Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27674

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact will be of Aberdeenshire Council reportedly receiving only 20 of the 44 newly qualified secondary school teachers it requested for the coming school year.

Question reference: S6W-27693

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provides to each NHS board for audiology services.

Question reference: S6W-27692

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on what the current waiting times are for hearing aids, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-27373

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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-26962 by Natalie Don on 2 May 2024, whether it has considered reviewing its funded early learning and childcare eligibility guidance to include multiples.

Question reference: S6O-03434

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the justice secretary last met with the Lord Advocate.

Question reference: S6W-27084

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how long a hospital must be closed before it is formally recognised as closed.

The Scottish Government and COSLA’s Planning with People guidance sets out how NHS boards, Integration Joint Boards and Local Authorities should involve people and communities throughout the development, planning and decision-making process for service change. The closure of a hospital is an example of service change which requires significant levels of engagement by NHS Boards with stakeholders including patients, the affected community and elected representatives.

In normal circumstances, a hospital would only be closed following engagement and consultation and as a result there is no formal definition for how long a hospital must be closed before being officially recognised as such.

Question reference: S6W-26477

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25336 by Maree Todd on 4 March 2024, in relation to those who attended their first appointment for assessment in the last five years, how many people experienced each of the three main outcomes that were listed in the previous answer.

Question reference: S6W-26962

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether parents of multiples aged two years old qualify for funded early learning and childcare under exceptional circumstances.

Since August 2021, we have implemented the funded early learning and childcare (ELC) offer which provides up to 1140 hours per year (equivalent to 30 hours/week term time or approx. 22 hours/week year-round) for all three- and four-year-olds and eligible 2-year-olds. This is fully funded by the Scottish Government and delivered through local councils. More information on eligibility can be found online: Funded early learning and childcare - mygov.scot .

A two year old as part of a multiple birth is not automatically eligible for access to funded ELC due to being a multiple, although local councils have a discretionary power to provide access to funded ELC to any child residing in their area, as they see fit. We are aware that some councils use this discretion to offer places to a wider range of children, either: according to local priorities, or; according to the needs of the individual child. We provide statutory guidance to local authorities on their duties and powers in relation to funded ELC here: Introduction - Early learning and childcare: statutory guidance - July 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6O-03389

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the rural affairs secretary last met with Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-26966

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26479 by Siobhan Brown on 22 April 2024, what information it has on what criteria the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman uses for categorising cases as (a) priority and (b) non-priority.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) prioritises cases based on a number of factors. These include whether the person bringing the complaint, or person affected, is vulnerable; any immediate health issues of the complainant or person affected; whether the subject matter of the complaint is urgent and ongoing or time critical; and the impact. The SPSO encourages people to contact them if their circumstances change or if that they feel their complaint should be prioritised, so the priority level can be reviewed.

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