Parliamentary questions
Paul O'Kane
310 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
12 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that lessons from the implementation of the public sector equality duty are taken into account in the development of its proposed Human Rights Bill.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The 2024-25 Programme for Government set out the Scottish Government’s commitment to strengthening the implementation of human rights and advancing proposals around extended rights protection. This includes continuing to work to develop a new Human Righ…
12 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the review of the public sector equality duty, what progress has been made on the proposal to use regulation 11 of the Scottish specific duties to make more effective use of intersectional equality data in policy making and increasing consideration of equality data in policy m…
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government is actively exploring the use of Regulation 11 of the Scottish Specific Duties. This includes considering how this regulation might be used to encourage public bodies to make more effective use of intersectional equality data in policy…
12 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to revisit and expand the review of the public sector equality duty, in light of the letter to stakeholders on 4 October 2023 from the then Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the effectiveness of the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) and is committed to improving its implementation through a phased approach, within the limits of devolved competence.We are progressing key initiatives …
12 Jun 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its ongoing work with local authorities, Police Scotland and other partners to tackle the reported increasing antisocial behaviour in town centres.
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reform the threshold element of the Carer Support Payment following the completion of the transfer from Carer's Allowance in Scotland.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As set out in our response to our 2022 public consultation, we are considering options for reform of the earnings threshold as part of longer-term plans for improvements to Carer Support Payment. These include increasing the earnings threshold and introducing…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it will undertake with (a) the Department for Work and Pensions and (b) Social Security Scotland during the roll-out of, and process of case transfer to, Carer Support Payment, to increase the level of help and advice available to unpaid carers in Scotland who may have been lef…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has urged the DWP to carefully consider people’s individual circumstances before any recovery of Carer’s Allowance overpayments from carers. It is our established policy that no-one should be placed into hardship as a result of overpay…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with the Department for Work and Pensions under the agency agreement for the delivery of Carer's Allowance in Scotland to identify the (a) number of carers affected by overpayment debt and (b) levels of debt accumulated.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has urged the DWP to carefully consider people’s individual circumstances before any recovery of Carer’s Allowance overpayments from carers. Discussions are ongoing with the DWP as to potential arrangements for the recovery of any Care…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the introduction and operation of Carer Support Payment, whether it has made an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to prevent the accumulation of debt among carers in receipt of Carer's Allowance in Scotland due to (a) delayed investigation and (b) non-inv…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We have taken on board lessons from Carer’s Allowance in designing Carer Support Payment to better prevent overpayments. Information on earnings rules and when to report changes are much clearer. We are making better use of the ability to average out carers’ …
22 May 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address food poverty, in light of the recent figures published by the Trussell Trust showing that its network distributed 262,400 emergency food parcels in the last 12 months.
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its proposals for a human rights incorporation bill, when it plans to (a) publish an initial draft of the legislation and (b) introduce any bill to the Parliament, and whether it will provide an update on whether it anticipates that a bill on this issue will be passed during t…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27480 on 4 June 2024. 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-committee…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how any learning from the early adopter community programmes set out in the School Age Childcare Delivery Framework will be used to scale up an improved childcare offer at the national level.
Answer · Natalie Don: Since October 2022 we have invested £4 million to deliver innovative school age childcare services to around 600 children from 500 families through our Early Adopter Community projects in Glasgow, Inverclyde, Clackmannanshire and Dundee. On 22 May 2024, the …
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many women workers in the early learning and childcare workforce it estimates will be captured by its commitment to pay at least £12 per hour to workers delivering the funded entitlement.
