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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-16051

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Deputy First Minister during the ministerial statement on Ferguson Marine on 16 March 2023, whether the planned operational lifespan of (a) MV Glen Sannox and (b) Hull 802 has changed.

Question reference: S6W-16379

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all correspondence that it had with (a) the Royal College of Nursing, (b) the Royal College of Midwives, (c) GMB, (d) UNISON, (e) Unite the Union and (f) the Royal College of Physicians, regarding a pay deal for NHS staff.

Pay negotiations are held in a confidential space through the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee and it would not be appropriate for the Government to publish correspondence between Ministers and individual parties. The full scope of the agreement, containing detail on the wider review of Agenda for Change, has been published on the Scottish Government website ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/nhs-agenda-for-change-review-scope/ ).

Question reference: S6W-16343

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to Keep Scotland Beautiful in each year since 2016.

Keep Scotland Beautiful has delivered a range of initiatives on the Scottish Government's behalf and has been allocated the following funding since 2016 to enable it to do so:

2016-17: £11,147,463

2017-18: £11,152,455

2018-19: £11,131,472

2019-20: £8,642,939

2020-21: £10,054,598

2021-22: £1,227,428

2022-23: £609,000

The reduction in funding to KSB from 2021 is due to the Climate Challenge Fund coming to an end. KSB delivered the fund on the Scottish Government’s behalf until their contract ended in June 2021. The previously reported funding for 21-22 of £1,555,145 reduced due to underspend linked to the CCF being returned to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-16230

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has undertaken on distance decay in relation to health outcomes in the Highlands and Islands, and whether it has any plans to record the impact of any such distance decay in relation to health outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-16176

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures Transport Scotland has in place to monitor the success rates of any tree planting that it undertakes.

All new planting schemes on the trunk road network include a 5-year establishment period throughout which regular inspections are undertaken by professional landscape architects and by the landscape contractor. These inspections assess the establishment of the plants and determine any specific maintenance required, including the replacement of any failed material.

The trunk road operating companies assume responsibility after this period and are required to annually assess and report on all planting and other vegetation within their area of operation and to recommend management interventions as appropriate, such as pruning and thinning etc.

Following completion, all major road schemes are monitored and assessed through the Scottish Trunk Road Infrastructure Project Evaluation (STRIPE) procedure to determine whether the scheme objectives have been met and to assess how well the scheme has been implemented, including the planting element.

Question reference: S6W-16154

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15567 by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2023, whether it will provide a breakdown of the information in the table showing the name and location of each bridge, and the date that the repair work (a) was first identified as required and (b) is projected to be completed by.

Please find the following table providing the name and location of each bridge on the trunk road network highlighted in our previous answer to S6W-15567. The dates that upgrades were first identified as required and projected to be completed are also contained:

Local Authority Area	Structure Reference	Structure Name	Work Identified	Planned Year of Completion
Highland	A887 80	A887 Lagain Bhain	1998	2024-25
Highland	A830 160	A830 Shlatach	2013	2025-26
Stirling	A85 270	A85 Dalkenneth	2021	2026-27
Stirling	A84 137	A84 Balquidder Station	2019	2026-27
Highland	A82 1180	A82 Lagain	2018	2027-28
Moray	A95 170	A95 Craigellachie Bridge	First identified over 10 years ago	2024-25
Moray	A95 180	A95 Craigellachie Bridge	First identified over 10 years ago	2025-26
Fife-Falkirk	A985 1	Kincardine	1983	2024-25
Highland	A830 130	A830 Finnan River	1998	2027-28
Stirling	A84 35	A84 Cambus	1999	2028-29
Highland	A82 670	A82 Allt Molach	1990	2028-29
Highland	A82 680	A82 Allt Nan Guibhas	1990	2029-30
Highland	A82 690	A82 Creagdubh	1990	2029-30
Highland	A82 770	A82 Alltanrigh	1990	2030-31
Highland	A82 800	A82 Achtriochtan	1990	2030-31
Highland	A87 30	A87 Daingean	2018	2031-32
Highland	A87 40	A87 Bhoira	2018	2031-32
Highland	A87 50	A87 Garbh Dhoire	2018	2032-33
Highland	A87 60	A87 Loyne	2018	2032-33
Highland	A87 70	A87 Moriston	2018	2033-34
Highland	A87 520	A87 Allt A'ghlarsair	2013	2033-34
Highland	A87 540	A87 Lon Chaorach	2013	2034-35
Argyle & Bute	A828 10	Connel	2016	2024-25
Borders	A702 80	A702 Westwater	2018	2023-24
West Dunbartonshire	A82 150	A82 Leven Bridge	1999	2025-26
Dumfries and Galloway	A76 160	A76 Marchburn	1993	2025-26
Dumfries and Galloway	A75 690	A75 Barlae	2016	2025-26
Highland	A82 700	A82 Etive	2018	2034-35
West Dunbartonshire	A82 640	A82 Tulla	2018	2035-36
Stirling	A84 10	A84 Drip	2016	2035-36
Highland	A830 140	A830 Challium	2013	2036-37
Highland	A830 150	A830 Dhuibh	2013	2036-37
Highland	A87 600	A87 Lon Na H'Iolainn	1997	2037-38
Stirling	A84 80	A84 Kilmahog 1	1997	2037-38
Stirling	A84 90	A84 Kilmahog 2	1997	2038-39

All substandard structures on the trunk road network are monitored and managed in accordance with national standards until such time as funds are prioritised for remedial work.

Question reference: S6W-16162

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on 23 November 2022, when it will publish a full progress report on the improvement plan for NHS Forth Valley, following its escalation to stage 4 of the NHS Scotland performance escalation framework.

The Chair of the Assurance Board, Christine McLaughlin, wrote to members on 31 March 2023 with a full progress update on NHS Forth Valley’s escalation in Governance, Leadership and Culture. The letter has been published on the Scottish Government website: NHS Forth Valley Assurance Board update: letter from the Chair to MSPs - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The onus remains on NHS Forth Valley to deliver and evidence the required improvements in governance, leadership and culture; and, in turn, on performance. The Assurance Board will continue to monitor and scrutinise NHS Forth Valley’s progress.

Question reference: S6W-16066

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Public Health Scotland report, Gonorrhoea infection in Scotland: 2013-2022, which shows that the incidence of diagnosed gonorrhoea infection has increased since May 2021 from three positives per 100,000 people to 17.2 positives per 100,000 people in November 2022.

The Scottish Government recognises the continuing rise in gonorrhoea diagnoses, and we are grateful for the efforts of the dedicated clinicians who continue to work to find and treat affected individuals.

We acknowledge the impact that the pandemic has had on service capacity and levels of routine testing. That is why the upcoming Sexual Health and Blood Borne Strategy, which will be published this Spring, has a strong Covid recovery focus, and why we have invested over £500,000 into development of online STI testing. A pilot of this has begun in NHS Lothian, and we will continue to work with our NHS partners to understand how it may be further expanded.

Question reference: S6W-16069

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that people on hormone replacement therapy for menopause are being seen by their GP in person for monitoring and blood pressure checks, in line with NHS guidelines.

Question reference: S6W-14638

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 5 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it has introduced to address train delays between East Lothian and Edinburgh.

Performance (reliability and punctuality) at Musselburgh, Wallyford, Prestonpans, Longniddry, and Drem on the North Berwick Line compare favourably with the ScotRail average, which in turn compares well with the GB average. Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail to work in partnership with Network Rail in Scotland to continue to improve performance.

For Dunbar in East Lothian, many of the services are provided by LNER, Cross Country and Transpennine Express, which are UK Government train operating companies.