Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-17014

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any engagement with Liberty Steel Group Holdings UK Ltd regarding the reported concerns of dilapidation and vandalism affecting its Clydebridge Steelworks site in Cambuslang.

I can confirm that the Scottish Government regularly engage with Liberty Steel Group Holdings UK Ltd regarding their operations.

We are aware that last year there were instances of break-ins occurring at the Clydebridge site which were reported to the police and continue to be under investigation. Following this Liberty Steel Group put new security arrangements in place which have prevented subsequent attempts to break into the premises.

I understand that Liberty Steel Group are also undertaking work to remove graffiti from the outside of the building and are maintaining an open dialogue with Police Scotland regarding the security of the site.

Question reference: S6W-16650

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 1,000 additional dedicated roles committed to support community mental health resilience in its 2021-22 Programme for Government it has funded to date, broken down by NHS board.

As a result of the difficult decisions which had to be taken through the Emergency Budget review, recruitment of the 1,000 additional roles to support community mental health resilience, ensuring every GP Practice has access to a mental health and wellbeing service has not yet commenced. We have already prioritised significant investment to build mental health capacity in primary care through Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 and the Primary Care Improvement Fund.

We remain committed to improving mental health service provision in primary care settings. We are therefore working closely with stakeholders, including the Mental Health in Primary Care National Oversight Group, to develop plans to best use the resource available across the system in 2023-24, and in future years to improve support, assessment and treatment in primary care settings.

Question reference: S6W-16644

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that young people with cancer have access to specialist psychological support (a) throughout and (b) beyond their treatment, wherever they live in Scotland.

Over the last year, the Managed Service Network for children and young people with cancer (MSN), reviewed the Psychology, Physiotherapy and Dietetic Resource. As a result, we agreed to make the existing provision of psychological service permanent to provide certainty and ensure young people have access to psychological support.

In addition, the Scottish Cancer Network, alongside the MSN, is currently undertaking a broader workforce mapping exercise and have established a short life working group to support this. The MSN’s review will be considered by the short life working group. This group, who will complete their mapping exercise this year, will specifically look at how we can upskill our current workforce as well as looking at wider service needs within this population group.

Question reference: S6W-16765

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the safety of white collar boxing events in Scotland, and whether it has considered proposals for all unlicensed white collar boxing events to comply with Boxing Scotland’s minimum criteria for such events.

The Scottish Government places great importance on the safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport.

We have met with Boxing Scotland to discuss their proposals around minimum criteria for white collar boxing events.

It is the responsibility of individual boxing event organisers, and any other contact sports, to ensure that they have the appropriate procedures in places to protect the wellbeing of those taking part in their events.

We strongly urge all boxing event organisers to work with Boxing Scotland to ensure that robust measures and protocols are in place to reduce the risk of serious injury and protect the safety of those who take part.

Question reference: S6W-16651

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to deliver its 2021-22 Programme for Government commitment that “by 2026, every GP practice will have access to a mental health and wellbeing service”.

As a result of the difficult decisions which had to be taken through the Emergency Budget review, recruitment of the 1,000 additional roles to support community mental health resilience, ensuring every GP Practice has access to a mental health and wellbeing service has not yet commenced. We have already prioritised significant investment to build mental health capacity in primary care through Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 and the Primary Care Improvement Fund.

We remain committed to improving mental health service provision in primary care settings. We are therefore working closely with stakeholders, including the Mental Health in Primary Care National Oversight Group, to develop plans to best use the resource available across the system in 2023-24, and in future years to improve support, assessment and treatment in primary care settings.

Question reference: S6W-16691

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the section of the M8 that passes through central Glasgow, between Junction 15 (Townhead) and Junction 19 (Anderston), generates noise levels in excess of 80 decibels, which is similar to the noise generated by the runway at Glasgow Airport, whether it will consider revising the M8/M73/M74 Motorways (30mph, 40mph and 50mph Speed Limit) Regulations 2022, under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, to pilot a 30mph speed limit on this section of the M8 in order to assess its impact on noise pollution.

Question reference: S6W-16649

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of GP surgeries currently have access to a dedicated community link worker.

The Scottish Government has not prescribed a specific employment model for Community Link Workers. Local areas decide, on the basis of local need, how they are deployed and in which GP practices they work.

As at March 2022, 76% of GP practices in Scotland had full or partial access to Community Link Workers. By March 2022, 249 WTE community links workers had been recruited through Primary Care Improvement Plans. Figures split by health board can be found at:

Question reference: S6W-16768

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider mandating the Scottish National Investment Bank to create a refund guarantee product for shipbuilding contracts undertaken by shipbuilding companies with operations in Scotland, in a similar manner to other state investment banks.

Question reference: S6W-16769

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress Ferguson Marine has made on implementing the recommendations of the operational benchmarking report that was undertaken by First Marine International (FMI) in 2021, and what investment it has committed to support this.

The 2021 benchmarking report by First Marine International was commissioned by Ferguson Marine and any response to its recommendations would be an operational matter for the shipyard. The Scottish Government, in addition commissioned an FMI productivity report in 2022 to consider potential measures to increase Ferguson Marine’s competitiveness. The outputs of that study are being used to inform Ferguson Marine’s business plan and consideration of future investment at the shipyard.

Question reference: S6O-02162

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average waiting time is for neurology patients who are seeking an appointment with a physiotherapist.

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Chamber and committees