specifically support work by Aberlour to support women in the peri-natal period. This additional funding will allow more women and infants to receive the support they need during this crucial period. £1.5 million is for broader alcohol and drug services and will allow us to support even more people to achieve their own recovery. Details of how the additional 2025-26 funding will be invested will be communicated in due course.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report, Dietary Intake in Scotland’s CHildren (DISH), which found that only 8% of children meet the recommended Scottish dietary goal for free sugars.
Answer
I note the publication of the Dietary Intake in Scotland’s Children (DISH) report. It is disappointing that the DISH report found that only 8% of children are meeting the recommended Scottish dietary goal for free sugars. The Scottish Government recognises the impact that excess sugar consumption can have on children and young people’s health.
Scottish Government are committed to improving the diets of children and young people. We are continuing to support the roll out of universal Free School Meals, meaning more children can access free nutritious food and drink on each day they attend school.
The Scottish Government funds regional Community Food Networks and the Healthy Living Programme. Both projects support individuals and families to access affordable healthier food options, particularly in lower income areas.
The Scottish Government continues to focus on improving the food environment to support young people to make healthier choices, including future regulation of promotions of foods high in salt, sugar and fat. We also welcome the UK Government's move to introduce legislation to restrict advertising of less healthy food and drink and will be supporting its implementation in Scotland.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when its next meeting with the A77 Campaign Group will take place, and when it plans to host a roundtable meeting with the A77 Campaign Group and other interested stakeholders on issues regarding the A77.
Answer
I had a productive meeting with members of the A77 Campaign Group on the 21 November 2024. Following that my officials from Transport Scotland last met with the A77 Campaign Group on 5 December 2024 as part of a regular series of meetings that they have with the group. The next meeting date has yet to finalised, however, it is likely to be in April 2025.
With respect to hosting a roundtable meeting, I intend to convene this in the near future with a focussed group of transport stakeholders from the south west, including members of the campaign group. My officials are currently making arrangements.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an analysis of the potential impact that introducing regulations on food and drink high in fat, sugar and salt will have on children’s diets.
Answer
The Scottish Government has undertaken a range of analysis and assessment as part of developing proposals on potential regulation of the promotion of food and drink high in salt, sugar and fat. This analysis will be set out in a suite of impact assessments including a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment, which considers, among other things, the potential impact of regulations on children and young people’s diets.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the implementation of similar measures in Scotland, what its position is on the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018 in Ireland.
Answer
The Scottish Government draws on the best available international evidence when developing policy, including considering the effects of public health legislation in other countries such as Ireland.
The Scottish Government is a member of the British-Irish Council Drug and Alcohol Work Sector. The Scottish Government engages with officials from Ireland and the UK nations as part of that Work Sector to discuss policy developments including in relation alcohol harm.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the diets of adolescents aged 11 to 15.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that improving children’s dietary health and increasing levels of healthy weight are complex issues that require a range of collaborative actions by governments and stakeholders.
The Scottish Government is committed to improving adolescents’ diets including through range of actions, for instance strengthening the provision of balanced and nutritious school meals food to children and young people. Eligible pupils in Primary 6 through to Secondary 6 can benefit from free school meals in Scotland.
In addition, the Scottish Government initiated a partnership between Young Scot and the Scottish Grocers Federation to explore and pilot use of the Young Scot National Entitlement Card to buy healthier options.
The Scottish Government continues to focus on improving the food environment to support young people to make healthier choices including future regulation of promotions of foods high in salt, sugar and fat. We also welcome the UK Government's move to introduce legislation to restrict advertising of less healthy food and drink and will be supporting its implementation in Scotland.
