Parliamentary questions
Patricia Ferguson
1,079 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the increase in 2011 in average P1, 2 and 3 class sizes might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Public…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the public sector pay freeze might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 provides an overview of the impact of budget c…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects to deliver its commitment that all unintentionally homeless people will have the right to settled accommodation by 2012.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government and its partners remain committed and are on course to achieve the 2012 homelessness commitment. Current statistics show that 88% of applications are being accorded priority need by local authorities, representing steady progress towar…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in the number of NHS frontline staff might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 provides an overview of the impact of budget c…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the real-terms reduction in the health budget might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: All NHS boards providing direct patient care services have received real term annual increases in funding of 2.9% in 2012-13, 3.3% in 2013-14 and 3.1% in 2014-15, a total of £720 million, reflecting our commitment to direct resources to protect point of care …
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in teacher numbers might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 provides an overview of the impact of budget c…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in the housing and regeneration budget might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Public…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction in education maintenance allowances might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Public…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction to the Warm Homes Fund might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03883 on 22 November 2011 by John Swinney. This confirms that the Warm Homes Fund is a new fund, commencing in 2012-13 and has increased funding year-on-year over the spending review period. All answers to writ…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction of the local government budget might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Public…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduction of the further education budget might have on child poverty levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Child poverty reflects the complex interaction of many factors and it is not possible to identify the impacts of specific changes. The Equality Statement Scottish Spending Review 2011 and the Draft Budget 2012-13 available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Public…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve (a) access to and (b) affordability of childcare services.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is working to increase the capacity and range of early learning and childcare. This includes the £6.8 million Early Years Early Action Fund to support third sector front-line delivery which has contributed £2.8 million towards childcar…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address child poverty in those communities with the highest levels.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland sets out the our approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the 2012-13 budget will address child poverty.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04985 on 26 January 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address child poverty in lone parent families.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland sets out the our approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address child poverty in ethnic minority communities.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland sets out the our approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address child poverty in families affected by disability.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland sets out the our approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what change there has been in the levels of child poverty since May 2011 and what change there was in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government publishes figures annually on the levels of child poverty in Scotland. This information can be accessed at www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/933/0116722.pdf. The data is based on information from the Family Resources Survey and the lat…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in tackling the underlying social and economic determinants of poverty in order to improve the circumstances in which children grow up and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The key measures relating to child poverty are contained within the Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland which is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6. These measures are reported upon annually on the Scotland Performs websit…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in improving children’s wellbeing and life chances and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Government officials are working directly with 17 Community Planning Partnerships to support implementation of Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), a person centred approach to services for children and young people. Good progress is being made in imple…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in promoting greater financial inclusion and capability and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Financial inclusion and capability have a number of dimensions. Action to tackle these is taken locally, in response to local circumstances, and we expect progress to be assessed and reported on locally.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in increasing the number of parents in good quality employment and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04995 on 27 January 2012. 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/parliamenta…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in maximising the potential for parents to access and sustain good quality employment and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting everyone who wants to work to do so. Scotland currently has the highest rate of working households with children of any part the UK. The employment rate for lone parents in Scotland has also risen from 56.3% …
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in maximising household resources and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04987 on 26 January 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in shifting resources into early intervention and other action to prevent child poverty and what progress was made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04986 on 26 January 2012. 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/parliamentaryb…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in eradicating child poverty and made in the previous parliamentary session.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has signed up to the UK Child Poverty Act which contains four measures of child poverty. Progress on these measures are reported on in the annual Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland publication at www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle the underlying social and economic determinants of poverty in order to improve the circumstances in which children grow up.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland sets out the our approach to tackling child poverty in Scotland. It is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/14094421/6.
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve children’s wellbeing and life chances.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: We plan to publish proposals soon for a Children’s Bill. The bill will form one element in a wider programme of measures to drive forward manifesto commitments around early years and early intervention, Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and updating t…
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote greater financial inclusion and capability.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Financial inclusion and financial capability are a matter for local authorities, who are best placed to assess local need for services and put in place appropriate provision. The Scottish Government provides national infrastructure and support which it would …
13 Jan 2012 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to maximise the potential for parents to (a) access and (b) sustain good quality employment.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04995 on 27 January 2012. 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/parliamentary…