- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 8 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide support for the workers at Grangemouth refinery in the interim period prior to any developments from Project Willow.
Answer
Answer expected on 8 May 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 8 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how (a) workers and (b) the community in Grangemouth have been engaged in developing the Project Willow recommendations, and how will they be engaged in its delivery.
Answer
Answer expected on 8 May 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Public Health Scotland report, Future prevalence and burden of chronic liver disease, which was published on 18 March 2025, and what action it plans in response to the report's projection of a 54% increase in chronic liver disease by 2044.
Answer
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments by the chair of the Scottish Police Federation that a (a) lack of investment has seen parts of the country become "policing deserts" and (b) fall in police officer numbers, including following a recruitment freeze between September 2023 and March 2024, has led to "record absence [among officers] through physical and mental health illness [and] challenges with recruitment, retention and job satisfaction."
Answer
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what most recent assessment it has made of the value of golf to the economy.
Answer
Answer expected on 29 April 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that unpaid carers can access (a) regular health checks and (b) flexible healthcare appointments, as outlined in the carers strategy.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s National Carers Strategy published in December 2022 sets out a cross-government approach to tackling issues that affect carers, including through health and social care policies. The Strategy sets out our intentions regarding carers’ healthcare at chapter 3. We are considering whether it is feasible to provide flexible health appointments for carers, including replacement care for appointments as part of the implementation process of the Strategy.
There are already a range of services in place, including access to personalised, flexible short breaks and preventative support through the Carers Act, that can support unpaid carers to better manage their health. Some have a carer-specific focus, while others are more general. The Scottish Government will continue to raise awareness of these services among unpaid carers and will ensure that our health services consider the needs of carers. Taking a strategic approach to this will support a joined-up approach that supports all aspects of carers’ lives, and this will be done under the auspices of the National Carers Strategy.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many official visits by a First Minister have been made to each Scottish Parliament constituency since the start of the current parliamentary session.
Answer
Information on Ministerial engagements is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/.
Visits are not recorded by parliamentary constituency.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 27 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that unpaid carers have (a) timely access to social care support and (b) breaks from caring.
Answer
Local authorities have duties under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 to provide adult carer support plans or young carer statements for any carer that wants one and to provide support to carers according to their eligible needs. These responsibilities are set out in the Carers’ Charter.
We are working to establish a right to breaks from caring through the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, to support people to protect their wellbeing and sustain caring relationships. The Bill creates a right to personalised breaks support for any carer who is not currently able to access ‘sufficient breaks’ – accessed via their personalised plan under the Carers Act. It ensures that being able to take sufficient breaks from providing care is an “identified personal outcome” of every carer – and that where a carer is unable to take such breaks, the need for support is an “identified need” of the carer. This amends the Carers Act to require local authorities to determine whether a carer is able to take sufficient breaks from their caring role; and if not, to provide support to enable them to take sufficient breaks.
The Bill (as amended at Stage 2)sections 38A and 38B creates new requirements for Ministers to make regulations setting timescales for local authorities to prepare adult carer support plans and young carer statements for all carers .Statutory guidance states that these should be delivered in “an efficient and timely manner.” Local authorities already have a duty to provide such plans within 10 working days for carers looking after someone with a terminal illness. The intention of sections 38A and 38B is to enable all carers to access support under the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 – including under the proposed right to breaks - in a timely fashion and ensure more consistent national delivery.
Ahead of the new legislation, the Scottish Government is increasing the voluntary sector short breaks funding by £5million to a total of £13million for 2025-26. This is expected to support up to 15,000 additional people to be able take short breaks away from their caring responsibilities.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 2 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to progress its ambition for Scotland to be a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture practice.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 2 April 2025
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that Hamilton Mausoleum (a) is kept in good condition and (b) will remain open to public visitors in the future.
Answer
The Scottish Government understands that Hamilton Mausoleum is a category A listed building owned by South Lanarkshire Council, and is managed and maintained by South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture SCIO which is a recognised Scottish Charity. It is important to be aware that the owners of listed buildings are responsible for the repair and maintenance of their property.
Regarding the member’s question about public access to the building, I understand that the local authority offers tours available on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from February to November. The local authority would therefore be best placed to provide further information on the upkeep of the property and provide further information on their plans for public visitor access.