Parliamentary questions
Jackie Baillie
9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) budget and (b) investment target will be for each of the innovation and investment hubs referred to in the 2016-17 Programme for Government in each of the next three years; how many staff each hub will employ, and when the Brussels hub will open.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has budgeted £3.5million in 2016-17 for the initial piloting of the three Innovation and Investment Hubs. As part of the next spending review the Scottish Government will consider budgets for future years. Outcomes for each Hub locatio…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering developing further indicators on end of life care for use by health and social care partnerships.
Answer · Shona Robison: A review of health and social care targets and indicators was announced in September 2016. This review will be chaired by the University of Strathclyde Professor of Global Public Health, Sir Harry Burns, and will ensure targets and performance indicators lead…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when health and social care partnerships will begin publishing the data required by the two indicators on end of life care.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-02458 on 21 September 2016. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made developing the two indicators on end of life care to be used by health and social care partnerships.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Health and Social Care Integration Indicator 15 on the “Proportion of last 6 months of life spent at home or in a community setting” is now fully developed and will be reported on by all Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) as part of their Performance…
8 Sep 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the two indicators on end of life care to be used by health and social care partnerships will be most effective in improving care.
Answer · Shona Robison: The current core suite of integration indicators was developed in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders across all sectors, including NHS Scotland, COSLA and a wide variety of third and independent organisations to ensure that they would be effective…
7 Sep 2016 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve train services in the Dumbarton parliamentary constituency.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is committed to improving rail services and connectivity within Dumbarton. We have, through the ScotRail franchise, increased the frequency of passenger services between Glasgow and Dumbarton from four to six services per hour and have…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote self-directed support as an option to unpaid carers.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government recognises the extremely important role of unpaid carers and the valuable contribution they make within their local communities. The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 provides local authorities with a statutory di…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to further publicise option 1 of self-directed support.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Social Care (Self-directed Support) Act 2013 is founded on the principles of dignity, empowerment and collaboration. It places firm duties on local authorities to offer a range of options for how social care support is delivered and to give individuals th…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address the take up of options 1 and 2 of self-directed support that was recorded in the July 2016 report, Self-directed Support, Scotland, 2014-15.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 became Scotland’s approach to social care on the 1 April 2014. It places firm duties on local authorities to offer a range of options for how social care support is delivered. The Statutory Guidance …
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to increase the number of people being offered choice under self-directed support from the 20% figure recorded in the July 2016 report, Self-directed Support, Scotland, 2014-15.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 became Scotland’s approach to social care on 1 April 2014. It places firm duties on local authorities to offer a range of options for how social care support is delivered. The Statutory Guidance that…
23 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address the variation in the uptake of self-directed support between people with physical and learning impairments that was recorded in the July 2016 report, Self-directed Support, Scotland, 2014-15.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Social Care (Self-directed Support) Act 2013 introduces a range of options for how social care support is delivered and to give individuals the support and information required to enable them to make informed choices. This has opened up support to all ind…
15 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a national commission to look at the changes required to establish a system of social care that lives up to Scotland’s social justice and human rights ambitions.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is working with COSLA, providers and other partners to deliver a major programme of reform to adult social care. This will consider the commissioning of residential care and the role of new models of care and support in home care. This…
15 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take following the launch of the Shared Ambition for the Future of Social Care Support In Scotland on 27 July 2016 at an event that was attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport.
