- Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the next paper in the Building a New Scotland series will be published.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to deliver on its commitment to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, and I’m pleased to confirm that today we are publishing Citizenship in an independent Scotland.
This is the fifth paper in the Building a New Scotland series which sets out the Scottish Government’s proposals for an inclusive and welcoming approach to citizenship in an independent Scotland. It sets out our vision of citizenship after independence for people, whether or not they were born in Scotland or define themselves as primarily or exclusively Scottish, and describes who would become a Scottish citizen at the point of independence, and who could become a Scottish citizen from then on.
The publication also gives detailed proposals on passports, the Common Travel Area and the European Union, and citizenship and the constitution, with analysis of the evidence that informs these proposals.
The Scottish Government is continuing to prepare further papers in the Building a New Scotland series and these will be published in the coming months.
Building a New Scotland: Citizenship in an independent Scotland is available to view on the Scottish Government website from today at www.gov.scot/newscotland .
- Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on work in relation to addressing health inequalities within the national screening programmes.
Answer
Inequalities within the screening programmes are complex issues; tackling them will require sustained focus over the longer term, and an acceptance that improvements are likely to be incremental. This in turn will require leadership, collaboration and ambition, and this work must be a priority for Scotland’s national screening programmes, and everyone who supports them.
The National Screening Oversight (NSO) with the support of Scottish Government have developed the Equity in Screening Strategy which, combined with an action plan, will be published on 27 th July 2023. The vision of the strategy is for equitable access for all eligible individuals, across the full screening pathway.
The Strategy will launch alongside the Equity in Screening Network, which will support the strategy by capturing local and third sector research activity, and allow individuals that work across screening to share evidence, best practice and learning around screening inequalities.
- Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the latest known levels of police, public order and safety spending per person in Scotland, and on how this compares to the levels in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answer
The 2022 Country and Regional Analysis (produced by HM Treasury) includes analysis of expenditure on public services in Scotland and comparisons with other parts of the UK as a whole. In 2021-22 public order and safety spending in Scotland was £3.3bn. On a per capita basis spending in Scotland was 13% higher than in England and 7% higher than in Wales:
Public Order & Safety Expenditure (per capita)
- Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the latest known levels for the starting salary for a police officer in Scotland, and on how this compares to the levels in (a) England and (b) Wales.
Answer
Currently in Scotland a new constable will start on a salary of £28,074. In England and Wales the lowest starting salary for a Constable is currently £23,556.
You will wish to note that police pay negotiations are ongoing for 2023-24, therefore salaries for police officers in Scotland will be revised on the conclusion of those negotiations. You should also be aware that the UKG’s decision to accept PRRB’s recommendations in E&W, indicates that salary levels there are also likely to change.
More information on Police Officer salaries in Scotland can be found on the Police Scotland website using the following link: Pay and Grading Structure - Police Scotland .
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to allowing local authorities or community broadband providers to use individual broadband vouchers collectively, in order to provide economies of scale and solutions in areas with limited coverage.
Answer
While vouchers issued through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) can be used to connect individual properties, the scheme was specifically designed to allow vouchers in a community to be combined to extend available funding. Indeed, there are a number of examples of communities across Scotland – including Ardnamurchan within your own region – pooling together vouchers to deliver superfast broadband connectivity to a number of properties.
We also remain actively engaged with all 32 Local Authorities to ensure they are fully aware of any developments around the R100 SBVS, as well as other elements of the wider R100 programme. We hold quarterly meetings with a network of Single Points of Contact, and we also maintain a data portal that all Local Authorities can access to identify and support voucher-eligible properties.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Natalie Don on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement the recommendation by the Auditor General in the report, Early learning and childcare: Progress on delivery of the 1,140 hours expansion, for it to plan how to gather data on demand for both funded early learning and childcare, and childcare paid for directly by parents.
Answer
Local authorities have a statutory duty to consult with parents and carers every two years to ensure that their models of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) meet local needs and demands. The Scottish Government has committed to working with its partners to developing an outcomes and measurement framework for funded ELC before 2025. As part of the development of this framework the Scottish Government will work with partners, including local authorities, to consider the feasibility of gathering national-level data on parental demand for funded ELC or paid-for childcare.
Local authorities have a statutory duty to consult with parents and carers every two years to ensure that their models of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) meet local needs and demands. The Scottish Government has committed to working with its partners to developing an outcomes and measurement framework for funded ELC ahead of 2025. As part of the development of this framework the Scottish Government will work with partners, including local authorities, to consider the feasibility of gathering national-level data on parental demand for funded ELC or paid-for childcare.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with local authorities regarding powers and enforcement to deter businesses from selling vapes and e-cigarettes to underage children, whether knowingly or unknowingly.
Answer
Enforcement of legislation around the sale and purchase of nicotine vapour products (NVPs) is carried out by Local Authorities as part of the Enhanced Tobacco Sales Enforcement Programme (ETSEP). This is overseen by the Society for Trading Standards Officers in Scotland (SCOTSS) and funded by the Scottish Government.
SCOTSS membership includes representation from every Scottish local authority trading standards service. We regularly meet with SCOTSS, our last meeting took place on 21 June 2023, and our standing agenda includes enforcement in relation to NVPs and tobacco.
Through this engagement, we continue to support strong national and local alliances to tackle the availability and sale of tobacco and NVPs to under 18s.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to SARS-CoV-2 swabs that underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and the likely source of transmission was identified, what infection prevention and control action was taken as a result of the WGS data, in each month since March 2020.
Answer
This is a matter for Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infection (ARHAI) Scotland, SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences for Scottish patients are analysed by the Bioinformatics team within PHS and evidence based guidance on IPC is provided by ARHAI Scotland. The information is not held centrally and I have asked them to respond separately.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to SARS-CoV-2 swabs that underwent whole-genome sequencing (WGS), how many were identified as having as their likely source of transmission (a) healthcare associated and (b) community-acquired infection, broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) each month in which the WGS took place, since March 2020.
Answer
I refer the member to answer to question S6W-19519 on 27 July 2023.
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: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 July 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has completed the review into public funding for bus operators in Scotland, and, if so, what the review has recommended.
Answer
Reviews for the Network Support Grant and National Concessionary Travel Schemes are being taken forward this financial year and are ongoing. The review of concessionary travel is one of the workstreams being progressed through the Fair Fares Review.
