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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-03137

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangement it has with Openreach to access private land to facilitate the roll-out of fibre optic broadband.

All legislative and regulatory responsibility for telecommunications rests with the UK Government and Ofcom respectively. As such the Scottish Government has no arrangement with Openreach around access to private land in Scotland. Wayleaves are negotiated directly between operators and landowners. Where it is not possible to reach an agreement operators can seek to have an agreement imposed by the courts using the Electronic Communications Code.

Question reference: S6W-02865

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to involve the third sector in the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund.

Question reference: S6W-02863

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an annual breakdown for the allocation of the £500 million Whole Family Wellbeing Fund set out in the Programme for Government, and whether any of this funding will be redirected from pre-existing budgets.

We will work closely with The Promise Scotland and partners across local government, social justice, health, the third sector, and with children and families to design and deliver the Fund. Further details will be provided in due course.

The commitment to investing at least £500m over the life of this Parliament to create a Whole Family Wellbeing Fund is significant. This will enable transformational change by building services which are universal, holistic support services available in communities across Scotland giving families access to help when and where they need it, and help Scotland #KeepThePromise.

Our ambition is that, from 2030, we will be investing at least 5% of all community-based health and social care spend in preventative whole family support measures that will enable us to continue to #KeepThePromise and create a Scotland where more children will only know care, compassion and love.

Question reference: S6W-02864

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund will be operational, and what the mechanism for distribution will be.

Question reference: S6O-00212

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recent funding announcement of £50 million for homeless services will be new money or funds previously allocated to existing budgets.

Question reference: S6W-02749

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the scientific basis is for the continuing COVID-19 restrictions on parents and carers from watching their children participate in organised school sport.

Our priority remains keeping children, young people and school staff safe. The guidance on reducing COVID risks in schools, has been updated and was published on 15 September. It is in line with current advice from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s issues. The sub-group keeps the mitigations in schools and Early Learning and Childcare settings under constant review, and will consider the issue of parental attendance at school sporting events at its next meeting on 21 September.

Question reference: S6O-00146

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the education secretary regarding the allocation of additional funding to improve ventilation in schools to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Question reference: S6W-02362

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 3 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider fast-tracking applications for the new Adult Disability Payment from people who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Throughout the development of our new social security system our overriding commitment is to the safe and secure transfer of disability assistance from the Department for Work and Pensions to Social Security Scotland. It is essential that clients continue to receive the payments they rely on. However, our decision-making processes will be significantly improved in order to better meet the needs of clients. This includes an expedited application process for clients who are terminally ill. We are also significantly improving the definition of terminal illness by removing arbitrary time constraints and ensuring decisions are better informed by clinical judgement.

Question reference: S6O-00083

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress that has been made on the use of mobile abattoirs.

Question reference: S6W-01452

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 30 July 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider undertaking a campaign to raise public awareness of the symptoms of ovarian cancer.

A new Early Cancer Diagnosis Programme Board has been formed – this group will be responsible for shaping and supporting the delivery of Scotland’s early cancer diagnosis efforts over the coming years. The exploration of any future public awareness campaigns will be considered here and will be undertaken with close consultation from the Scottish Cancer Coalition, which includes third sector ovarian cancer representation.

The Scottish Government is committed to finding cancer early when the chance of survival and even cure is higher – this is reflected in our £44 million Detect Cancer Early (DCE) Programme.

September marks Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month - DCE’s social media channels will help raise awareness of common signs and symptoms, signposting to an online interactive ‘symptom checker’ tool.