Parliamentary questions
Jim Hume
1,310 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government in how many instances it has provided financial support to each NHS board in each year since 2011-12 and how much.
Answer · Shona Robison: The answer is publically available on page 13, exhibit 2 of the NHS in Scotland 2015 Audit Scotland report. http://audit-scotland.gov.uk/report/nhs-in-scotland-2015
19 Oct 2015 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress report on how the Borders rail link is operating.
13 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its £55 million loan to the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust includes Barnett consequentials and, if so, how much.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Any funds drawn down by the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust during financial year 2015-16 will be sourced from the additional £125 million of financial transaction consequentials, which can only be used for investment in the private sector, allocated in…
13 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government from which departmental budget lines its £55 million loan to the Local Affordable Rented Housing Trust has been sourced, broken down by amount provided.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: The £55 million loan forms part of the housing budget that will be finalised as part of the spending review process.
7 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S4W-25516 by Jamie Hepburn on 21 May 2015, when it will publish the follow-up report to National Mental Health Services Assessment, Towards implementation of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 Final Report (the Sandra Grant R…
7 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether and, if so, for what reasons the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow has diverted patients from its accident and emergency ward.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27932 on 29 October 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/…
7 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many diversions from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow there have been because of bed shortages.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27932 on 29 October 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/2…
7 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that six people, one of whom was diagnosed with a stroke, have been diverted from the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow because of bed shortages.
Answer · Shona Robison: The safety of patients and the quality of care they receive are key priorities for the Scottish Government. It is vital that patients have confidence that when they access healthcare, they will get the best possible care and treatment, which is why each NHS b…
7 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many diversions from accident and emergency wards have taken place in each month since 2010 because of (a) bed shortages and (b) other non-clinical reasons, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally, therefore we are unable to provide it.
5 Oct 2015 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the claim in the report, Affordable Housing Need in Scotland, that the need for affordable housing is double what is being delivered.
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce homelessness in people released from prison.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Ministerial Group on Offender Reintegration has identified a number of actions to help improve the housing outcomes for those serving short term sentences: the Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Act 2015 gives the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) disc…
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Ministerial Group on Offender Reintegration.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government published The Report of the Ministerial Group for Offender Reintegration on 15 September 2015. The report outlines the start of a programme of work towards greater alignment across Scottish Government ministerial portfolios to the rein…
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what housing options support it provides to prisoners prior to their release.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: “The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) enables housing providers to attend prisons either through regular surgeries or through visits so that th…
2 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) statutory and (b) regulatory obligations regarding energy-efficient measures in new-build homes (i) local authorities and (ii) housing associations have had to implement since 2007.
Answer · Margaret Burgess: Local authorities and housing associations must ensure that new build homes meet the statutory requirements for energy efficiency set out within Scottish building regulations. These apply to all new homes regardless of tenure. Over the last ten years this asp…
1 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of overcrowding in hospitals there have been in each month since 2012, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Shona Robison: Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance was issued in partnership with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in September. The guidance recognises that there are many inter-related types of crowding, and that thresholds for crowding need to be agr…
1 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) financial and (b) other types of support it is providing for capacity planning as recommended in the Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has invested £9 million this year (2015-16) to support NHS boards across Scotland to implement the unscheduled care six essential actions. In the five months since the launch of the programme we have set up the basic essential elements…
1 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has put in place to implement the Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance in advance of the winter months.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government's national unscheduled care team is working closely with all NHS boards across Scotland around the implementation of Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance. An event has been arranged for 6 November 2015 in order to get an u…
1 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the progress of implementation of the Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance.
Answer · Shona Robison: In partnership with the Royal College of Emergency Medicine in Scotland I launched the Emergency Department Capacity Management Guidance on 30 September 2015. This guidance, which aims to reduce and eliminate emergency department crowding by improving patient…
29 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to raise awareness of tobacco as a risk factor for dementia.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government invests around £11 million per year in NHS tobacco control activity, including the delivery of smoking cessation services. There is evidence that healthy living behaviours, such as quitting smoking, better diet or physical activity, ma…
28 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on research into the mental health of children in care since 2010.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: There has been no centrally commissioned research into the mental health of looked after children and young people. The first Mental Health and Learning Disability Inpatient Bed Census, carried out by the Scottish Government and NHS boards, was published in …
28 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) mandatory and (b) statutory requirements there are for GPs to undertake mental health training.
Answer · Shona Robison: There is not a dedicated training course for mental health however GPs undergo mental health training as part of their generic training. It is part of an individual GP’s responsibility to ensure they keep up to date with any new disorders/illnesses.
28 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25516 by Jamie Hepburn on 21 May 2015, when it will publish the follow-up report to National Mental Health Services Assessment, Towards implementation of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 Final Report (the Sandra Grant Repor…
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We commissioned the Mental Health Foundation and Voices of Experience to undertake the 10 year follow up review of the state of mental health services in Scotland. We are working with the Mental Health Foundation to address the delays in publishing and to ens…
28 Sep 2015 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the UNISON Scotland survey claiming that staff morale at colleges "is at rock bottom with 79% of respondents saying staff felt negative or extremely negative".
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how the mental health of children and young people in care compares with those who are not care-experienced.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government are overseeing a research project on how the wellbeing of children in different areas is being met by local areas, including the emotional wellbeing of looked after and non-looked after children. The project is currently ongoing. Data …
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on consulting care leavers regarding how children and young people parented by the state could be better supported in recovering from an early childhood trauma that was experienced in care.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government takes every opportunity to consult with all stakeholders on policies that affect them. To date we have benefitted greatly from the valuable insight and input offered by looked after children and young people and care leavers. We will c…
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what emotional and psychological support it provides for children and young people in care environments.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The mental health of looked after children and young people is the direct responsibility of local authorities and health boards. Scottish health boards are required by the Scottish Government to provide a health assessment to all children who become looked af…
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children and young people in care has accessed mental health services in each year since 2010.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Data on the percentage of children and young people in care who have accessed mental health services in each year since 2010 is not provided to the Scottish Government as a matter of course.
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has commissioned since 2007 regarding the therapeutic benefits of care for children and young people.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has not commissioned specific research on the therapeutic benefits of being looked after on children and young people since 2007. However, as a result of direct consultation with care experienced young people, a number of relationship …
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) information it has and (b) research it has commissioned on the mental health of children and young people in care, and what its position is on launching an inquiry on this issue.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: a) Scottish health boards are required to provide a health assessment to looked after children within four weeks of notification. In May 2014 the Scottish Government published Guidance on Health Assessments for Looked After Children and Young People in Scotla…
22 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes better mental health in looked-after young people as part of its corporate parenting responsibilities.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The corporate parenting responsibilities in Part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 commenced in April 2015. The Act extends the eligibility for aftercare to age 25 – ensuring that all care leavers are entitled to have their needs assessed…