Elaine Smith

23 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce persistent poverty rates among retired older people, which are reportedly higher in Scotland compared with the rest of the UK.

Answer · Angela Constance: The persistent poverty figures were released as experimental statistics, and the data is still under development. The small differences in pensioner poverty between countries and over time may not reflect actual differences. The Scottish Government is commit…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14294 by Shona Robison on 20 February 2018, which NHS boards do not include stoma care within local home care services.

Answer · Shona Robison: Home care stoma services are provided by a partnership of social care staff and NHS nursing staff, including stoma specialist nurses. NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Orkney and NHS Western Isles have stated that the home care staff in their areas do not provide stoma ca…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14543 by James Wolffe QC on 5 March 2018, where the review decision taken by the Senior Crown Counsel on the David Goodwillie and David Robertson case is published.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) does not generally publish reviews of evidence relating to decisions made by Crown Counsel not to prosecute. Whilst COPFS will provide reasons for discontinuing cases to victims in appropriate circumstan…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the funding for the STUC’s Fair Work: Leadership and Equality Programme will assist in addressing the specific problems faced by older women.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Leadership and Equality Programme aims to increase equality in the workplace and to develop leadership capacity through training and development. The funding criteria for 2018-19 is expected to be approved by the Scottish Union Learning Board in June. In…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Commission on Older Women report, Older Women and Work: Looking to the Future, which was published in 2015, and what progress it has made regarding the report's recommendations.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government agrees that supporting women of all ages in the labour market is a key priority and that older women face particular challenges. The number of older women in Scotland who chose to work continues to increase and the Scottish Government …

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific additional support is given to older women remaining in the workforce through its employment initiatives.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-15597 on 26 April 2018. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybu…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all projects that have received money from its Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund 2017-2020 have trade union recognition agreements.

Answer · Angela Constance: Funding under the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund is for specific project work and not for core funding organisations. Organisations do not need to disclose details of any trade union recognition agreements in their funding application.

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to encouraging employers to provide facility time for trade union equality representatives as a means to tackling racism, discrimination and inequality in the workplace.

Answer · Keith Brown: While Equality Reps are not statutory under UK Employment Law, it is a role which the Scottish Government fully supports. Although we have no power over employment law we would encourage employers to provide Equality Reps with time-off, training and facilitie…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on increasing the number of trade union equality representatives in workplaces.

Answer · Keith Brown: In 2017-18, the Equality Representative Development Programme has enabled 18 reps to develop their leadership skills in the workplace and to progress to the accredited TUC-led Equality Representative course. Other than those supported through the Equality Re…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements are in place to monitor whether employers receiving public funding recognise trade unions.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government’s Statutory Guidance on Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage in Procurement (2015), requires public bodies to consider how they can address Fair Work as part of procurement exercises. We expect all public bodies t…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all projects that have received money from its Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund 2017-2020 pay their staff at least the Scottish Living Wage.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is committed to tackling pay inequality. Applicants applying to the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund (PECF) were asked whether or not the organisation is an Accredited Living Wage Employer, and if the organisation pays all staff em…

22 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding arrangements are in place for (a) projects and (b) organisations funded through its Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund 2017-2020 for the temporary recruitment of staff to cover maternity or paternity leave.

Answer · Angela Constance: Funding under the Promoting Equality and Cohesion Fund (PECF) is for specific project work and not for core funding of the organisation. Organisations will have different ways of managing PECF staff taking maternity or paternity leave. This will be informed b…

26 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent Scottish Maternal and Infant Nutrition survey, which suggests that over a quarter of mothers have been made to feel uncomfortable when breastfeeding in public.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scottish Government is concerned that any mother is made to feel uncomfortable when breastfeeding in public. We are committed to ensuring that all mothers are made to feel more comfortable when feeding their babies, in any setting. The findings from the Mate…

26 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle reported negative attitudes towards breastfeeding in public.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government started a specific piece of work in June 2017 targeting public attitudes and challenging the population to “Change the Conversation” in support of breastfeeding as the normal way to feed a baby. We will be working with a range of stak…

23 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have applied to become rent pressure zones under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, and which have been granted this status.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has not received any applications for rent pressure zone designation.

