Mary Fee

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial contribution a Scotland separated from the rest of the United Kingdom would make to the upkeep of the monarchy.

Answer · Bruce Crawford: The Scottish Government's proposal for Scotland is not "separation", but independence, as stated in answer to question S4W-05459 on 5 March 2012. I also refer the member to the answer to question S4W-02136 from 26 August 2011. All answers to written parliame…

6 Jun 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Scotland separated from the rest of the United Kingdom would become part of the Commonwealth.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government’s proposal for Scotland is not “separation”, but independence, as stated in answer to question S4W-05459, on 5 March 2012. As paragraph 5.7 of the Scottish Government publication Europe and Foreign Affairs: Taking forward our National …

6 Jun 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding Read classifications for GPs.

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many, and what proportion of, primary school teachers have been male in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Michael Russell: The number and percentage of male primary school teachers in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority, are shown in the following tables. Number of Male Primary School Teachers, 1999-2005 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 Aberdeen City…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will encourage local government employers to promote diversity in the early years and childcare workforce.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government recognise the early years and childcare workforce is predominately female with latest Scottish Social Services Council statistics showing 96% of the workforce in Day Care of Children are women. We are working with Men in Childcare to h…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4W-06328 by Kenny MacAskill on 16 April 2012, whether it considers that the withdrawal of bonding visits should be used a disciplinary measure against imprisoned parents.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Prisons and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011 set out the minimum statutory provision for visits. The rules provide var…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding from early intervention programmes and the Change Fund will be used to support and provide services for children and families of prisoners.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Early Years Change Fund signals a decisive shift to preventative spending in the Scottish budget - rebalancing care, support and service provision towards prevention and early intervention. How this is spent will be subject to local decisions between deli…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what services are offered to support fathers, and expecting fathers, in HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: HM Young Offenders Institution Polmont currently offers the following opportunities and services to support fathers and expectant fathers: …

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider using money from early intervention programmes to tackle mental health issues in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07435 on 6 June 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusin…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to increase access to mental health services for gay and bisexual men.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local serv…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training NHS boards provide to tackle discrimination against gay and bisexual men by GPs and other health professionals.

Answer · Michael Matheson: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) has worked with Stonewall Scotland to ensure that the needs of all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities are considered in the development and provision of training and education for NHSScotland. Part of th…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it encourages employers to train staff in ending discrimination and bullying against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012, which came into force on 27 May 2012, require listed public authorities to take steps to gather information on the composition of their employees and on the recruitment, development and rete…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it tackles homophobic bullying in the workplace.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government's aim is to ensure that all members of staff are able to work in an environment that is free from bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation and to feel safe and secure either in the workplace, or during work-related activi…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional funding to NHS boards to improve the mental health of gay and bisexual men.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local serv…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on Stonewall Scotland's Gay and Bisexual Men’s Health Survey Scotland report.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government acknowledges the publication of this report by Stonewall. A formal response to Stonewall was issued on 28 May outlining a number of work programmes which relate to the recommendations. These programmes include rolling out health inequa…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it encourages local authority education departments to tackle homophobic bullying in schools.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-07428 on 7 June 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusin…

23 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it tackles homophobic bullying in schools.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Equalities Act 2010 places public bodies, including schools, under duties to proactively prevent discrimination related to protected characteristics including sexual orientation. This includes direct and indirect discrimination based on perception and bas…

16 May 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to improve access to mental health officers in the west of Scotland.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Section 32 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 places a duty on local authorities to appoint a sufficient number of Mental Health Officers to discharge functions under the relevant legislation. It is for local authorities to decide o…

16 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the breakdown by nationality is for students entering further education in 2011-12.

Answer · Michael Russell: Number of Enrolments in 1st Year of Further Education Level Study, Scotland, 2010-11: Nationality Enrolments United Kingdom (excluding the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) 269,575 Afghanistan 195 Albania 35 Algeria 110 Angola. Also Cabinda, Por…

25 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it takes account of the rights of the child when a parent is being sentenced.

18 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of jobs in the renewable energy sector in West Scotland.

11 Apr 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to tackle child poverty in the west of Scotland.

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would implement a financial transaction tax in a Scotland separated from the rest of the United Kingdom.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government's proposal for Scotland is independence with a new relationship of equality between Scotland and the other nations of these islands and a voice in Europe and the wider world. The Scottish Government supports measures that enable a wel…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it keeps information on the number of children with a parent in prison and, if so, how this is used when considering how to support these children and their families.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government does not routinely collect information on the number of children with a parent in prison. Our commitment to improve the support for children and families applies to all children including those affected by a parent in prison. The Scot…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) financial and (b) other support it provides to the families of prisoners

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: Financial help is available through the Assisted Prison Visits Scheme for relatives who wish to visit a family member in prison. The SPS support…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the UN's guidelines for the alternative care for children and how it publicises this position among its agencies and the general public.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scotland has in place, a well-established system through the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and secondary regulations setting out the responsibilities in relation to caring for children who for whatever reason are not cared for by their parents. In this context…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, other than visits, what alternative means of communication are available to children to allow contact with a parent in prison.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The Prison and Young Offenders (Scotland) Rules 2011 provide for prisoners to send and receive letters. The rules also provide for prisoners to m…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what account is taken of the views of the child when considering placing a parent in custody.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The circumstances where a parent is placed into police custody will vary greatly and each case will be different. It is an operational matter for the police to determine appropriate action during and following the removal of a parent into police custody. The …

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what help it provides to assist families visiting prisoners.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: I have asked John Ewing, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows: The SPS recognises the importance of maintaining family contact. All prisons have a Family Strategy Group which comprises a range of interests wo…

20 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on non-custodial sentences being considered first when sentencing a (a) parent or (b) primary caregiver.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government’s position is that it is for the courts to decide on the most appropriate sentence, within the overall legal framework, in all cases. The complete independence of the judiciary in making sentencing decisions is at the heart of the crim…