Parliamentary questions
Claire Baker
1,724 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessments it has conducted regarding the impact on people with learning disabilities of each action point contained in its publication, A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Employment Action Plan, which was published 2018.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has considered the impact of the actions of the Employment Action Plan on all disabled people, including people with learning disabilities, and noted these in the 2020 and 2021 annual Progress Reports which are published on the Scott…
15 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with learning disabilities have accessed the Fair Start Scotland employment support service in each year since it was established, broken down by the outcomes for those people, including how may have gone onto sustained employment.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Official statistics for Fair Start Scotland (FSS) are published quarterly by the Scottish Government. The most recent publication was on 22 February 2023 ( Scotland's Devolved Employment Services: statistical summary February 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) …
15 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out regarding any impact of the reported increase in people with mental health conditions, including those who may already be in work, on the disability employment gap.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has published analysis relating to the overall Disability Employment Gap in Scotland in Fairer Scotland for disabled people - employment action plan: progress report - year 2 . The most recent data on the Disability Employment Gap fo…
15 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of any audits that (a) it and (b) its agencies have conducted regarding the impact of current employability support schemes for people with learning disabilities.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government publishes yearly evaluation studies and annual reports of Fair Start Scotland. These contain data on the impact and experience of disabled people, as part of the overall reporting on the service. These evaluations have not specifically…
9 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the proposed pay settlements for (a) the NHS, (b) local government and (c) commissioned social care on workforce (i) recruitment and (ii) retention for third sector social care providers, and how it will measure any such impact.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government works closely with key stakeholders to assess all factors that impact recruitment and retention for third sector providers in the adult social care sector. The Scottish Government recognises the effect that wider pay settlements may …
9 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been undertaken of the efficacy of national recruitment campaigns in the social care sector in relation to (a) public, (b) private and (c) third sector providers, over the past five years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government’s ‘There’s More to Care than Caring’ campaign launched 27 January 2020 and has run four times, with the latest activity starting on 23 January 2023 and due to conclude on 20 March 2023. We have evaluation data from the previous 3 campa…
9 Feb 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been undertaken of recruitment and retention in the social care sector over the past five years.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The SSSC collect workforce data, which is published in their annual workforce report in August of each year. The most recent report covers 2021 workforce data. From this we know that across all social care services, the highest levels of stability are seen in…
25 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the nationwide programme of inspection to assess the condition of, and the impact of climate change on, some of Scotland's most significant heritage sites, being undertaken by Historic Environment Scotland, is expected to be completed.
18 Jan 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging increased patronage on rail routes serving Mid Scotland and Fife.
18 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the Interim Governance Group to Develop National Anti-Racist Infrastructure will engage, and share information, with any stakeholders not represented in its membership.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that stakeholders and communities are engaged with on policy developments, including long-term oversight and governance. The Interim Governance Group to Develop Anti-Racist Infrastructure (IGG) has commissioned…
18 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information from the work of the Interim Governance Group to Develop National Anti-Racist Infrastructure will be made publicly available.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14802 on? 27 January 2023 which outlines that the IGG is committed to being open and transparent about its work. Documents and minutes of meetings are published on the IGG webpage: Interim Governance Group to …
18 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps were taken to ensure that key stakeholders were included or represented in the Interim Governance Group to Develop National Anti-Racist Infrastructure.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is using a range of interventions across its policies to advance the Race Equality Framework and human rights for all minority ethnic groups, one of which is the Interim Governance Group (IGG). The IGG is a short-life working group wi…
18 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how decisions were reached on the membership of the Interim Governance Group to Develop National Anti-Racist Infrastructure, including whether any limitations were imposed.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Interim Governance Group (IGG) is a short-life working group with a specific remit to provide advice and feedback to Scottish Ministers on establishing long-term anti-racism infrastructure. Its membership includes those with experiences of intersecting ma…
18 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the remit of the Interim Governance Group to Develop National Anti-Racist Infrastructure was established.
Answer · Christina McKelvie: In June 2020, the Expert Reference Group on COVID-19 and Ethnicity was established to consider and inform the Scottish Government’s approach in relation to the impacts of COVID-19 on Minority Ethnic (ME) communities. This was in response to reports at a UK-wi…
11 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is measuring progress on its Covid Recovery Strategy commitment to improve financial security for low-income households.
9 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when section 50 of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, prohibiting pavement parking, will come into force.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Transport Scotland is continuing to consult with Local Authorities and others to develop both the secondary legislation required to allow them to enforce the National pavement parking prohibition as well as the Parking Standards Guidance which will underpin t…
21 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of reports that, from 1 January 2023, Mossmorran terminal in Fife will no longer be supplying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and whether (a) it has had any meetings with Mossmorran terminal upstream partners to discuss this matter and (b) any contingencies have been p…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is aware of this matter and has engaged with relevant stakeholders, including trade association Liquid Gas UK, on the sufficiency of gas volumes available in the sector, and with the upstream partner choosing to reduce LPG supply via M…
21 Dec 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes in (a) Fife and (b) the Central Scotland region rely on liquefied petroleum gas for heating or hot water.
