Mary Fee

18 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children and young people have been refused CAMHS support in each month since January 2020.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Data on the number of children who have been refused support by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is not held. However, Public Health Scotland collects data on ‘rejected referrals’ in CAMHS, which correspond to cases in which a referral is d…

18 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of secondary schools have a school-based counsellor.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31767 on 25 September 2020. 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/parliamentarybusin…

18 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the vacancy rate is for (a) applied psychologists and (b) (i) specialist, (ii) child and adolescent and (iii) other therapists in NHS Psychology services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: a) As at 30 June 2020, of the total Psychology Workforce establishment of 1387 WTE, there were 76 WTE posts vacant for Applied Psychologists with vacancy rate of 5.5%. Data source: NHS Education for Scotland Official Statistics release -Psychology Services W…

13 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to comply with article 15 of the Council of Europe’s recommendations to member states on the European Prison Rules.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In July the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation to update the 2006 European Prison Rules. This includes changes to Rule 15. We are examining the changes that have been made to the Rules carefully in conjunction with the Scottish Prison Service and…

13 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the amendments made to the Council of Europe’s recommendations to member states on the European Prison Rules, which were agreed by the Committee of Ministers on 1 July 2020.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is committed to having a modern and forward thinking prison system based on a human rights and asset based approach. We are aware that the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation in July to update the 2006 European Prison Rule…

5 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Engender publication, Gender & Unpaid Work: the impact of COVID-19 on women’s caring roles.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government recognises that unpaid work in households and unpaid care is disproportionately carried out by women with impacts for women's participation in the labour market and public life. While this was the case prior to the COVID-19 pandemic we…

4 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that there are no cycle repair services in the Renfrewshire Council area participating in the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme, which has been introduced in response to the COVID-19 crisis, and whether it will provide a breakdown of how many cycle repair servi…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme launched on 3 August with over 100 participating retailers registered. Cycling UK, the organisation which manages the scheme, has been working hard to add more shops. There are now over 200 participating retailers including 9 …

4 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) large- and (b) small or medium-sized businesses and organisations in each constituency in the Renfrewshire Council area have approached it and/or Transport Scotland to take part in the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme, which has been introduced in response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Answer · Michael Matheson: No such businesses have contacted the Scottish Government or Transport Scotland directly to take part in the Scotland Cycle Repair Scheme. The following table sets out the data for the businesses that have contacted Cycling UK, who manage the scheme with Scot…

3 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Public Petitions Committee report, Inquiry into mental health support for young people in Scotland.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We welcomed the Committee’s report on their Inquiry into mental health support for young people in Scotland. I wrote to the Committee Convenor on the 19 August outlining our response to the recommendations directed to the Scottish Government, and detailed the…

3 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30524 by Jamie Hepburn on 31 July 2020, what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding the support that can be offered to showpeople and funfair organisers, and whether these discussions included the consideration of reducing or tempor…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We are in regular dialogue with local authorities regarding the impact of the pandemic. Support for showpeople and funfair organisers and the reduction or suspensions of charges for funfairs has not been an explicit part of these discussions. Separately, the …

8 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent survey by the Scottish Childminding Association, which reported that 19% of childminders considered that their business will still be viable in 12 months as a result of the restrictions on blended care in early years.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government understands the value of blended placements for childcare. The Scottish Childminding Association’s survey illustrates the importance of blended care to the viability of the sector, and these considerations will continue to be balanced …

8 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has supported childminders through the COVID-19 crisis.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has worked closely with childcare representative bodies, including the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA), throughout the COVID-19 crisis to understand the issues facing childminders and to develop our guidance for the childmindi…

8 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will lift the restrictions on blended care placements in early years education and childcare.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government understands the value of blended placements for childcare. Further to advice from the Advisory Sub Group on Education and Children’s issues, updated early learning and childcare (ELC) guidance was published on 30 July and will come …

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to Gypsy/Traveller communities during the COVID-19 crisis.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: From the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Scottish Government recognised that Gypsy/Travellers may be at higher risk and took swift action to protect and support the community. We published a joint framework with COSLA to advise local authorities on how to…

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to provide an update to Parliament on the independent review into additional support for learning, which was led by Angela Morgan.

