Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-02941

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02940

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-26046

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding it scoring one out of five for the (a) "station staff" and (b) "station ticket offices" service schedule in each Service Quality Inspection Regime (SQUIRE) inspection since March 2023.

Question reference: S6W-26047

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements it is seeking from ScotRail as a result of it scoring one out of five for the (a) "station staff" and (b) "station ticket offices" service schedule in each Service Quality Inspection Regime (SQUIRE) inspection since March 2023.

As noted in S6W-26045 on 18 March 2024, the SQUIRe regime is one of the toughest performance regimes in the UK. It is an operational matter for ScotRail to investigate and rectify areas where performance has not met the standards expected by the Scottish Government. By doing so the overall scoring for ScotRail should improve.

The scoring shows that the SQUIRe regime is operating as expected by highlighting areas where ScotRail is not performing as expected and where improvement is required.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-26048

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the ScotRail framework agreement specifies that it should give "particular attention" to "identifying efficiencies in staffing levels" at railway stations.

The Framework Agreement between Scottish Ministers and Scottish Rail Holdings confirms under the Stations, Operational Plan section that “particular attention should be given to identifying efficiencies in staffing levels as well as focus on elements which will be monitored through SQUIRE”. This provides ScotRail with the ability to ensure that staff are deployed appropriately across the rail network to deliver a high performing service that passengers rightly expect.

Question reference: S6W-26002

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to commence, by regulations, the remaining provisions of the Children (Scotland) Act 2020.

We are currently prioritising work across the Scottish Government in light of increased pressures on the Scottish budget.

On 16 March 2023, the then Minister for Community Safety provided a submission to the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee in relation to Petition PE1968 , which outlined our position on full implementation of the 2020 Act and included a section-by-section breakdown of the Act’s commencement status.

I can provide some further updates.

For the provision on the views of the child in proceedings under the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011, the recent ‘ Hearings for Children ’ report reviewing the children’s hearings system included a recommendation to commence section 3 of the 2020 Act. The Scottish Government has accepted that recommendation and is taking forward relevant work in that regard.

For the provisions on special measures (sections 4 to 8 of the 2020 Act), Part 3 of the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill currently before the Parliament will, if enacted, extend the provisions which relate to proceedings under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 to civil proceedings generally.

In relation to a register for Child Welfare Reporters (section 9 of the 2020 Act), we will be establishing a short-life working group of key stakeholders later this year that will inform the development of policy around the register. It will also consider whether changes made in the past in this area, following a previous working group, are working as intended.

On child contact centres (sections 10 to 12 of the 2020 Act), the Scottish Government continues to prepare Scottish Statutory Instruments on the regulation of these centres.

For the provision placing a duty on Scottish Ministers to ensure the availability of child advocacy services in court proceedings under section 11 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 (section 21 of the 2020 Act), the Scottish Government is considering further whether or not to carry out a consultation.

For the provisions on funding for Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the ADR information pilot (sections 23 and 24 of the 2020 Act), the Scottish Government provides update reports to Parliament on the progress of this work. The latest report, covering the period 1 October 2022 to 1 April 2023, is available on the Scottish Government website .

Question reference: S6W-26001

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what monitoring has been undertaken to ensure that long COVID services provide equitable care across all NHS boards and do not widen existing health inequalities for patients in deprived areas.

As set out in my answer to question S6W-26000 on 18 March 2024, patient related experience and patient outcome measures will be recorded through NHS Boards’ use of the C-19 YRS digital screening tool. The provision of health data through this tool will assist in understanding the provision and effectiveness of long COVID services. Where possible, the data will be disaggregated by age, gender, ethnicity, and deprivation quintile. This will support understanding of any inequitable variation in service provision, experience and outcomes which may need to be addressed through service changes.

The long COVID National Strategic Network has contracted the University of Leeds to support the initial evaluation of long COVID services in Scotland, using data from the C19-YRS tool. The outputs of the evaluation are expected following the end of the financial year.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-26004

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering sustainable and recurring funding for NHS boards for the direct provision of diabetes technology.

The Scottish Government’s Diabetes Improvement Plan contains a key commitment to further increase access to existing and emerging diabetes technologies.

Budgets for 2024-2025 are yet to be confirmed, however we recognise the benefits that technology provides to people with diabetes.

It is for each NHS Board to determine how best to utilise the funding and resources provided by the Scottish Government to meet the needs and priorities of their local populations. This includes ensuring that people with Type 1 diabetes have access to the most appropriate treatment and care.

Question reference: S6W-25994

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered any spending changes to funding for long COVID, in light of the recommendations of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee’s report, Long COVID.

We remain committed to delivering the £10 million long COVID Support Fund in full. The 2024-25 budget published on 19 December 2023 outlines our plans to make £3 million from the long COVID Support Fund available over 2024-25. We anticipate that the remainder of the funding will be allocated over 2025-26.

Following the publication of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee’s report on long COVID, we have confirmed that we will consider baselining long COVID Support funding for NHS Boards at a level to be determined based on progress made by NHS Boards over 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-25998

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a breakdown of which NHS boards have specific doctor-led services for long COVID patients.

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