Answer · Patrick Harvie: This information is not available in the form requested. The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) explores the physical condition of Scotland’s homes as well as the experiences of householders. Data from the (SHCS) provides estimates of the number and perc…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled the financial costs of implementing Medication Assisted Treatment standards (a) one to five and (b) six to 10, and whether it will publish these costs.
Answer · Angela Constance: The financial costs of implementing standards in each local area are being assessed locally as plans are developed and implemented and so the Scottish Government has not centrally modelled the financial costs of implementing Medication Assisted Treatment stan…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals had a near-fatal overdose in each of the last five years, and, of these individuals, how many were linked up with drug treatment services, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Angela Constance: We don’t hold the data that provides the total number of all events of near-fatal overdoses across Scotland. The need for improved data sharing has been identified as key for the improvement of near-fatal overdose follow-up pathways. Through the Directors of…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when Public Health Scotland will next publish data on the prevalence rate for problematic drug use in Scotland, and what years this data will cover.
Answer · Angela Constance: Public Health Scotland is working with partners to develop and publish data on the prevalence rate for problematic drug use in Scotland. The next publication will include an estimate of the number of people with problematic opioid use during 2018-19 and this …
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether guidance regarding the pharmacological and psychological management of benzodiazepine dependency has been finalised, following the interim guidance made available in 2021, and, if this is the case, whether it will publish this.
Answer · Angela Constance: The guidance on the pharmacological and psychological management of benzodiazepine dependency published by the Drug deaths Taskforce has now been endorsed as the most up-to-date guidance available and will be updated following further research currently being…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason alternatives to custody for non-violent women with dependency issues, such as Turning Point Scotland's 218 service, have not been (a) replicated in other cities and (b) piloted for men.
Answer · Keith Brown: Decisions about specific programmes or interventions for those who have committed offences are generally taken at a local level under the model of community justice introduced in 2017. Local authorities have significant autonomy to direct justice social work …
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the reported £10 million per year provided for Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards implementation is to cover implementation of all 10 standards.
Answer · Angela Constance: £10.3million a year has been made available to ADPs for the implementation of the 10 MAT Standards. This is the specific funding for MAT implementation, and is in addition to the general funding for specific MAT-related activities such as outreach and near-fa…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it made of Section 1 and 1A of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 during any consideration of introducing safer drug consumption facilities, and what conclusions it reached.
Answer · Angela Constance: The National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 Act places a broad general duty on the Scottish Ministers to improve health in Scotland and confers functions which assist in performing that duty. However, that duty and those functions cannot be viewed in isol…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have not been following up with everyone who has had a near-fatal overdose, as described on page 44 of the Drug Deaths Taskforce's July 2022 final report Changing Lives.
Answer · Angela Constance: According to Supplementary Report to the Benchmarking Report published on 2 August 2022 the following areas are yet to fully implemented MAT 3: NHS Shetland - Shetland ADP area NHS Grampian - Moray ADP area NHS Highland - Argyll & Bute ADP area MAT 3 …
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many drug-related deaths there have been in each year since 2010, broken down by (a) local authority ward and (b) Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) data zone quintile.
Answer · Angela Constance: Published information on drug-related (or drug-misuse) deaths can be obtained from the National Records Of Scotland website - Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2021 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk). Information on Local Authority Wards is i…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out on the effectiveness of the Scottish Prison Service's (a) assessments for and (b) support for and/or treatment of (i) substance use and (ii) mental health issues for remand prisoners, and whether this has been published.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government published prison population health needs assessments for mental health and for substance use ( Prison population health needs: synthesis report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and Prison population health needs: synthesis report - gov.sco…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals Police Scotland have administered naloxone to, and how many of these individuals were referred to drug treatment services, in each month since the roll-out of naloxone to Police Scotland officers.
Answer · Angela Constance: The national roll out of the Police Scotland Naloxone Programme has been delivered in 2 stages. The first stage was a test of change (pilot), covering the period 01-03-2021 to 31-10-2021. The second stage covers the period from the completion of pilot up to t…
28 Nov 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Scottish Prison Service is taking to ensure that those on remand are (a) assessed for and (b) offered support and/or treatment for (i) substance use and (ii) mental health issues.
Answer · Maree Todd: All individuals have a healthcare consultation with an NHS healthcare professional within 24 hours of arrival. Whilst in prison individuals can self-refer to see the NHS Healthcare team and where needed, SPS staff can also refer prisoners to the healthcare t…