Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-03730

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government plans to make creating sexually explicit “deepfake” images and videos a crime.

Question reference: S6F-03723

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-32978

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Energy Consents Unit plays in balancing national energy policy objectives with the interests of rural communities, and how this is reflected in its assessment processes.

The Energy Consents Unit administers applications made to Scottish Ministers for determination in relation to energy infrastructure. In reaching their decision, the Scottish Ministers will determine applications in accordance with legislative requirements and relevant policy. The application process allows rural communities to provide views on the development, which are taken into consideration when final decisions are made.

Question reference: S6W-33188

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many junctions or road connections have been added to the A90 over the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-32977

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the criteria used by the Energy Consents Unit to evaluate energy infrastructure projects, in light of reported concerns that net zero contributions are being prioritised over community and environmental considerations.

Question reference: S6W-32811

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its strategy is to tackle the reported long waiting times for gynaecological treatments.

Women’s Health is key priority for this government which is why Scotland was the first country in the UK to publish an ambitious Women’s Health Plan in August 2021. Timely access to gynaecology services will remain a priority as we continue to develop our Women’s Health Plan.

The Budget we set out on 4 December 2024 will throw the weight of the government behind performance improvements with almost £200 million to reduce waiting lists and help support reduction of delayed discharge. By March 2026, we expect no one to be waiting longer than 12 months for a new outpatient, inpatient treatment or day case treatment.

We have already invested £30 million to reduce waiting lists that built up throughout the pandemic. This funding is being targeted at a series of national and local plans to reduce backlogs by maximising the use of local and national resources across Scotland. As part of this, we have allocated additional funding to Gynaecology services which we expect to deliver around 3,500 new outpatient appointments.

Question reference: S6W-32821

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways is it liaising with CalMac Ferries Ltd to increase ferry capacity to and from the Isle of Mull, in light of reports that the inflatable emergency evacuation slides fitted to the MV Isle of Mull vessel failed an inspection, resulting in its operational capacity being reduced from 900 to 45 passengers.

Whilst this is an operational matter for CalMac, given the significant reduction in passenger capacity Transport Scotland officials have been updated by CalMac on the timeline for repairs and will be kept appraised of any capacity issues relevant to the routes MV Isle of Mull is operating on.

During this time, during the annual overhaul schedule, as it normally does, the MV Isle of Mull is operating as relief vessel on Lochboisdale service. The MV Loch Frisa continues to operate to Mull to timetable.

With the MV Glen Sannox entering service, CalMac assessed the optimum deployment of the MV Isle of Arran through use of their Route Prioritisation Matrix, and the MV Isle of Arran has been operating on the Oban-Craignure route alongside the MV Loch Frisa since 16 January 2025.

Question reference: S6W-32781

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) report, Exploring the delivery of alcohol-related health advice in dental practice settings: A scoping review, and what its position is on whether there is a role for dentists in addressing alcohol-related harm.

The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.

This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the recently published Public Health Scotland review into Alcohol Brief Interventions as well as key independent reports such as Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) report, Exploring the delivery of alcohol-related health advice in dental practice settings: A scoping review.

Officials will work closely with colleagues within Primary Care including the team of the Chief Dental Officer to ensure that the National Treatment Specification fully reflects the importance of dentistry as an integral part of Scotland’s alcohol treatment provision.

Question reference: S6W-32784

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will raise public awareness of the role of dentists in addressing alcohol-related harm.

The Scottish Government is currently working on a National Treatment Specification for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Scotland.

This document will be informed by numerous sources including the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment and the recently published Public Health Scotland review into Alcohol Brief Interventions as well as key independent reports such as Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) report, Exploring the delivery of alcohol-related health advice in dental practice settings: A scoping review.

Officials will work closely with colleagues within Primary Care including the team of the Chief Dental Officer to ensure that the National Treatment Specification fully reflects the importance of dentistry as an integral part of Scotland’s alcohol treatment provision.

Question reference: S6W-32780

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 20 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of reports that alcohol-related hospital admissions continue to be below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels.

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