Parliamentary questions
Alison Johnstone
905 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the review of the Scottish allocation formula will (a) address and (b) measure unmet need in areas of high deprivation.
Answer · Shona Robison: Tackling health inequalities and the 'inverse care law' is one of our primary care outcomes, as published in a joint memorandum with the British Medical Association Scottish General Practitioner Committee (BMA SGPC) [http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/11/7…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04602 by Shona Robison on 21 November 2016, which of the findings of the review of the Scottish allocation formula have been implemented.
Answer · Shona Robison: In the joint memorandum with the British Medical Association Scottish General Practitioner Committee (BMA SGPC) the Scottish Government undertook to extend the current pay stability agreement for GPs to April 2018, [http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/11/72…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the review of general practice funding, pay and expenses is taking account of unmet need and high levels of multimorbidity in areas of high deprivation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government, with the agreement of the Scottish General Practitioners’ Committee of the BMA, have commissioned a review of general practice funding, pay and expenses. The Review will gather and analyse earnings and expenses data from a range of pr…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to tackle health inequalities by adjusting the Scottish allocation formula.
Answer · Shona Robison: Tackling health inequalities and the 'inverse care law' is one of our primary care outcomes, as published in a joint memorandum with the British Medical Association Scottish General Practitioner Committee (BMA SGPC) [http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/11/7…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04602 by Shona Robison on 21 November 2016, whether it will provide details about the (a) “other interventions” and (b) “ways of supporting general practice in areas of high deprivation”, and whether these will be funded on a national basis or by th…
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-08253 on 7 April 2017. 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/28…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04602 by Shona Robison on 21 November 2016, who it commissioned to review general practice funding, pay and expenses; what the remit of the review is; how much it will cost, and when its findings will be published.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government, with agreement of the Scottish General Practitioners’ Committee of the BMA, have commissioned Deloitte to review general practice funding, pay and expenses. The remit of the review is to gather and analyse general practice earnings a…
17 Mar 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the role of GPs as expert medical generalists, as referred to in its joint memorandum with the BMA General Practitioner Committee, will address health inequalities and unmet need in areas of high deprivation.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government's vision is for GPs to fulfil the role of the Expert Medical Generalist in the community; focussed on complex care, undifferentiated presentation and local clinical leadership. The role will be supported by an expanded team of health p…
7 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to deliver a full adult immunology service for people in the NHS Lothian area.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: Consultant-led adult immunodeficiency and allergy services in Scotland are provided by Grampian, Tayside and Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Boards. An immunology service has been in place in NHS Lothian from early last year, following the recruitment by Scotti…
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages key agencies in training frontline staff to identify challenges that could impact on health and wellbeing, including signs of fuel poverty or the risk of fuel poverty, and to make appropriate referrals to specialist support services.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We recognise the importance of frontline workers in communities, who can readily identify householders who would benefit from help. Home Energy Scotland, funded by Scottish Government, currently undertakes outreach work, providing free training to local partn…
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made on the impact of (a) poor housing and (b) hard-to-heat homes on the health and wellbeing of (i) children, (ii) disabled people and (iii) people with long-term health conditions.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The “Evidence Review of the Potential Wider Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation Options: Built Environment Sector” published in 2017 to inform the draft Climate Change Plan http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/01/3358 found evidence that measures to improve…
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages partnership work between it and local authorities to ensure that there is strategic leadership in tackling fuel poverty or the risk of fuel poverty, and whether this is recognised by the National Performance Framework.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government’s Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland: Area Based Schemes (HEEPS: ABS) are designed and delivered by local authorities, in conjunction with utility companies and local delivery partners, targeting fuel poor areas to provide …
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it takes to encourage community planning partnerships to (a) develop and resource approaches that are focused on improving wellbeing and (b) take the lead responsibility for tackling fuel poverty in their areas.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: (a) The Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 places specific duties on Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) and a defined list of public sector bodies linked to improving wellbeing. These public sector bodies must work together and with community bodie…
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Health Improvement Scotland will adopt the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance on excess winter deaths and illnesses associated with cold homes.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) provide guidelines for use in England and Wales. Healthcare Improvement Scotland has no current plans to adopt the NICE guidance on excess winter deaths and illnesses associated with cold homes.
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many excess winter deaths have been recorded in each year since 1999-2000, broken down by NHS board area, and what information it has for 2016-17.
