Pam Duncan-Glancy

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will give to welfare rights services, such as that run by Epilepsy Scotland, to protect them against the current cost of living crisis.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the critical role of advice services, often delivered by our diverse third sector and providing lifeline services to the most vulnerable communities during the cost crisis. We are directly investing around £12.5 million this…

11 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its planned review, including any consultation, of the mobility criteria in relation to Adult Disability Payment.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government began stage one of the review of Adult Disability Payment in 2022, by engaging with academics and people with lived experience. We have engaged with disabled people through our experience panels and with stakeholders to inform the par…

11 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to support businesses in key sectors of Glasgow's economy.

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the analysis of responses to the consultation, Scotland's social security system: Enhanced Administration and Compensation Recovery.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The consultation, Scotland's social security system: Enhanced Administration and Compensation Recovery, sought views on proposals to effect ongoing improvement of the Scottish social security system across a range of topics. Taken together, the proposals refl…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Met Office in relation to the Winter Heating Payment.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Scottish Government officials engaged with the Met Office during the initial development of Winter Heating Payment policy. This was prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, and included discussions about how cold weather events are identified for Cold…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Work and Pensions in relation to the Winter Heating Payment.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Scottish Government officials have engaged regularly with the Department for Work and Pensions throughout the development of Winter Heating Payment. This engagement has covered discussion about policy as well as data requirements, system design and delivery o…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the dates on which it has met with (a) the Department for Work and Pensions and (b) any other UK Government representatives to discuss the Winter Heating Payment.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13768 on 25 January 2023. Winter Heating Payment has been discussed with UK Ministers on a number of occasions including at the Joint Ministerial Working Group on Welfare on 21 November 2021 and 16 May 2022. Mi…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments of the Scottish Child Payment for six- to 16-year-olds there were prior to 25 December 2022.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Social Security Scotland routinely releases information on Scottish Child Payment including full applications received, application outcomes and payments. The next quarterly release of Official Statistics, covering the period to the end of December 2022, is …

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments of the Scottish Child Payment for six- to 16-year-olds there have been since 25 December 2022.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13760 on 24 January 2022. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committ…

10 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10720 by Christina McKelvie on 20 September 2022, when it will publish its refreshed Disability Equality Strategy.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: We continue to work closely with the steering group, made up of Disabled People’s Organisations, to co-design the new Disability Equality strategy. The group met several times in 2022 and are focused on listening to the challenges and obstacles disabled peopl…

20 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve public safety in Glasgow.

20 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet its commitment to introducing a national 24/7 thrombectomy service by 2023.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Work is ongoing to establish the most effective means of further expanding access to thrombectomy, including how the increased budget will be best used in recruiting staff to maximise the number of patients able to benefit from this treatment. We are also in…

20 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to continued thrombectomy funding in its draft Budget 2023-24.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13391 on 11 January 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committ…

20 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reverse any planned reductions to thrombectomy funding for the current year.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government remains committed to introducing a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service in Scotland. As a result of the Emergency Budget Review, the thrombectomy service was not reduced, rather the expansion of the service was paused.…

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail the associated costs for its Winter Heating Payment advertising campaign, including a breakdown of spend by advertising method.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Advertising for Winter Heating Payment was initially planned for January 2023 to allow for the associated regulations to have completed the parliamentary process. Due to the low temperatures experienced across Scotland during the early part of December 2022, …

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to spend on (a) Facebook, (b) Instagram, (c) Twitter, (d) YouTube and (e) Tik Tok in relation to its Winter Heating Payment advertising campaign.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Social Security Scotland posted on its Twitter and Facebook accounts to raise awareness of Winter Heating Payment. There has been no spend to date on Winter Heating Payment advertising through social media channels. This will be part of further advertising pl…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out how it calculated that the extension of Scottish Child Payment amounts to £1,300 per eligible child.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The value of Scottish Child Payment for one child receiving the payment for one year is £1,300. This has been calculated by multiplying the now £25 per week rate by the 52 weeks in a standard calendar year.

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time taken for claimants of Scottish Child Payment to receive their payments has been once their application has been approved.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13013 on 9 January 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committe…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the projected response time is for handling claims for Scottish Child Payment as of December 2022.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Official Statistics on Scottish Child Payment are published every quarter. The last publication was on 29 November 2022 and provided information on processing times up to 30 September 2022: Scottish Child Payment: high level statistics to 30 September 2022 -…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many clients Social Security Scotland has referred to VoiceAbility advocacy service.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: VoiceAbility has received a total of 673 referrals, leading to 463 people receiving the appropriate advocacy support when accessing and applying for Social Security Scotland benefits. Of those 673 referrals, 23 were directly referred by Social Security Scotla…

6 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for Social Security Scotland to refer clients to VoiceAbility advocacy service.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Client Advisors from Social Security Scotland are able to directly refer clients to the Independent Advocacy Service via a dedicated secure referral portal. Following referral, VoiceAbility are required to make contact with the client within five working days…

29 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to help women and girls experiencing sexual violence in Glasgow. 

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that women are able to access trauma-informed psychological counselling on the NHS after experiencing gender-based violence.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling gender based violence and ensuring that all victims and survivors can access the help and support they need at a time they need it. During the United Nations 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence, t…

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that women have faith in the justice system when reporting incidents of gender-based violence.

Answer · Keith Brown: As I said in the recent debate on violence against women and girls, when women do need recourse to the Justice system, it is equally important that we respond effectively, competently and with compassion and understanding. We are clear that the justice syste…

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to increase public awareness of its Equally Safe strategy.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Our Delivering Equally Safe fund is providing £19m per year to support third sector organisations and public bodies to contribute to the objectives, priorities and outcomes of our Equally Safe Strategy. We recently published the first six-month report which o…

25 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to tackle the culture of victim blaming women and girls who have experienced sexual assault and/or gender-based violence.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: Our internationally recognised Equally Safe strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls (VAWG) emphasises the importance of challenging the underpinning attitudes and victim blaming culture which enable such violence to take place…

24 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of suspected fraud have been referred to Scottish Courts by Social Security Scotland since the organisation became operational, broken down by (a) year and (b) benefit.  

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Social Security Scotland carefully considers the information on counter fraud activity that can be placed into the public domain to ensure that any information released does not undermine the ability of Social Security Scotland to prevent and detect crime. We…

22 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to food producers to work towards meeting its right to food commitments.

16 Nov 2022 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consult MSP staff trade unions before deciding on uprating the Staff Cost Provision in the 2023-24 financial year.

8 Nov 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve positive destinations for disabled people leaving school.