Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,397 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an hour is a typical waiting time for a call to be answered by Breathing Space.

Answer · Shona Robison: No. Waiting an hour for a call to be answered by Breathing Space is exceptional. For example, the average time for a call to be answered since January 2010 is 21 seconds.

15 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the longest recorded waiting time is for a call to be answered by Breathing Space since January 2010.

Answer · Shona Robison: The longest recorded time to answer a call by Breathing Space was 1 hour 13 seconds at 14:00 hrs on 31 July 2010. This delay was exceptional and due to the combination of increased call demand, and reduced staff availability because of staff turnove…

15 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many calls have been (a) received and (b) answered by Breathing Space in each month since January 2010.

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of calls (a) received and (b) answered by Breathing Space, in each month since January 2010 is as follows: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td > Month </td> <td > <p align=…

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether further work has been undertaken on identifying a national tariff for IVF treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is one of a number of issues currently being considered by the National Infertility Group.

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34556 by Shona Robison on 23 June 2010, whether it will define one cycle of treatment of IVF services.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is one of a number of issues currently being considered by the National Infertility Group.

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost is of one cycle of IVF treatment in each NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is currently being collected and will be analysed by the National Infertility Group at a future meeting.

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action the National Infertility Group will take on the interim report from the Infertility Network Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group considered the interim report from Infertility Network Scotland at its last meeting. The group will deliver its first report to ministers by the end of 2010.

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the National Infertility Group will next meet.

Answer · Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group met on 21 September 2010.

9 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the interim report from the Infertility Network Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The National Infertility Group has been asked to look at the issues raised in the interim report from Infertility Network Scotland. The group will deliver its first report to ministers by the end of 2010.

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the importance of stipulating that when public authorities let major contracts, such as the New South Glasgow Hospitals Project, they specify that successful contractors make use of and apply the national collective agreements that exist in the electrical and mecha…

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: At a national level, Scottish Government attaches high importance to supporting Scottish businesses and individuals through the financial support it gives to apprenticeship schemes. One of Scottish Government''s national outcomes is to realize our full econom…

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify what workforce plans have been considered and were approved by the national scrutiny group at its meeting on 4 August 2010.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Scrutiny Group was not established to approve NHS boards workforce plans as that responsibility properly rests with each individual NHS board. The National Scrutiny Group will monitor workforce plans to ensure they are the result of genuine partn…

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34828 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, what issues were discussed by the national scrutiny group at its meeting on 4 August 2010.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36104 on 15 September 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Ap…

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34827 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, who is represented on the national scrutiny group announced on 3 June 2010.

6 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-34826 by Nicola Sturgeon on 12 July 2010, what the detailed remit and operation are of the national scrutiny group announced on 3 June 2010.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The National Scrutiny Group met for the first time on 4 August 2010 under my chairmanship. I have placed copies of the agenda for that meeting, the supporting papers (which include remit and membership) and the minutes of the meeting in the Scottish Parliamen…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it ensures consistency in the quality of significant case reviews.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The aim of the current guidance Interim Guidance For Child Protection Committees (CPCs) for Conducting Significant Case Reviews published in March 2007 is to provide more clarity and consistency on what should be done and how best to act on lessons le…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for overseeing the outcome of significant case reviews to ensure that lessons are learned.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Ultimately, Chief Officers across Scotland are responsible for the leadership, direction and scrutiny of their respective child protection services. However, Child Protection Committees (CPCs) work on behalf of the Chief Officers in their area and their respo…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the results of individual significant case reviews are published.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The key considerations and responsibilities for clearing and publishing the report of the significant case review (SCR) are outlined in the interim guidance for child protection committees (CPCs) for conducting SCRs published in March 2007. This is available …

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last considered significant case reviews and whether the findings were published.

Answer · Adam Ingram: A review of significant case review (SCRs) is currently underway. A working group of key multi-agency professionals was established in November 2009 to consider the SCR process in the light of recent research and practice, and in the context of the current re…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring arrangements are in place for children who are privately fostered.

Answer · Adam Ingram: When a local authority is notified of a private fostering arrangement there are a number of duties which must be undertaken (a) prior to the placement, to determine whether it is appropriate for the child''s needs and (b), afterwards, to supervise the child''…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what duties are placed on those engaged in private fostering to register with a local authority.

Answer · Adam Ingram: There is no requirement to register with a local authority. Both parents and proposed carers have a duty to notify private fostering arrangements to the local authority in which the child will be living at least two weeks before the child is placed. In an eme…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the scale is of private fostering of children.

Answer · Adam Ingram: During the 2008-09 inspection period, the Care Commission found that there were 16 known private foster arrangements across Scotland. This number is likely to understate the true number of children in private fostering arrangements. The Care Comm…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring arrangements are in place for children who are home-schooled.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35399 on 12 August 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what duties are required for parents to inform the local authority that a child is to be home-schooled.

Answer · Michael Russell: Section 30 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 places a fundamental duty on the parent of every child of school age to provide education for them, either by their attendance at a public school or by other means. Section 35 of the same act requires p…

2 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many children are home-schooled.

Answer · Michael Russell: The information is given in the Scottish Government Statistics Publication, Children Educated Outwith School 2009, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 50387).

30 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many psychiatric patients are receiving either NHS or private treatment outwith Scotland.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not centrally available.

30 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many NHS psychiatric patients are being cared for in the private sector.

Answer · Shona Robison: The information requested is not held centrally.

13 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a reduction in staffing at Breathing Space has led to fewer calls being answered.

Answer · Shona Robison: Breathing Space is currently receiving and answering significantly more calls than this time last year. For example, in July 2010 Breathing Space answered 5,885 calls compared to 3,341 in July 2009, which is a 76% increase. At the end of 2009…

13 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of calls to Breathing Space are unanswered in an average week.

Answer · Shona Robison: Currently an average of 7% of calls to Breathing Space are unanswered due to the caller hanging up.

13 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff are employed in Breathing Space.

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of staff currently employed within Breathing Space is as follows: <table border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td valign=top > Skillset </td> <td valign=top > Headcount </td> …

13 Aug 2010 · Written Question

Answer · Shona Robison: The number of Breathing Space staff employed in each of the years (a) 2007-08, (b) 2008-09 and (c) 2009-10 is listed in the following table: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="98%" > <thead> <tr > <td width="49%" valign=top > <…