Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27139

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26976 by Gillian Martin on 30 April 2024, how it will ensure that Green Volt honours its commitment.

All Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) projects are required to submit a Supply Chain Development Statement (SCDS) to Crown Estate Scotland (CES) outlining the nature and location of supply chain activity across four different project stages.

SCDSs will be updated throughout development as project specifics become clearer and as the development of the supply chain progresses.

Final SCDSs are submitted to CES just before projects secure a seabed lease. Where actual supply chain achievements, evidenced through the contracted position statement, are not in line with the final SCDS commitments, there are contractual remedies available to CES, ranging from financial penalties to revoking the ability to secure a lease.

Question reference: S6W-27273

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent domestic violence in Lanarkshire.

Firstly, I would reiterate that violence against women is a fundamental violation of human rights and is totally unacceptable.

It is also important to highlight that the Lanarkshire division within Police Scotland play an important local role in preventing domestic abuse and safeguarding women and girls. This is reflected within the Local Policing Plan which has a particular focus on Gender Based Abuse.

I would also advise that the Lanarkshire Division are currently collaborating on a pilot project with partners from Women’s Aid and Lanarkshire Rape Crisis to establish a crisis centre supporting women and children fleeing domestic abuse. I would hope we might be able to say more about that at an appropriate point.

Finally, I would add that over £1.4m of the Scottish Government’s Delivering Equally Safe Fund has been allocated in grant funding this financial year in Lanarkshire. This includes funding to a range of organisations such as Motherwell & District Women’s Aid and Liber8 who support women affected by gender-based violence.

Question reference: S6W-27272

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 03 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Sentencing Council regarding sentencing in cases where miscarriage or forced termination has occurred as a serious aggravation of domestic abuse.

Instances where miscarriage or forced termination has taken place because of domestic violence reflects the most tragic of circumstances based on the cruel realities of domestic abuse.

Just two weeks ago, this Parliament debated a Petition on the creation of an unborn victims of violence offence, where we heard about the harrowing realities of domestic abuse that were suffered by the Petitioner, Nicola Murray.

Following the debate, my officials have been in contact with the Sentencing Council to ascertain the next steps in their development of guidelines on domestic abuse. As this Parliament recognised, the outcome of this work is fundamental in determining next steps. I look forward to how this progresses as we look to root out and tackle the toxic masculinity and gender inequality that leads to violence, harassment, misogyny and abuse against women.

Question reference: S6W-27126

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03153 by Màiri McAllan on 6 March 2024, whether it will provide an update on its review, due to be published in spring 2024, of how to increase the number of co-operatives, social enterprises and employee-owned businesses as part of the move to a wellbeing economy.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) announced a ‘.. review of how best to significantly increase the number of social enterprises, employee-owned businesses and co-operatives in Scotland, supporting regional regeneration and the wealth of local communities’.

The independent review is nearing completion and is anticipated to complete, with findings and recommendations published, prior to summer recess 2024.

Question reference: S6W-27127

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will report the findings of the peak fares removal pilot to the Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-27366

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21549 by Jenni Minto on 3 October 2023, what progress NHS boards have made on implementing the Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) recommendations, published on 23 March 2023, requiring access to placental growth factor (PlGF) based tests as part of maternity care.

Question reference: S6W-27367

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what barriers there have been to the implementation of placental growth factor (PlGF)-based tests, and what action it is taking to resolve any such barriers.

Question reference: S6W-27122

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 22 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the situation regarding the number of specialist palliative care beds at Kilbryde Hospice.

Question reference: S6W-26947

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out the high-level principles of its proposed Air Departure Tax prior to July 2024.

Question reference: S6W-26956

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any threat of wildfires in national parks ahead of the summer season, and what the outcome was of any such assessment.

SFRS’s new wildfire strategy was created with partnership at its heart. The strategy considers the increased risk of wildfire and changing climate in Scotland; the latest developments in wildfire management, training, and operational procedures; and the advances in technology that have been made in PPE and equipment.

The assessment of wildfire risk lies, first and foremost, with landowners/land managers. However, through the Scottish Wildfire Forum, a wildfire danger assessment is carried out every 5-7 days by a third-party expert. When the risk of wildfire reaches very high or extreme then the assessment is circulated across a wide network of key contacts, including public sector and private interests to ensure as wide a coverage as possible.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service works closely with land managers, communities and other safety partners to prevent these incidents ever occurring. SFRS remains ready and able to respond to any instance of wildfire that occurs across Scotland.

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