15 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Citizens Advice Scotland publication, Disconnected: Understanding digital inclusion and improving access.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government welcomes the report and the ongoing commitment from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) to increasing digital participation. We recognise that we will only close the digital divide by working together across all sectors. Home internet acce…

15 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it has taken to resolve the reported issue with the Scottish Crime Campus car park and its impact on the surrounding area.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Crime Campus Management Board who represent each of the occupying partners have been and continue to work with staff and others, including Gartcosh Community Council and North Lanarkshire Council, to address the issue and generate a solution. Sco…

14 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what importance it gives to the environmental protection of green belt land in the Central Scotland region.

12 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who the national lead clinician is for chronic pain; when the appointment was made, and how many hours-per-week the person is contracted for.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The national lead clinician for chronic pain is Professor Blair Smith, who was appointed in 2014 and is employed by the University of Dundee. Scottish Government provides reimbursement to the university for protected work time via a Service Level Agreement (S…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to build confidence in the justice process for people who have experienced sexual assault or rape.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that victims who have experienced sexual assault or rape have confidence in a victim-centred justice system. We recognise the key role which advocacy and support services have in helping victims to come forwar…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision not to revisit the rape case involving the footballers, David Goodwillie and David Robertson, who were convicted following a civil action, what plans it has to reassure the public of its commitment to tackle violence against women.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Prosecution decisions are a matter for the Lord Advocate and Scottish Ministers would not comment on nor intervene in these matters. Rape is a very serious crime and should be prosecuted through the criminal courts where there is sufficient evidence in a cas…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out the reasons for the decision not to reconsider the rape case of the two footballers, David Goodwillie and David Robertson, in light of the successful civil action against them.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: As a result of the decision in the civil case referred to, the Lord Advocate instructed that all of the available case materials and Lord Armstrong’s judgement be considered by a Senior Crown Counsel who had had no previous involvement in the case. Senior Cro…

8 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the 48% conviction rates for rape and attempted rape, given that the conviction rates for all sexual crimes is 72%.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Since 2006-07, the conviction rate for rape has varied between 37% and 56%. We have and will continue to seek to strengthen the law in relation to rape where possible and how rape cases are dealt with within our courts. The Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 200…

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether young offenders institutions should be run by the private sector.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has a commitment to a publicly owned and run prison service. That is why in August 2007, we confirmed that any further new prisons in Scotland would be owned and operated by the public sector.

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has accepted unofficial reports from the police, which COPFS do not formally number, regarding crimes allegedly committed by officers, and what its response is to concerns that the practice might (a) be disc…

Answer · James Wolffe QC: In terms of Police Service of Scotland Conduct Regulations all allegations inferring criminality by Police Officers must be referred for independent investigation by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This requirement has existed for many years …

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has accepted unofficial reports from the police, which COPFS do not formally number, regarding crimes allegedly committed by officers, whether it will confirm what statistics COPFS has produced regarding the…

Answer · James Wolffe QC: In terms of Police Service of Scotland Conduct Regulations all allegations inferring criminality by Police Officers must be referred for independent investigation by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This requirement has existed for many years …

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has accepted unofficial reports from the police, which COPFS do not formally number, regarding crimes allegedly committed by officers; what name COPFS gives to this practice; when it was introduce…

Answer · James Wolffe QC: In terms of Police Service of Scotland Conduct Regulations all allegations inferring criminality by Police Officers must be referred for independent investigation by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. This requirement has existed for many years …

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that young people under the care of the Scottish Prison Service are not vulnerable to institutional neglect. 

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Prisons (Scotland) Act 1989 sets out the statutory arrangements for inspecting and monitoring prisons in Scotland. Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland (HMCIPS), who is appointed in terms of section 7 of the Act, has responsibility for in…

7 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the fire at HMYOI Polmont on 2 February 2018.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: SPS is undertaking an assessment of risk across all residential areas of the Scottish prison estate. The information gathered from these ass…

5 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported positive results of trialling the co-location of services highlighted in Glasgow Centre for Population Health’s report, Building Connections: co-locating advice services in general practices and job centres, with individuals making substantial financial gains, w…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We note the conclusions of the Glasgow Centre for Population Health's report Building Connections. These are similar to the report from the Improvement Service earlier in 2017 on the social return on investment of collocating welfare advice workers in medical…