Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-14227

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent communication it has had with McGill's Buses regarding the number 52 bus route in Barrhead.

Question reference: S6W-14226

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) regarding the proposal to withdraw the Network Support Grant scheme at the end of March 2023.

There are currently no plans to withdraw the Network Support Grant scheme and as such, no discussions on this topic have been held with SPT.

The Network Support Grant Plus scheme is a temporary scheme which is coming to an end on 31 March 2023. The Scottish Government, bus operators, local authorities and regional transport partnerships including SPT are continuing to collaborate through the Bus Taskforce to explore how to address the challenges of rising costs and driver shortages currently facing the bus industry.

Question reference: S6W-14229

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of its analysis of the impact of the Network Support Grant scheme on the bus network across Scotland.

The purpose of the Network Support Grant is to help to keep both commercial and subsidised services more extensive and fares more affordable than they would otherwise have been. The Network Support Grant continues to provide the same support that the Bus Service Operator Grant (BSOG) provided for many years. As such, it is difficult to separate the impact of the Network Support Grant from the Bus Service Operator Grant on the bus network.

Question reference: S6T-01149

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported announcement that Unite the Union has withdrawn from the co-design process of the National Care Service.

Question reference: S6O-01826

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with East Renfrewshire Council.

Question reference: S6O-01744

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting children and young people's theatre.

Question reference: S6W-12507

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to make additional resources available to support the NHS Gluten-free Food Service.

Question reference: S6W-12508

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available to people with coeliac disease to assist with the purchase of essential gluten-free food products.

There is no specific financial support to assist with the purchase of gluten-free food products. However, people who have been clinically diagnosed with coeliac disease or dermatitis herpetiformis can receive a range of gluten-free food on prescription at no charge.

There is a monthly unit allowance and people may choose to use all or part of that allowance to access gluten-free items through their local community pharmacy if they wish. To help with costs, patients may choose to order their maximum number of units each month.

Question reference: S6W-12323

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to ensure that there is a sufficient number of teachers at Dargavel Primary School, in Bishopton.

Local councils are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of their staff. This includes providing a complement of teachers which best meets the needs of each of their schools and its pupils within the resources available.

During the pandemic, the Scottish Government provided an additional £240m to local authorities to support the recruitment of additional teachers and support staff. We have since committed further permanent funding of £145.5m a year to further support education staffing.

Question reference: S6W-12398

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 5 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be represented by any (a) Scottish Ministers, (b) elected politicians and (c) officials at the World Cup in Qatar.

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