Answer · Shona Robison: The National Records of Scotland (NRS) publish annual statistics on the seasonal increase in mortality in their Winter Mortality in Scotland publication. The 2015-16 edition, available at the following link, includes breakdowns by NHS Board back to 2006-07. …
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages collaborative working between it, local authorities, NHS boards and other agencies to identify people who are fuel poor or at risk of fuel poverty.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: We recognise the value of a locally led, collaborative approach in tackling fuel poverty and it is something we have been supporting through our HEEPS: Area-Based Schemes. We are keen to build on this approach and will work with local authorities, NHS Boards,…
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) Kennel Club and (b) Scottish Kennel Club regarding proposals to introduce regulations on the (i) sale and (ii) use of electronic training collars.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Ministers met with representatives from the Kennel Club and The Scottish Kennel Club in January 2016 during the period of the public consultation on 'Potential controls or prohibition of electronic training aids in Scotland'.
27 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-06979 by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 February 2017, on what date it anticipates introducing regulations on the (a) sale and (b) use of electronic training aids.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is in discussion with a wide range of stakeholders from the veterinary profession, pet industry, animal training and animal welfare sectors with a view to bringing in tough new regulations on the use of electronic training collars for …
23 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates higher demand for Scottish Welfare Fund support once the £30 reduction to the employment support allowance (ESA) work-related activity group takes effect in April 2017 and, if so, what steps it plans to take in response.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has written to the UK Government urging them to reverse their proposal to reduce the Employment Support Allowance work related activity group by £30 per week for new claims from April 2017. There is no doubt this proposal will impact a…
23 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many staff it has seconded from the Department for Work and Pensions to assist with implementing the social security provisions of the Scotland Act 2016.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government have explored opportunities for the engagement of staff from the Department of Work and Pensions to assist with implementing the Social Security Provision of the Scotland Act 2016. I can confirm that no DWP staff have been engaged on a…
23 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that staff delivering its employability programmes are appropriately qualified.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The majority of Scottish Government employability programmes are managed by our national skills body, Skills Development Scotland (SDS). As such, it is an operational matter for SDS to satisfy itself that staff delivering its employability programmes are appr…
9 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging third and voluntary sector provision of employability support as part of (a) Work First Scotland, (b) Work Able Scotland and (c) future devolved employability programmes.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Contracts are in place for delivery of Work First Scotland and Work Able Scotland. You can find details of the successful bidders (including several third and voluntary sector providers) in the following news release - http://news.gov.scot/news/employment-sup…
9 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the devolved employability programmes do not create disadvantage by placing participants into low-waged or insecure employment.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Devolved employment services will support the Scottish Government’s fair work ambitions, in particular by supporting individuals into sustained work which offers a route out of poverty. We will set clear expectations within the programme on the level of emplo…
9 Feb 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the support offered by the devolved employability programmes will take account of its (a) child poverty (i) strategy and (ii) targets and (b) gendered patterns of skills acquisition and employment.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Supporting economic growth by tackling inequality is a key driver of devolved employment support. This aligns to our child poverty strategy, in particular our ambitions to maximise the potential for parents to increase family incomes through good quality, sus…
26 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what statutory (a) training is and (b) qualifications are required for social care workers who support terminally-ill people.
Answer · Mark McDonald: Social workers in Scotland must hold a BA (Hons) in Social Work (or equivalent) and register with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to practice as a social worker. Social care workers in Scotland who are within the scope of registration with the SSS…
26 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many terminally-ill people under 65 have had social care charges waived in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number of terminally-ill people under 65 who have had social care charges waived is not held centrally. The Scottish Government and COSLA agreed that from 1st April 2015, no-one in the last 6 months of a progressive illness would be charge…
26 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people who were in receipt of a social care package have died in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. Individual local authorities hold data on recipients of social care packages in their area.
26 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many DS 1500 forms to allow terminally-ill people to claim personal independence payments were issued by each NHS board in each of the last five years.
Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is currently responsible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). DWP Personal Independence Payment Statistics can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/perso…
26 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on each of the recommendations in the Marie Curie report, Dying to Care, and how it plans to take these forward.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government welcomes the Marie Curie Report, Dying to Care. This messages contained in this report will be helpful in informing our work to achieve our vision that by 2021, everyone in Scotland will have access to high quality palliative and end o…
25 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding in the Scottish House Condition Survey 2015 that 52% of homes were not weather-tight, what action it will take to improve energy efficiency in houses.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish House Condition Survey Key Findings Report 2015 estimated that 52% of homes in Scotland have some disrepair to critical elements of the dwelling. The condition of critical elements is central to a dwelling being wind- and weather proof, structura…
25 Jan 2017 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to (a) improve and (b) monitor the energy efficiency of NHS buildings in light of the finding in the Audit Scotland report, NHS in Scotland 2016, that the "outstanding maintenance required to keep the NHS estate across Scotland up to a good standard amounted to £…
Answer · Shona Robison: Energy efficiency projects are funded, mainly, through each NHS Board’s capital allocation. The significant reduction in energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas emissions between 1990 and 2016 (referenced in PQ S5W-06553 on 3 February 2017) has been …