Answer · John Swinney: The independently chaired review of implementation of additional support for learning was published on 19 June. A copy of the report is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781839608247 . An executive summary is available at: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/…

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to showpeople during the COVID-19 crisis.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We recognise the significant contribution showpeople make to the economic and cultural fabric of Scotland. We are determined to support as many businesses as possible from all sectors. Our financial support now exceeds the £2.3 billion passed on from the UK …

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, when it would expect public bodies to publish their children’s rights reports, in line with the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, Part 1, Section 2.

Answer · Maree Todd: Part 1, Section 2, of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the 2014 Act) places a duty on specified public authorities, including all local authorities and health boards, to report every 3 years on the steps they have taken in that period to sec…

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has put in place to make sure that families affected by imprisonment have access to a digital device and an internet connection to enable them to make virtual prison visits.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Work is ongoing to explore how links can be made between Scottish Government initiatives around digital inclusion and the rollout of virtual visits to prisons, with a focus on determining whether families affected by imprisonment require technological support…

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll out of virtual visits across the prison estate.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The legislation to legally facilitate virtual visits was passed in the Scottish Parliament on 15 June 2020. Virtual visits be…

6 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll out of in-cell mobile phones across the prison estate.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Legislation to facilitate the legal introduction of restricted mobile phones was passed in the Scottish Parliament on 15 June …

28 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered rolling out virtual prison visits in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and, if so, when it expects these to commence.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: Work on the provision of ‘virtual visits’ across the entire Scottish prison estate has been underway since 24 April 2020. SPS …

28 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it carried out a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment for the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Amendment Rules 2020 and, if so, when it will publish this.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: A Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment was not carried out for the Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scot…

28 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice on 21 April 2020, when mobile phones will be distributed to those currently in the care of the Scottish Prison Service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: SPS is working with a mobile phone provider to deliver a service to all those currently in the care of SPS. It is anticipated…

4 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has offered to third sector and voluntary organisations dealing with the mental health of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak, and what further support it can offer.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We have committed £350 million of additional funding to support councils, charities and others that help people most at risk during the pandemic, this includes those organisations who provide mental health support to children, young people and their families.…

4 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the mental health of children and young people during the COVID-19 outbreak, and what plans it has to further support the mental health of children and young people (a) during and (b) after the current lock-down.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We have recently announced we are providing £105,000 to support Young Scot to develop enhanced digital content and resources on mental wellbeing. This will ensure that children and young people have a central place which will provide them with information, ad…

6 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) general and (b) NHS support is available to meet the mental health needs of people living with long-term conditions, such as lymphoedema.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government wants everyone with a long-term condition, such as lymphoedema, to be able to access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. We are determined to improve access to mental health services for all those who need …

20 Feb 2020 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment has been made of the level of threat to IT systems from international cyberattacks.

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment by the education secretary during the ministerial statement on 19 September 2019 to repeal parts 4 and 5 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (Official Report, c. 52), when it plans to formally do so, and whether it plans to repeal any other leg…

Answer · John Swinney: Following my announcement in September 2019 that we will seek to repeal Parts 4 and 5 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, I have tasked officials with updating policy and practice guidance on Getting it right for every child as a priority. T…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the repeal of section 32 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 will impact the implementation of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Following repeal of parts 4 and 5 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 on named person and child’s plan which had not been commenced, we will consider the implications of relevant parts of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 which have al…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on rolling out digital visits in prisons, and whether any targets have been set regarding this.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: I refer the member to the previous response in PQ S5W-26383 on 26 November 2019. No targets have been set regarding the provision of …