- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 10 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking through its draft Budget 2025-26 to increase local access to thrombectomy for people who have had a stroke in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
The delivery of a national thrombectomy service has already received over £38m of investment. Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and Galloway Community Hospital are both now able to refer suitable patients for thrombectomy procedures.
We have recently provided funding for thrombectomy nurse posts in spoke sites with high rates of ischaemic stroke, including in NHS Dumfries and Galloway, and this will support maximising access to thrombectomy across Scotland.
Work is ongoing to establish how the £16 million funding announced in the Scottish budget, once scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament, will be best used to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from thrombectomy.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average timescale is for non-criminal complaints against the police to be allocated for investigation by Police Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2025
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns raised by Colleges Scotland that the role of colleges is being damaged by relentlessly falling budgets.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed plans with NHS Lanarkshire to ensure that neurodivergent children and young people receive the right treatment and support.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 January 2025
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed plans to reduce delayed discharge with NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported call from UK campaign group, Wild Justice, to (a) return Brodifacoum to its pre-April 2016 approval status, so that it can be used in strict "internal areas" within buildings, and (b) limit its use to professional pest control companies.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to work with UK Government and the Welsh Government on the regulation of biocides, including rodenticides, under the GB Biocidal Products Regulation. A Government Oversight Group, that includes Scottish Government representation, oversees the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) and scrutinises the performance of its UK Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme (RSS).
The RSS is being updated firstly to ban the use of the two remaining second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) that are available for open area use from the end of this year. This is also intended to reduce accidental or deliberate misuse of other products including Brodifacoum in open areas. Secondly, training requirements for the farming sector are being brought in line with other sectors from end 2025 to ensure a consistent level of professional training across all sectors and reduce the risk of poor practice. Further changes to the RSS will be considered and implemented if necessary to continue to address SGARs residue levels in wildlife.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been to NatureScot of removing invasive Sitka spruce growing on peat bogs and within mixed native woodlands in each of the last five years.
Answer
This is an operational matter for NatureScot. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you to provide the information requested.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the data from the Pupils Census Supplementary Statistics, which reportedly shows that the number of pupils with additional support needs in Dumfries and Galloway increased by over 1,000 between 2019 and 2023.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the request from the A77
Action Group for the establishment of a task force to consider issues relating
to the impact of the reported increased use of full road closures on the A77.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2024
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Public Health Scotland’s recent NHS dental monitoring report, which indicates that almost 40% of adults in Dumfries and Galloway are not registered with an NHS dentist.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024