- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is planning to take to build a sustainable nursing and midwifery workforce that supports and maximises existing pre and post registration programmes, and what is meant by the term “sustainable alternative entry routes”, as outlined in the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce recommendations.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
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: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin the mapping exercise of the current digital landscape, as committed to in the recommended actions of the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
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: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an assessment of the potential increase in NHS and social care costs resulting from any reductions in local authority-funded housing support services.
Answer
Housing support is commissioned at a local level by Local Authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships who are best placed to identify local needs. Any Local Authority who is considering a reduction in funding to housing support services should determine and assess any potential impacts which may result from their decision. South Lanarkshire Council have conducted an Integrated Impact Assessment, which is available at: HTR01 - Financial Savings 2025-26 - Sheltered Housing - Housing Support Funding to Registered Social Landlords Plans and policies - South Lanarkshire Council.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce an updated version of the campaign, No Knives, Better Lives.
Answer
We review YouthLink Scotland’s No Knives, Better Lives programme regularly to consider how it can continue to help prevent violence and reduce its harm. Part of this work has included the creation of the Quit Fighting for Likes Campaign, developed by the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit, YouthLink Scotland No Knives, Better Lives and Medics Against Violence. Launched on 11 September 2024, the campaign provides a suite of resources aimed at frontline practitioners to help engage young people in conversations to help them understand the impact and harms caused around the filming and sharing of violent incidents.
The campaign, including the accompanying practitioner resources, remain available to access on the websites of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit and YouthLink Scotland No Knives, Better Lives. It is intended that the campaign will be re-run again after the school summer holidays.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) has been used to support the integration of digital technologies in freight transport and, if so, which projects have received this support.
Answer
To date, no applicant has sought to include within an award of Freight Facilities Grant the integration of digital technologies as a specific element of a funded project.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress made towards the affordable housing supply targets outlined in the Housing to 2040 strategy.
Answer
The Scottish Government's ambition is for everyone to have a safe, good quality and affordable home that meets their needs in the place where they want to be. Housing to 2040 remains our key overarching long-term strategy that sets out a vision and roadmap to ensuring everyone in Scotland has a safe, good quality and affordable home by 2040, and as part of that we remain focused on delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these for social rent and 10% in rural and island areas.
Between 23 March 2022 and end of September 2024, we have delivered 24,382 affordable homes towards the 110,000 target, of which over 18,000 (76%) have been homes for social rent. Based on management figures, we have delivered over 12,000 affordable homes in rural and island communities, between April 2016 and March 2024.
The Scottish Government regularly publishes figures on homes delivered, which can be found online at:
Housing statistics quarterly update: new housebuilding and affordable housing supply - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Statistics to end December 2024 are due to be published on Tuesday 25 March 2025.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many signs are located along the (a) A82, (b) A828, (c) A83, (d) A835, (e) A85, (f) A86, (g) A87, (h) A887, (i) A889, (j) A9, (k) A95, (l) A96 and (m) A99, and what proportion does not meet current standards for visibility and effectiveness, broken down by Category (i) 1 and (ii) 2 defects.
Answer
Category 1 defects are defined within the term maintenance contract as those that present, or could present, an immediate hazard to trunk road users. They are typically detected during the twice weekly driven safety related inspections. Category 2 defects are defined as those which do not present an immediate hazard to road users and are typically identified during walked annual inspections.
The following table contains the number of signs on the routes requested along with the number of signs with open defects of all types as at 12 February 2025.
| Number of signs | Category 1 defects | Category 2 defects |
A82 | 5517 | 17 | 1600 |
A828 | 971 | 3 | 87 |
A83 | 2050 | 9 | 711 |
A835 | 1033 | 0 | 239 |
A85 | 3028 | 2 | 958 |
A86 | 1545 | 2 | 339 |
A87 | 2341 | 3 | 481 |
A887 | 188 | 0 | 67 |
A889 | 289 | 0 | 153 |
A9 | 6062 | 18 | 1374 |
A95 | 1157 | 0 | 84 |
A96 | 3064 | 18 | 274 |
A99 | 430 | 2 | 63 |
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin the review of the predicted absence allowance in the staffing level tools used by NHS Scotland, as it committed to in the recommended actions of the Ministerial Scottish Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce.
Answer
As set out in answer to Parliamentary Question S6W-34995 on 27 February 2025, the implementation phase of the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has now begun, and two Implementation Delivery Groups are being established to oversee swift delivery of all 44 recommended actions. One group, chaired by the Interim Chief Nursing Officer, will meet at the end of February and then recurrently every 6 - 8 weeks. A further Implementation Delivery Group will be chaired by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and will meet in Spring and then every six months. These two Groups will ensure that priorities are clearly defined, progress is measurable, and key milestones are met. A detailed work plan and timeline to guide the delivery of the recommended actions will be agreed in Spring.
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: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) contributes to its efforts to reduce road freight traffic, and what impact this has had on (a) road congestion and (b) air quality.
Answer
Since 1997, Freight Facilities Grants have removed over 50 million lorry miles from Scotland's roads. The exact impact on road congestion and air quality of each project cannot be confidently described due to the effect of other local influences on transport demand.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 27 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to drive an increase in the uptake of heat pumps, in light of a reported reduction in field agents at Home Energy Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government delivers a broad range of programmes to provide advice and support for property owners related to energy efficiency and clean heating, including the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme.
There is no such role as field agent within this programme, however there are a range of advisor roles entailed in delivering the grant funded Home Energy Scotland advice service, as well as service delivery staff employed in delivery of the contracted loans and grant administration service. Across these, resource levels are aligned to demand for our services.
Our Heat in Buildings Public Engagement Strategy published in December 2023 outlines our approach to increase awareness and understanding of heat decarbonisation and the support available to help make the transition.
Over 6,000 heat pumps were installed in Scotland last year, with 2,500 of those installs receiving support through HES Grant and Loan Scheme funding.