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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.

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Question reference: S6W-25061

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 37 schools that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

It is important that there is transparency around the schools where RAAC has been identified and the mitigations in place, and a list of the initial local authorities with confirmed cases of RAAC was published in a Scottish Government news release on 8 th September 2023. This news release is available here - Local authorities publish RAAC data - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

However, it is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate, and all schools with RAAC should be available on relevant local authority websites.

We are currently aware that RAAC has been identified in 39 schools - including 4 ELC settings within primary schools - and 1 standalone ELC setting, across 18 local authorities. All 32 local authorities have completed assessments of their school estate.

Question reference: S6W-25063

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the 10 universities that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

Question reference: S6W-25062

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the six colleges that have been identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present in their buildings.

Question reference: S6F-02869

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 26 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 February 2024

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-25454

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the report of the Fair Fares Review will be published.

Question reference: S6W-25064

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the minutes of the meeting of the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group on 11 October 2023, which hospital has RAAC present and also has some water ingress.

The building referred to on 11 October 2023 Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group minutes was the Ward 1 Plant Room at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh.

The Plant room was surveyed on Friday 22 September 2023 . The surveying Engineer noted that there was no immediate concern of structural collapse and made recommendations. Immediate remedial action was taken to ensure the area was safe. There is no immediate risk to patients, staff, or visitors.

Question reference: S6W-25060

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the minutes of the meeting of the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) Cross Sector Working Group on 11 October 2023, which four public bodies have confirmed that there is RAAC present in their buildings.

Question reference: S6W-25065

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 13 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has (a) carried out any research into and (b) undertaken any other work exploring any impact that the presence of fire can have on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) panels and beams.

The Scottish Government has not carried out or commissioned research into the impact that the presence of fire can have on reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). However, the Scottish Government works directly with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), is in close contact with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) and officials liaise with UK Government colleagues as the issue around fire safety and RAAC is explored.

The condition of RAAC and any risk of weakness or collapse is clearly of critical concern to firefighters. Where RAAC is identified through SFRS Operational Intelligence information gathering or a Fire Safety Enforcement audit, SFRS staff will record information regarding any affected buildings. This allows SFRS to develop a tactical plan to protect firefighters and minimise risk to the wider public in the event of any emergency incident, including those with premises containing RAAC.

More generally, the Scottish Government engages with various academic and building industry organisations which are themselves involved in research work, including through meetings of the Cross Sector Working Group, and would promote awareness of the findings of RAAC related research as and when appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-24711

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) original estimated (i) cost and (ii) opening date was and (b) current estimated (A) cost and (B) opening date is for each National Treatment Centre.

Question reference: S6W-24803

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many mental health first aiders (a) have been trained in each of the last five years and (b) are currently being trained; how many people are currently employed to train mental health first aiders, and how much money it (i) has spent in each of the last five years and (ii) is currently spending on training mental health first aiders.

The following table shows the number of participants undertaking Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training over the last 5 years, including numbers to date in 2024, based on the latest available data, as well as the total number of MHFA trainers (active and inactive) since 2020 to date.

1 April – ‎ 31 March	Number of people who have participated in the SMHFA programme	Number of trainers (active and inactive)*	Number of active Trainers
2019-2020	7906	Data not available**	176
2020-2021	443	290	167
2021-2022	828***	290	167
2022-2023	5133	324	201 (34 new trainers)
2023-2024	4604****	324	201

TABLE NOTES :-

*total number of trainers who have completed the programme to become a trainer. Active trainers have completed the required number of training sessions in each year and have completed General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements. Inactive trainers might not have delivered the required training sessions or completed GDPR compliance

**work was undertaken during period to review all trainer accounts

***programme restarted course in November 2021 following a programme break due to COVID

**** up to January 2024

The following table shows the total spend on MHFA over the last 5 complete financial year.

This includes spend which is allocated by the Scottish Government to Public Health Scotland for this purpose and does not cover any training fees charged to participants by independent trainers to deliver the MHFA programme. Actual spend data is not available yet for the whole of financial year 2023-24, so an estimated figure is provided.

Financial Year	Amount
2023-2024	£43526 (estimated)
2022-2023	£42014
2021-2022	£59740
2020-2021	£28350
2019-2020	£49000