Answer · Shona Robison: I will meet with representatives from Inclusion Scotland, Independent Living in Scotland, the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living, Scottish Independent Living Coalition and the Coalition for Carers in Scotland in the near future to discuss the Shared Ambition…
15 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to consult on the introduction of national guidance for care charges and, if so (a) when it will commence and (b) whether it will consider the option of a cap on care charges that takes account of the cost of disability-related expenditure.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has committed to considering how best to address the issues raised around charges for social care. We have already made significant progress in reviewing the fairness of charging in the social care system. As a result, from 1 April 20…
4 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many oil and gas workers have been assisted by Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE); how many of them (a) attended information events and (b) received an in-depth service, and what service these received.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: To support individuals who have been made redundant, or are at risk of redundancy, in the oil and gas industry and other sectors affected by the downturn, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) organised four high-profile PACE events held in Aberdeen in March, Jun…
4 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact on employment and the administration of the Scottish rate of income tax, whether it has been provided with a copy of a business plan or other analysis to support the closure of 17 HM Revenue and Customs offices in Scotland and, if so, whether this will be publishe…
Answer · Derek Mackay: HMRC continues to be responsible and accountable for the efficient and effective administration of income tax for Scottish taxpayers. When HMRC announced the next stage of their Building our Future transformation programme on 12 November 2015, the First Min…
4 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the administration of the Scottish rate of income tax of the proposed staffing cuts and office closures at HM Revenue and Customs in Scotland; whether it has discussed this with the UK Government, and, if so, whether it will provide …
Answer · Derek Mackay: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01811 on 17 August 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/…
2 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances a child born before 1 July 2015 would qualify for the meningitis B vaccine.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Infants covered by the routine childhood programme are those born from 1 May 2015 onwards. While the routine childhood programme does not extend to older children, there are certain children who should receive the vaccination on clinical grounds due to increa…
2 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on the basis of what scientific evidence it has set a date for eligibility for meningitis B vaccine.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The position is based on independent expert scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI considered all of the available information on epidemiology, vaccine efficacy, strain coverage, duration of protection, and…
2 Aug 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether meningitis B vaccines are available to children born before 1 July 2015 and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is guided on vaccination policy by the independent expert body, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). Following the JCVI's advice, the Scottish Government introduced the Meningitis B (Men B) vaccine on 1 September…
29 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the provision in Scotland of hydrotherapy pools for people with muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular conditions.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: In answer to enquiries made of NHS boards, as of December 2015 there were a total of 16 hydrotherapy pools across Scotland. All NHS boards provide access to hydrotherapy pools.
29 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the next meeting of its stakeholder review group on appropriate hospice and respite facilities for young disabled adults is taking place.
Answer · Shona Robison: The group which met in response to Petition PE1499: ‘Creating Suitable Respite Services for Younger Disabled Adults with Life-Limiting Conditions’ agreed that the immediate focus for this group would be the young adults over the age of 21 who are currently us…
29 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve specialist respiratory support for people with muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular conditions.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Access to specialist respiratory support for people with muscular dystrophy and neuromuscular conditions would form part of an individual care package, agreed with relevant healthcare professionals. Respiratory Managed Clinical Networks across NHS boards wor…
29 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to facilitate consistent access to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment, ataluren (Translarna), through NHS boards and the peer approved clinical system for ultra-orphan medicines.
Answer · Shona Robison: The manufacturer’s route to market for Ataluren is through the long standing independent Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) process. In April 2016 the SMC decided not to recommend Ataluren for routine use in Scotland because the balance of costs and benefits…
29 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce any delays in setting up a care package after a hospital admission.
Answer · Shona Robison: Tackling the number of delayed discharges is a key priority of this government, and we are working closely with health boards and their local authority partners to address this issue. We are encouraging the continued development of Intermediate Care across Sc…
27 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask Scottish Government how many wind farm applications, which have been determined as a result of the project being either close to, or inside, an area of wild land under both section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997, have been (a) consented and (b) refused since…
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Wind farms of more than 50 megawatts are determined by Scottish Ministers through section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, while those of less than 50 megawatts are determined by planning authorities under the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (as …
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a time bar for child abuse cases prior to 1964 and, if so, for what reason it decided not to change this when it accepted the time bar for post-1964 cases was to be amended.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Yes. There are two types of time bar in personal injury cases – prescription and limitation. Claims for personal injuries sustained prior to 26 September 1964 were extinguished by the law of prescription after 20 years unless a claim was made or acknowledged …
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money will be distributed by the Survivors Support Fund and who is involved in the delivery of this.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The In Care Survivor Support Fund for people who were abused while in care as children has a total budget of £13.5 million over the next five years. The consortium of organisations who won the tender to administer the fund, Penumbra, Health in Mind, The Men…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Historic Child Abuse Inquiry is wholly independent.
Answer · John Swinney: This Government established Scotland’s inquiry into the abuse of children in care with statutory powers and independence from the outset and this will continue. As in this and all previous public inquiries, the Scottish Government has specific, focussed stat…
12 Jul 2016 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason vouchers are required to access the Survivors Support Fund.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Survivor Support Fund for people who were abused while in care as children will not require vouchers to gain access.