- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 30 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11947, for what reason the information is not held, and whether it will consider recording the information.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
The decision as to whether a member of staff discloses that they have attended hospital is one for the individual member of staff, and there is no requirement for this information to be shared. SPS has a focus on supporting staff who may have been injured, and ensuring that any reasonable preventative measures can be put in place to ensure that the likelihood of a similar incident occurring is mitigated as much as possible.
At this time, there are no plans to change the current methods of recording, however SPS will always look at ways which we can ensure we provide the right support to our staff.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Elena Whitham on 30 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which fire stations are currently recorded as (a) lacking sufficient showering or toilet facilities, (b) lacking basic bathroom facilities, (c) lacking shower facilities, (d) lacking drying facilities, (e) lacking a water supply, (f) being in “poor or bad condition” and (g) held up at least in part by internal scaffolding, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The facilities in place at the 357 fire stations in Scotland are an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. There are 14 stations that have been identified with defective roofing material requiring remedial action that are located in Crewe, Cumbernauld, Dalkeith, Galashiels, Hawick, Helensburgh, Huntly, Liberton, Livingston, Marionville, Milngavie, Portree, Stewarton and Tranent.
It is worth noting that the listed stations above were inherited legacy buildings which contribute to the Services capital backlog investment requirement.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 30 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many psychiatrists undertook specialist training to work with children and young people in (a) 2013 and (b) 2017.
Answer
There were 25 trainee doctors undertaking specialty training in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2013. In 2017, 23 trainees were in post in the same specialty.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 30 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what economic support it will make available to areas that were not successful in their bid for a green freeport, including in relation to the Clyde area bid, and what discussions it has had (a) with the UK Government and (b) specifically in relation to the Clyde area bid, with Inverclyde Council on this matter.
Answer
The Scottish Government and the UK Government are working together to provide feedback to all those who submitted Green Freeport bids. That process is under way. In fact officials are meeting members of the Clyde Green Freeport bidding coalition today. Officials from both governments also stand ready to work with the unsuccessful bidding coalitions to consider whether and how it might be possible to build on aspects of their plans, outside the Green Freeports programme, to deliver jobs and growth in their respective regions.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13088 by Patrick Harvie on 10 January 2023, which states that the timing and scope of the Bill is subject to ongoing review and consideration as it continues to deliver its emergency response to support tenants through the ongoing cost of living crisis, whether the scope of the Bill will also include how the Scottish Government will increase the number of accessible homes in Scotland.
Answer
As I announced to Parliament on 19 January 2023, the Scottish Government intends to introduce the Housing Bill – which will include long-term rent control measures – as soon as possible after the 2023 summer recess.
The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the supply of accessible homes as set out in the long term housing strategy Housing to 2040. We are in the process of reviewing the Housing for Varying Needs design guide. This guide is a key reference document for the affordable housing sector in Scotland and we plan to consult on proposed changes to the guide this spring. It is intended that the review of the Housing for Varying Needs design guide will directly inform the development of an all-tenure Scottish Accessible Homes Standard, which will be implemented through changes to building standards and guidance from 2025-26. This will improve the accessibility of new build homes from the outset.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the Armed Forces and Veterans Health Joint Group last met, and when it will next meet.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13888 on 27 January 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: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether the costs of specialist care for veterans who have suffered polytrauma will be funded through the National Services Division.
Answer
Scottish Government has established a working group to further progress our vision of developing a Scottish Veterans’ Treatment Pathway. The pathway will integrate physical, mental and wellbeing support and provide a route for treatment for veterans presenting with a service-related injury, which remains a cause for concern despite treatment, either previous or current.
The funding mechanism is still to be determined this may include a specialist services being commissioned by National Services Division through their standard process About specialist services | National Services Scotland (nhs.scot)
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to assist the work of Veterans Champions.
Answer
Scottish Government facilitates and provides secretariat to quarterly meetings with our NHS Armed Forces Personnel and Veterans Champions Network. These Network meetings enable Scottish Government, relevant stakeholders and Champions to exchange information, support one another in delivering work, share best practice and provide updates in relation to veterans health.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has introduced to tackle drugs misuse in the veterans community in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government is investing £250 million in the National Drugs Mission over the life of the Parliament to save and improve lives of people who use drugs, including veterans. For the first time this year we will have data on the number of veterans accessing drug and alcohol treatment services, using the new Drug and Alcohol Information System (DAISy). We will use this data to inform our work to better meet the needs of veterans who use drugs to support them to achieve their recovery goals.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 27 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) work has been undertaken and (b) funding has been provided to explore the development of steel mills that could produce high-quality scrap steel from decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure.
Answer
The Scottish Government commissioned independent research into the state of the steel sector in Scotland from the University of Warwick. This report is available to read online and can be found here .
Decommissioning at Scottish ports should be undertaken in line with the principles of a circular economy and promote the reuse of materials over recycling and disposal. A circular approach has the potential to reduce the energy intensity and emissions from decommissioning structures, create new jobs and business opportunities, and provide cost savings for manufacturing processes that use decommissioned material.
We would encourage any company interested in developing a major project in Scotland, such as a steel mill, to engage early with the Scottish Government and our Enterprise Agencies.