- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to define and promote best practice in Invasive Non-native Species (INNS) biosecurity, eradication and long-term control.
Answer
The Scottish Government and its agencies collaborate closely with their counterparts in Wales and England on the control of INNS. Scottish Government officials have played an active role with their counterparts in drafting the 2022-2030 Great Britain Invasive Non- Native Species Strategy. This key document sets out our agreed, collaborative approach to preventing invasive non-native species reaching our shores, through surveillance, early detection and rapid response provisions and long terms management and control of species already established. The provisions in the Strategy will be implemented in Scotland through the Non-native Species Action Group, and similar partnerships, which has representatives from the public and voluntary sectors.
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation has been made of the Home2Fit accessible housing register.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08754 on 14 June 2022. 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: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to FIVEXMORE's Black Maternity Experiences Survey, in particular the finding that 43% of respondents reported feeling discriminated against during their maternity care.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of FIVEXMORE’s [The] Black Maternity Experiences Survey – a Nationwide Study of Black Women’s Experiences of Maternity Services in the United Kingdom , published on 24 May 2022, and we are considering its findings carefully, alongside the actions and recommendations from all audit reports and the MBRRACE-UK confidential enquiries. Our expectation remains clear: that mothers and babies receive high-quality, person-centred maternity care at all times, tailored to their needs, with quality and safety central to decision-making.
We are participating in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Race Equality Taskforce . The Scottish Government’s Senior Medical Officer for Maternity and Women’s Health is a member of the Taskforce, which will make recommendations for actions in maternity services to tackle the inequity in outcomes for pregnant women and babies from minority ethnic communities.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the guidance, capital and equity limits, and eligibility criteria in relation to the Home Owners' Support Fund.
Answer
My officials are currently reviewing the operational and delivery arrangements for the Home Owners Support Fund to consider what improvements can be made, including capital and equity arrangements for the scheme.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what metrics it uses to decide on the geographical settlement of Ukrainian refugees under its Super Sponsor scheme.
Answer
The Super Sponsor scheme is designed to provide a quick and safe route for displaced people from Ukraine to come to a place of sanctuary by removing the need for applicants to be matched to an individual sponsor prior to being given permission to travel to the UK.
Once people have arrived, a national matching service, delivered by COSLA, will match those settling here with longer-term accommodation across Scotland.
Displaced people from Ukraine are asked to complete a short questionnaire that captures key information and preferences. This information is then used to find suitable longer-term accommodation. All 32 of our local authorities are taking part in this programme, and hosts have offered up their homes right across the country. The national matching service will ensure that people are offered settlement opportunities across Scotland, recognising that people will have different preferences and available housing is limited in some local authorities.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include information in Scotland's Baby Box to raise awareness of local authority reusable nappy schemes and community nappy libraries.
Answer
Scotland’s Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life. From the outset we have ensured that the only written information contained within the Baby Box is tailored to its specific aims and contents.
There are currently 7 leaflets contained within Scotland’s Baby Boxes including advice and information on safe sleeping, breastfeeding, postnatal depression and Social Security child payment.
The Nappy Voucher contained within the Baby Box signposts to the Scottish Government’s ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies.
- Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for holding the abortion centre buffer zones summit, which the First Minister said, on 12 May 2022, that she would convene and chair.
Answer
The First Minister will hold a summit on abortion on 27 June 2022. The summit will focus primarily on buffer zones, and organisations such as MSPs, CoSLA, Police Scotland and women’s rights organisations will be invited to attend.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what concessionary schemes exist across all of Scotland’s transport networks for injured veterans.
Answer
The Veterans Railcard provides a one-third discount on rail journeys across the UK. It is available to all veterans who have served for at least one day or more in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations. The terms and conditions for the railcard are set by National Rail (part of the Rail Delivery Group).
In addition, the Disabled Persons Railcard also provides one-third discount on rail journeys across the UK for a cardholder and a companion travelling with them. Veterans in receipt of War Disablement Pension Mobility Supplement or War or Service Disablement Pension for 80% or more disability are eligible to apply for this railcard.
Under the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People (NCTS), veterans resident in Scotland aged 60 and over are eligible to apply for free bus travel throughout Scotland. In addition injured veterans may also qualify for free bus travel if they satisfy the disability eligibility criteria for the NCTS which can be found on the Transport Scotland website and which include being in receipt of a War Disablement Pension Mobility Supplement.
Veterans age 21 or younger can also qualify for free bus travel under the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Young People.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost to (a) individuals and (b) the economy of using single-use nappies compared with reusable nappies.
Answer
We have not undertaken any recent assessment of the costs to individuals or the economy of using reusable nappies compared to single-use nappies. However, in line with the waste hierarchy, the Scottish Government’s focus is on measures to promote reusable alternatives, like the reusable nappy vouchers in the Baby Box.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08560 by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022, what information the register records regarding the subsequent (a) destination of any tenants leaving properties that have exited, including the homeless presentations made to their local authority, and (b) use of those properties, including use as (i) PRS stock, (ii) owner-occupied homes, (iii) second homes, (iv) empty homes and (v) short-term lets.
Answer
The propose of the Landlord Register is to enable Local Authorities to complete checks on private landlords. Most private landlords are required to apply for registration with their local authority under Part 8 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 . The applicant must provide information to help local authorities assess whether they are a fit and proper person to let houses.
The fit and proper person test is intended to provide a level of assurance that the owner of a let property is a suitable person to let privately rented property. It is a standard that all private landlords are required to uphold throughout the time that they operate as a private landlord.
The Landlord Registration System is an administrative system used primarily to manage these registration of landlords and rental properties by Local Authorities. It does not collect data regarding landlords and properties no longer registered. It does not include data on individual tenants, either those in a property or their destination on exit.