Answer · Natalie Don: It is estimated that around 12,500 female practitioners and support workers who are working in private and third sector ‘day care of children’ settings that deliver funded ELC will benefit from Scottish Government investment to allow staff to be paid at least…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the reported underlying causes of the recruitment and retention challenges within the childcare sector, such as gendered occupational segregation, low pay and poor working conditions, are being considered in the development of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare professi…
Answer · Natalie Don: We are engaging closely with our sector wide stakeholder group and taking an evidence-based approach to developing and delivering actions to support Scotland’s childcare profession that include consideration of gender, pay and wider working conditions. This b…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the updated timescale is for delivery of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare profession, in light of the document, Best Start: Strategic early learning and school age childcare plan for Scotland 2022-26, stating that it would be published in late 2022.
Answer · Natalie Don: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27778 on 10 June 2024. 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-committees…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the development of the strategic framework for Scotland’s childcare profession, which was committed to in the document, Best Start: Strategic early learning and school age childcare plan for Scotland 2022-26.
Answer · Natalie Don: Following the announcement of major new childcare commitments in the 2023-24 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government is re-considering the approach to publication of the strategic framework for the early learning and school age childcare profession.…
13 May 2024 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Scottish Men's Sheds Association could collapse due to the withdrawal of Scottish Government funding.
7 May 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
24 Apr 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.
18 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people that require social care are currently receiving this support in inappropriate hospital stays or out-of-area placements, and what its position is on whether this reflects the commitment in the Coming Home Implementation programme to greatly reduce delayed discharges and i…
Answer · Maree Todd: Scottish Government continue to implement the actions in the Coming Home Implementation Report, and work with COSLA to seek progress across the country. Local public bodies have the statutory responsibility for this and delivery rests with them – however we k…
13 Mar 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Immediate Priorities Plan developed with disabled people’s organisations.
7 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development and implementation of the actions within the Immediate Priorities Plan developed by its Equality, Inclusion and Human Rights Directorate, in co-ordination with Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs).
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, since the introduction of annual health checks for adults with a learning disability in May 2022, what percentage of eligible adults have received such a health check.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25185 on 12 February 2024. 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-commit…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, since the introduction of annual health checks for adults with a learning disability in May 2022, how many adults had received such a health check by 31 March 2023.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25185 on12 February 2024. 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…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, since the introduction of annual health checks for adults with a learning disability in May 2022, how many adults have received such a health check.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25185 on 12 February 2024. 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-commit…
1 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, since the introduction of annual health checks for adults with a learning disability in May 2022, how many adults have been offered such a health check.
Answer · Maree Todd: This information is not currently collected by the Scottish Government. The National Directions for Annual Health Checks state that all eligible people with a learning disability should be offered an annual health check by 31 March 2024. The Scottish Governme…
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have either been built or had modifications made to them, to increase the supply of accessible and adapted housing, in the last year.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Management information on the Affordable Housing Supply Programme for 2022-23 shows that 6,868 new build social homes were built. Returned information confirmed that 99% met Housing for Varying Needs standards. As part of the total 10,462 affordable homes del…
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of (a) the current supply of accessible and adapted housing and (b) whether current capacity meets demand.
Answer · Paul McLennan: It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities through their Local Housing Strategy (LHS) and Development Plan to determine the appropriate housing required in their area, informed by a Housing Need and Demand Assessment. This includes consideration …
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of decisions taken in the Budget for 2024-25 on aims to increase the supply of accessible and adapted housing.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Our budget decisions are based on fiscal sustainability, legal requirements, contractual obligations and previous commitments, as well as a range of social, economic, political and environmental issues. Work is also ongoing with the financial community in Sco…
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what funding it has made available to increase the supply of accessible and adapted housing.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Through the 2023-24 Affordable Housing Supply Programme we are investing £752 million to support local authority strategic housing priorities, including accessible housing. All new build properties which are delivered directly by councils and social landlords…
25 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to a supplementary to question S6O-03013 by Emma Roddick on 25 January 2024, whether it will detail the ways in which it is “increasing the supply of accessible and adapted housing”.
Answer · Paul McLennan: We continue to take forward our commitments to improving the accessibility and adaptability of new homes in Scotland. Work to review and update the Housing for Varying Needs design guide, applicable to homes delivered with support through the Affordable Housi…