- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect jobs in the cultural sector, in light of reported concerns by the Scottish Contemporary Art Network that the proposed reduction to the Creative Scotland Grant in Aid budget in the draft Budget 2023-24 will lead to significant job losses, including the loss of opportunities for artists and freelance cultural workers.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the sector, most recently through holding a series of roundtable discussions. While we have had to make difficult choices to live within budgets, we have also listened to the concerns raised by the culture sector. In response, as announced on 21 February, the Scottish Government will provide an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland for 2023-24 to ensure their accumulated lottery funding reserves can supplement rather than replace grant funding.
This decision means there will be a substantial increase in the Scottish Government’s funding for culture and major events in the next financial year.
We expect Creative Scotland to set out quickly for the culture sector how it will use these additional resources to support organisations and help protect culture sector jobs at this difficult time.
We will continue to have close discussions with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector to support workers and ensure our diverse and world-class cultural scene and rich heritage continue to thrive.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research carried out by Survation on behalf of OurSeas Coalition, which reportedly found that 56% of people in Scotland would support banning bottom trawling and scallop dredging within three-nautical miles of Scotland’s shoreline.
Answer
We know that some stakeholders would like to see a three-mile limit restricting mobile fishing gear introduced. The Scottish Government has been clear that we have no plans to do so.
Such blanket spatial restrictions are not consistent with an evidence-based approach, do not embrace the benefits of new technology and are inconsistent with the nuanced approach outlined in our 2020-2030 Fisheries Management Strategy.
We have already begun to develop our approach, taking account of the complex ecology and habitats, as well as the different types of fishing and how they interact with the marine environment.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 22 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the endometriosis advisory group has met since its first meeting in April 2022, as set out in the progress report on the Women's Health Plan, and when the group's findings will be made available to the public.
Answer
The Endometriosis Advisory Group (EAG) was established to support the action in the Women’s Health Plan to strengthen collaborative working between regional specialist endometriosis centres, territorial and special NHS boards and primary care providers, to drive improvement in patient pathways and achieve equitable access to care and treatment.
The EAG first met in April 2022 and have since been involved in communications on an ad hoc basis to assist in the understanding of the systems currently in place for endometriosis, from education to current practice and pathways.
As per previous years, in order to lessen the burden on NHS teams over the winter period from November 2022 to the end of February 2023 we commenced a light touch process to help monitor and prioritise communications. After this period of time we will reinstate communication and meetings with the EAG.
The EAG offer their expert advice and knowledge to help inform and guide policy processes and as such there is no formal findings or report which the EAG has produced.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 03 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 22 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeline for the publication of the commissioned endometriosis management and treatment research, as set out in Action 32 of the progress report on the Women's Health Plan.
Answer
We are jointly funding a £250,000 endometriosis research project with Wellbeing of Women and the recipient of the grant will be announced in March. The funding for the research will cover a period of 3 years, from financial year 2022/23, after which the findings will be published.
Additionally, in January 2023 our Chief Scientist Office announced funding for the ENDOCAN project, led by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, that will investigate whether a large scale, UK-wide trial to determine whether a cannabinoid can reduce endometriosis-associated pain. Funding of £299,509 has been committed to this 30 month project.
- 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 Elena Whitham on 22 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many warrants have been issued in Scotland to install prepayment meters in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
Applications for warrants of entry are dealt with by the courts. The information requested is not held centrally. The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service have established a working group to review the process for dealing with utility warrants, including the data recorded, with a view to improving the information currently available.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 21 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that only two of its buildings have a heat pump installed; what action it will take to increase the number of its buildings that have a heat pump installed, and within what timescale will any such action be undertaken.
Answer
Currently 1 building on the core Scottish Government estate has a heat pump installed (Tweedbank)
Feasibility studied will be carried out in the first quarter of 2023/24 financial year to look at a range of renewable technologies for the estate, including air source heat pumps.
Timescale for installing air source heat pumps to suitable buildings:-
- 2023-24 – (1st quarter) - Feasibility studies will be carried out with business cases and funding applications submitted for suitable projects.
- 2023-24 – (2nd quarter) - Apply, design and install power cable upgrades if required or – if the incoming power needs to be increased from the supplier.
- 2023-24 – (3rd/4th quarter quarter) - Design, tender, appoint a contractor, planning permissions
- 2024-25 – Installation of ASHP, radiators, pipework.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to trade unions and charities forming a "coalition of concern" to request that the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill is paused to allow further co-design and consultation.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2023
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance, advice and/or support is provided to retail outlets that sell vaping and e-cigarette products in relation to the disposal and recycling of those products.
Answer
Vapes and e-cigarettes are subject to the provisions of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 (the WEEE regulations). As such, anybody who sells a vape or e-cigarette to a consumer has obligations including to accept the return of WEEE from private households subject to certain conditions.
Guidance for retailers subject to these obligations, including on how to join a scheme which will discharge this obligation on a retailer’s behalf, is available here: https://www.gov.uk/electricalwaste-producer-supplier-responsibilities
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is considering with local authorities to ensure that vaping products and e-cigarettes are properly disposed of and recycled, including examining how trading standards relate to this issue.
Answer
I have commissioned an urgent review of the environmental impacts and management of single-use vapes. Zero Waste Scotland will lead on the review, which will examine available evidence and consider potential options to tackle the issue.
The review will consider of a range of approaches and implementation considerations, including the role of local authorities and others in helping to ensure responsible recycling and disposal, as well as enforcement issues.
We will consider the evidence and expert advice and bring forward policy options in due course.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 7 February 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many doctors are currently assigned to Drug Treatment and Testing Order services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs) are focused on drug treatment as the primary means of reducing offending behaviour, by reducing or eliminating drug dependency. DTTOs allow drug testing and regular court reviews as features of a community disposal, and their effective delivery involves ongoing medical and other support services.
Where DTTOs are available, their supervision is a matter for local authorities, working in collaboration with relevant health services to ensure that support and treatment is provided, and arrangements vary by local area. The Scottish Government therefore does not hold the information requested.
However, in response to the Drug Deaths Taskforce Report and as noted in the cross government action plan published on 12 January, the Scottish Government will carry out a review of DTTOs, community payback orders and other community sentencing options to assess how they have been used, their outcomes and whether they are the most effective mechanism to support an individual’s recovery and reduce recidivism rates. The aim is to report in spring 2023.
