- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to reduce the speed limit on most urban roads to 20mph.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that 20 mph speed limits are implemented on all appropriate roads by the end of 2025.
All local authorities are committed to meeting the 2025 deadline and have developed their own plans designating their own streets and £4m has been provided to 21 local authorities this financial year to aid implementation. Transport Scotland has issued national guidance to support local authorities with the roll-out of 20mph speed limits on appropriate roads.
Early feedback from Borders and Highland Councils, as early adopters, has been positive with a recognition by local communities that this initiative can significantly reduce road casualties, encourage sustainable travel, and foster safer, more vibrant communities.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action that it is taking to support people with long COVID.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 February 2025
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding infrastructure investment plans for the building of new schools, in light of the recent Audit Scotland report, which noted that further borrowing will be needed to invest in these.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 February 2025
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 23 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the review of the home education guidance.
Answer
Scottish Government committed to reviewing the home education guidance in December 2019. This has now been updated following thorough consultation with stakeholders and the general public.
The updated guidance will be published on 23 January 2025 on the Government website here https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836911357
The updated home education guidance reflects the changing context in which home education takes place in Scotland and sets out a child’s rights-based approach to home education.
Scottish Ministers want all those involved in a child’s education to be informed and equipped regarding home education, to better understand the circumstances and choices made by parents, and the responsibilities that parents take on when choosing to home educate.
With this updated guidance, Scottish Ministers continue to encourage local authorities and parents to work together to develop trust, mutual respect and a positive relationship that functions in the best educational interests of the child.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Transport Scotland regarding safety measures at the Shawhead flyover on the A725 in Coatbridge.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that In Practice Systems Ltd, which is reported to be the main software supplier for GP practices in Scotland, has voluntarily entered administration, and what action is being taken to mitigate any impact to GP service delivery.
Answer
The Scottish Government are liaising with NHS National Services Scotland, as the contract holder, and are a member of their GPIT Incident Management Team which has specifically been established to lead on this matter. Through this, NSS are in regular contact with the Administrator. Assurances are continually sought from the Administrators on their plans to ensure continued performance and delivery of the Managed Services to NHS Scotland for the foreseeable whilst the administrators actively seek a buyer for In Practice Systems Ltd.
In the meantime, there remains no impact on GP service delivery and existing operational governance around Service levels is very much still in place. GP practices are advised to utilise the service and raise any queries through their usual health board escalation routes.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 20 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage more (a) prospective and (b) current medical students to specialise in psychiatry.
Answer
Students receive taught modules on mental health and psychiatry in years three and four of their medical degrees with the opportunity for specialist mental health units or clinical placements from year four onwards. There are significant core learning requirements in relation to mental health set out by the GMC and each University ensures these are fulfilled.
The GMC also require all medical schools to provide support for the consideration of postgraduate careers and each school has their own way of doing this. Each of the medical schools have a ‘PsychSoc’ attached to them. These societies are funded by the Royal College of Psychiatrists and work with the medical schools to encourage and support medical students into a career within psychiatric fields.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 15 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what protections it will provide to non-medical aesthetic practitioners, in light of its proposed regulations for the sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government launched a consultation on 20th December 2024, to seek views on how best to further regulate non-surgical cosmetics procedures.
The consultation has been informed by extensive work with a range of stakeholders, including beauty industry representatives, among others, but it is important we receive further feedback before the Scottish Government commits to any proposals.
In taking forward work on any potential new regulations, we will continue to seek views from, and consider the impact on, existing businesses.
Our proposals aim to be both robust and proportionate, protecting the public and supporting reputable business to operate safely.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 13 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out with Local Authority Trading Standards (LATS) to ensure that the public can have a high level of confidence in LATS reports.
Answer
The Scottish Government is a member of the Trading Standards Policy and Coordination Group. This Group is coordinated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) as the representative organisation for local government in Scotland. The Group seek to provide:
- strategic leadership of the trading standards function across Scotland;
- and effective co-ordination of trading standards priorities between local and national government and recruitment and retention of trading standards staff.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place to (a) promote and (b) support access to powerchair football.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that the work of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and Scottish Para-Football is extremely valuable in providing opportunities for people with a range of conditions to participate in football and to promote inclusivity in the game.
An ongoing priority is for the Scottish Government is to support participation across all groups and tackle inequalities in participation. We recognise the power of sport and the positive impact which sport can have on a person's physical and mental health and that those with disabilities are less likely to feel connected to their local community.
Through sportscotland we invest in the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to support the development of football. In financial year 2024/25 our investment is almost £1.35 million. This investment supports the national partnership agreement with the SFA which includes "empowering community football clubs to become sustainable, adaptive and inclusive", but the agreement does not dictate the detail of the expenditure.
I recently met with Scottish Para-Football to discuss current issues and priorities. I will continue to work with Scottish Para-Football to help promote, and support access to all elements of para-football, including powerchair football.
