Mary Fee

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the Scottish Prison Service Digital Strategy.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: As part of its Digital Strategy, The Scottish Prison Service progressed a number of key projects during 2019 and work continues in 202…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will detail the protocols that are in place for making an arrest when children are present.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Police Scotland's arrest protocols are a matter for the Chief Constable. However, I have been advised that the general principles for making an arrest are covered in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 and in Police Scotland’s Standard Operating Procedur…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin to collect information on the children of prisoners, as set out in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 does not place an obligation on the Scottish Government to collect information on the information of children of prisoners. Section 107 of the Act once commenced was intended to place an obligation on Scottish Minister…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will implement section 107 (2) of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As indicated in response to S5W-27480 on 2 March 2020, we are currently considering what implications the decision to repeal parts 4 and 5 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 have on section 107 of the of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the flexibility provided by the Prisoners (Control of Release) (Scotland) Act 2015 to reduce the number of prisoners being released on a Friday is being used to its full potential.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The flexibility provided by the introduction of Act is there to create the opportunity for some individuals being released into the community to benefit from improved support for their reintegration, not to reduce the number of prisoners released on a Friday.…

17 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to implement section 107 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Section 107 of The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 was intended to require Scottish Ministers to ask prisoners whether they are a parent or have child caring responsibilities. Where a prisoner indicated that they had such responsibilities SPS was require…

30 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what barriers it has identified for people with a self-identified disability to undertake a modern apprenticeship in the (a) construction and related, (b) creative and cultural skills, (c) engineering and energy-related, (d) financial services, (e) food and drink, (f) management and (g) …

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: In line with best practice, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) regularly conducts Equality Evidence Reviews to gather and understand available external research and to inform their equality activity, including Modern Apprenticeships (MA) The Equality Evidence …

30 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports people with a self-identified disability to undertake a modern apprenticeship.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) first published its Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan (EAP) in 2015, which sets out a range of actions to support disabled and care experienced individuals and those from different ethnic backgrounds into apprenticeships. …

29 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its Good Food Nation Bill.

27 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been (a) allocated to and (b) spent on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in each year since 2014-15, also broken down by what percentage of the NHS budget this represents.

Answer · Clare Haughey: In response to point (a), NHS Boards draw funding for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) from the overall health and social care funds allocated to them by the Scottish Government. Boards work with the Integration Joint Boards in their area a…

22 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to publish a new Career Information, Advice and Guidance in Scotland strategy since publishing its Programme for Government 2019-20.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The new Careers Strategy, building on the previous careers strategy published in March 2011, has been developed by the Scottish Government in collaboration with representatives from across the careers sector and independent specialists. Our collaborative appr…

20 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many modern apprenticeship starts there were in 2018-19 in each sector/occupational grouping, also broken down by (a) ethnicity and (b) disability.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Statistics on the breakdown of Modern Apprenticeship starts within each sector, broken down by ethnicity and disability are detailed in the following tables. Additional information is available within the Apprenticeship Equality Action Plan Annual report 2019…

20 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations have been involved in retail apprenticeships in each year quarter since Q1 2014-15.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Regarding organisations that have been involved in retail apprenticeships, Skills Development Scotland who deliver Apprenticeships on behalf of the Scottish Government contract with training providers to deliver Apprenticeship frameworks including retail. Tra…

20 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether a review has been undertaken on each sector of (a) Modern, (b) Foundation and (c) Graduate Apprenticeships.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Education Scotland have delivered a number of quality reviews of Modern Apprenticeships. These have covered: Engineering, ICT, Automotive, Hairdressing, Hospitality and Social Services (Children and Young People). Education Scotland and Skills Development Sco…

20 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many trainee radiographer posts have been (a) available and (b) unfilled in each year since 2014-15.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. However, the Scottish Government has approached the universities that run these courses to get their non-validated data. It should be noted that currently universities, independently from the S…

20 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the additional 30 trainee radiographer posts, announced in its integrated workforce plan, will be located.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The additional 30 trainee radiographer posts, announced in the Integrated National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, published on ? 16 December 2019, will be recruited at 10 per year across 2020, 2021 and 2022. The first 10 posts will be added to those t…

15 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities offer digital school registration.

18 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of treating a patient with Lithium.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The annual cost is estimated to be between £25 to £35. This estimation may vary between patients, as patients care is tailored to the individual. This does not factor in the costs of blood monitoring, which are done on a 3-monthly basis after dose stabilised.

18 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of medical trials of alternatives to Lithium.

Answer · Clare Haughey: There are no trials at present in Scotland, or the wider UK that are a direct alternative to Lithium, however there is already medication available as an alternative. There is a medical study resource locator available called “Be Part of Research” which prov…

18 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to organisations that support bipolar people and their families.

Answer · Clare Haughey: NHS Scotland, Local and Integrated Authorities work in partnership with third sector and other service providers to deliver care, services and support to people with bipolar disorder and their families from the overall resources they receive from the Scottish…

13 Nov 2019 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what steps it is taking to ensure that there is access to the Wi-Fi service across all of the estate.

13 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners who were subject to emergency detention and known to be bipolar there have been in each month in each of the last five years.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Emergency Detention Certificates, as set out in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, are only permitted for use in the community or where a patient is already in a hospital setting, therefore no prisoners have been subject to them.

13 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specialist services are available for prisoners who are bipolar.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Mental health assessment, support and treatment is carried out in prisons by a range of different disciplines. This is provided for the full range of mental health disorders, including people with bipolar disorder. Responsibility for delivering prisoner healt…

13 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many trauma cars there are working with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: There are 75 Paramedic Response Units (PRUs) working with the Scottish Ambulance Service; of which 66 are cars, 3 motorcycles and 6 Specialist Paramedic vehicles.

13 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Scottish Prison Service has made on making video visits available in all prisons, commensurate with practice in Northern Ireland and as recommended by Lord Farmer for prisons in England and Wales, by the Council of Europe and by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Chi…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: Virtual family visits are provided by Apex Scotland, located in Aberdeen City, facilitating virtual family visits to those in our care…

13 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Scottish Prison Service has made on the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons' recommendation for the installation of in-cell telephones at HMYOI Polmont, and when this will be complete.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: In June 2019 the Cabinet Secretary for Justice announced to Parliament that the Scottish Prison Service would explore options for impl…

8 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to each of the recommendations made by the Perinatal Mental Health Network in its report, Delivering Effective Services: Needs Assessment and Service Recommendations for Specialist and Universal Perinatal Mental Health Services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government accepted all of the recommendations in the Delivering Effective Services: Needs Assessment and Service Recommendations for Specialist and Universal Perinatal Mental Health Services report . We have set up the Perinatal and Infant Ment…

8 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in commissioning an options appraisal to look at the feasibility of having additional mother and baby unit capacity, including what specialist support is required in the north, as set out in its Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Programme Board Delivery Plan 2…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scoping for an options appraisal has been commissioned and is currently being undertaken by NHS National Services Scotland. This is due to be reported on by December 2019.  

8 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many specialist mental health midwives are employed by each NHS board.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: As detailed in the Perinatal Mental Health Network’s report, As detailed in the Perinatal Mental Health Network’s report, Delivering Effective Services: Needs Assessment and Service Recommendations for Specialist and Universal Perinatal Mental Health Service…

8 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which maternity units have access to a perinatal mental health midwife.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Information on maternity units that have access to a perinatal mental health midwife is not held centrally. Perinatal Mental Health and Specialist Mental Health are not terms which are recorded by the Scottish Workforce Information Standard System. Informatio…