- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in increasing staff presence and staff numbers across the ScotRail network, in response to the recommendation in the Transport Scotland summary report, Women's and girls' views and experiences of personal safety when using public transport, which calls for the feasibility to be explored of increasing staff presence at points of boarding, alighting and interchange.
Answer
The adjustments to ticket offices opening hours have been consulted upon with ScotRail staff and aim to increase the staff presence to enhance passenger travel experience and passenger safety, not least by allowing staff redeployment onto Travel Safe teams.
ScotRail Travel Safe Team has expanded to 28 members in the West and soon will add 9 team members in the East. Since its introduction, there has been a 43% reduction in reporting of low level anti-social behaviour, 10 suicide interventions and 1 lifesaving CPR intervention; youth related incidents decreased by 52% and a 70% reduction in anti-social behaviour related events in hot spot locations.
Importantly, it remains the specification of the Scottish Government that all ScotRail trains should have a member of staff on board to assist passengers, which is different to many UK operators.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34488 by Ivan McKee on 19 February 2025, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding for what reason its partial island communities impact assessment (ICIA) for the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill did not recommend carrying out a full ICIA on the basis that the measures in the Bill were "not likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities", in light of the assessment also noting that "the geographical remoteness of islands can generate a number of particular challenges".
Answer
As set out in the answer to question S6W-34488, the responsibility of undertaking a full Island communities impact assessment is on local authorities. Additionally, Local authorities have the power to charge different rates and exemptions for different geographical areas. Each local authority has a responsibility to publish assessment of the impacts of introducing a Visitor Levy, and they have a statutory requirement to consult with local communities, businesses, and the public, prior to the introduction of a Visitor Levy.
We formed an Expert Group made up of key representatives from the tourism industry and local government, chaired by Visit Scotland. The Group developed Guidance for local authorities on introducing and administering a visitor levy. Chapter 18 of guidance published October 2024 has further details of what is required of local authorities when implicating a Visitor levy Visitor Levy Guidance I VisitScotland.org.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates the First Minister has held meetings regarding the commitment to keeping The Promise for care-experienced children since May 2024; who attended; what was discussed, and what the outcomes were.
Answer
The Scottish Government is fully committed to keeping The Promise by 2030. Given the cross Governmental scope of the activity related to The Promise, the First Minister regularly discusses the commitment and has undertaken various engagements with the care community, meeting with children and young people with care experience, and the workforce who support them. To mark the recent 5th anniversary of the Promise the First Minister wrote to the care experienced community re-enforcing his commitment to The Promise and met with students with care experience at Glasgow University to discuss their experiences. The First Minister also chairs the Cabinet Sub-Committee on the Promise which was established to guide and support the cross-portfolio focus needed to deliver The Promise.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much it allocated to public health campaigns for stroke awareness in each of the last five years.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not allocated funding to stroke awareness campaigns in the last five years.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to ensure that nurses and midwives can access sustainable and progressive opportunities to influence policy, practice, national and local strategy to achieve change, as it committed to in the recommended actions of the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin developing the new entry routes into nursing and midwifery with dedicated funding for them, as outlined in the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce recommendations.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the work it will do to ensure that there is consistent, sustainable provision of taster sessions across health and social care so that people across many different backgrounds can experience nursing and midwifery, and whether it will clarify what work it will do to ensure that these sessions will help people to experience roles in remote and rural areas as well as support access to these roles.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce an updated version of the campaign, No Knives, Better Lives.
Answer
We review YouthLink Scotland’s No Knives, Better Lives programme regularly to consider how it can continue to help prevent violence and reduce its harm. Part of this work has included the creation of the Quit Fighting for Likes Campaign, developed by the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, YouthLink Scotland No Knives, Better Lives and Medics Against Violence. Launched on 11 September 2024, the campaign provides a suite of resources aimed at frontline practitioners to help engage young people in conversations to help them understand the impact and harms caused around the filming and sharing of violent incidents.
The campaign, including the accompanying practitioner resources, remain available to access on the websites of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and YouthLink Scotland No Knives, Better Lives. It is intended that the campaign will be re-run again after the school summer holidays.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when the new entry routes into nursing and midwifery, as outlined in the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce recommendations, will be open to applicants.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin the review of the predicted absence allowance in the staffing level tools used by NHS Scotland, as it committed to in the recommended actions of the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
