Parliamentary questions
Kezia Dugdale
1,684 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-01779 by Michael Matheson on 8 February 2018, whether it will set out the outcome of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice's discussion with the Lord President regarding transparency in sentencing.
Answer · Michael Matheson: In exchanges in Parliament on 8 February, I agreed to ensure that the issues raised were highlighted to the Lord President to see whether any further progress could be made on improving how transparency in the system of sentencing could be made. I can confirm…
28 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14044 by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2018, when it expects the revised Post Mortem Examination Protocol to be published.
Answer · James Wolffe QC: COPFS is developing a protocol to support effective consultation between pathologists instructed by the Crown and the defence. This work is ongoing. The completion of that work and publication date of any consultation protocol will be informed by the response…
27 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the NSPCC Scotland report, Right to Recover.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14930 on 13 March 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/…
27 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent NSPCC research, published in its report, Right to Recover, which found a lack of specialist help for children following sexual abuse in most local authority areas and that services that do exist are fragile, insecure and unable to meet demand, what action it is taking…
Answer · Maree Todd: Protecting children and young people from all forms of abuse is a priority for the Scottish Government, as set out in current national policy and legislation. We are committed to working with partners nationally, locally and with support services. Child cent…
27 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to produce a strategic response to preventing and tackling child sexual abuse, and for what reason it has not produced one to date.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14930 on 13 March 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/…
27 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to incentivise investment in recovery services for children who have experienced sexual abuse.
Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14930 on? 13 March 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…
21 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a national system for recording the deaths of young people who have been at any stage looked-after is in place and, if not, what its position is on introducing one.
Answer · Maree Todd: Under regulation 6 of the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 , local authorities have a duty to notify the Care Inspectorate of the death of a looked after child or young person. The guidance relating to these regulations requires local authori…
21 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a national system for recording the outcomes of looked-after young people who have been looked after at any time is in place and, if not, what its position is on introducing one.
Answer · Maree Todd: We record and publish the outcomes of looked after children and young people through our annual statistical publications: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/PubChildrenSocialWork and http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Children/…
21 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is a statutory requirement to record the nature of and number of looked-after young people who die each year and if (a) so, (i) under what legislation and (ii) what the figure is for each of the last 10 years (b) not, what its position is on introducing such a requirement.
Answer · Maree Todd: Under regulation 6 of the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 , local authorities have a duty to notify the Care Inspectorate of the death of a looked after child. The guidance to these regulations requires local authorities to submit a report a…
21 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reviewing the legislation regarding fatal accidents and sudden deaths to include the categories of death that might trigger an inquiry.
Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 came fully into force in June 2017. The 2016 Act modernised the law in relation to Fatal Accident Inquiries. The Act followed lengthy consultation and a full review conducted by Lor…
21 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role it is playing in the design and scope of the national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles, NATSAL4, and how it will use the findings of the survey to inform its policy making.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government draws on the wide range of available evidence when developing policies around sexual health.
21 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Scotland's potential as a destination for LGBT tourists.
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has supported the pooling and sharing of Self-directed Support funding to enable groups to access services and, if so, (a) which groups and (b) for which services.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Self-directed support is the approach that Scotland takes to mainstream social care. An extensive programme of implementation has taken place since the Act came into force in 2014. Over the period 2015-18, Scottish Government has invested into the Support in…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) parents and (b) carers groups in the Lothian region regarding access to respite services.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Officials provided an update on the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 to a group of carers, public sector practitioners, and third-sector representatives in Musselburgh in June 2017. This event was hosted by East Lothian HSCP, and provided an opportunity to listen t…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for parents and families of children with autism in the Lothian region to access respite services.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs), including those in the Lothian Region, have devolved responsibility for the strategic planning and decision making for all functions delegated to them, including autism services for autistic adults and children in …
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which autism-related services it has provided funding for, and what the total funding provided has been, in each year since 2015-16.
Answer · Maureen Watt: Health and Social Care Partnerships have devolved responsibility for the strategic planning and decision making for all functions delegated to them, including autism services for autistic adults and children in line with their statutory responsibilities under…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to review the Scottish Strategy for Autism when the current 10-year plan draws to a close.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government will in 2021 review the evidence and evaluate the impact of the Scottish Strategy for Autism across Scotland. We will also report on our progress towards the priorities during 2020.
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on supporting the Scottish Strategy for Autism in each year since 2011.
Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the lives of autistic people, their families and carers through the Scottish Strategy for Autism. The initial £13.4million allocated to the strategy has been spent and used to help embed the strategy acro…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Self-directed Support can be used flexibly by people whose support needs fluctuate rapidly within a year, including long periods where no help is required.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-14754 on 27 February 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.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusine…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Self-directed Support can help people who require short periods of intensive support but over long periods of time.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Aileen Campbell : Self-directed Support is Scotland’s mainstream approach to social care. This approach to social care has been chosen to ensure individuals are empowered to be equal partners in their care and support decisions and to participate in social an…
19 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has considered and (b) is considering increasing the amount of Self-directed Support funding that people are entitled to.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Self-directed support is the approach that Scotland takes to mainstream social care. Decisions on resource allocation for social care are a matter for Integrated Joint Boards.
15 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13936 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 January 2018, what discussions it has had with the Commission for Fair Access regarding the key stakeholder group; who it is inviting to form that group and when it will announce the membership; when the gr…
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Access Data Working Group has been established by the Scottish Government with the aim of assisting with the delivery of Recommendation 31 from the Commission on Widening Access: Recommendation 31: The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council…
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it measures businesses' progress towards achieving all nine pledges in the Scottish Business Pledge.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08109 on 27 March 2017. Scottish Ministers agreed that Scottish Business Pledge progress should be monitored on a regular basis. A recent survey of Scottish Business Pledge signatories has been undertaken and …
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning a review of the performance of the Scottish Business Pledge.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08109 on 27 March 2017. A survey of businesses who had signed up to the Pledge for nine months or more, was conducted in late 2017 and the resulting progress report is due for publication shortly. All answers…
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the communications and marketing budget for promoting the Scottish Business Pledge is in its Draft Budget for 2018-19.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government currently expects Business Pledge spend to be around £13,000 in the next financial year.
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the communications and marketing budget for promoting the Scottish Business Pledge has been in each of the last three years.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Business Pledge overall costs arranged by financial year are: 2015-16 – £44,518 including £36,000 to set up the website as a marketing tool. 2016-17 - £9,075 2017-18 – £24,115
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what target has been set to increase the number of businesses that have signed the Scottish Business Pledge.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Business Pledge is a values-led partnership between Government and business and is based on a voluntary commitment. We continue to promote the Pledge through the Pledge website, our partners Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise a…
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13901 by Keith Brown on 31 January 2018, what target has been set to increase the number of its suppliers that have signed the Business Pledge.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Business Pledge is a voluntary commitment by business. There is no such target.
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13901 by Keith Brown on 31 January 2018, what consideration it gives to whether a company has signed the Business Pledge when awarding contracts to suppliers, and whether it has considered making this a mandatory requirement.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government highlights the values promoted by the Scottish Business Pledge by including a standard question in the invitation to tender, requesting that potential suppliers confirm whether they have made a commitment to the Pledge. By signing up …
13 Feb 2018 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-13901 by Keith Brown on 31 January 2018, what work ministers are planning to increase the number of suppliers that have signed the Business Pledge.
Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has written to each Scottish Government supplier, who is not already signed up to the Scottish Business Pledge, encouraging them to consider it further.