Monica Lennon

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on continuing or ceasing funding to organisations that, subsequent to being awarded funding, are found by an employment tribunal to have discriminated against, harassed or victimised an employee due to their gender.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18388 on 20 September 2018. 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…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Fair Work Action Plan will specifically cover equality and non-discrimination implications for awarding public finance or grants to organisations.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is fully committed to Fair Work and in the absence of legislative powers over employment, the Fair Work Action plan will clearly articulate the actions we will take to help embed a culture of Fair Work and Fair Work practices in Scotti…

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its awarding of grants or funding to organisations is subject to a gender or equalities review of the recipient’s policies and governance processes.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Grant funding provided by the Scottish Government is subject to the lead business area being satisfied as to the standing and relevant experience/expertise of the recipient and any delivery partners. Scottish Government internal guidance highlights that this …

3 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to reflect the EU’s key principles of procurement policy, which are reflected in the Scottish Public Finance Manual, and the principle of equal treatment and non-discrimination in its awarding of grants or funding to organisations after the UK leaves the EU.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government will continue to advance the case for Scotland to remain in the European Union, or failing that within the single market and customs union. That notwithstanding, the principles of equal treatment and non-discrimination apply to procur…

2 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the support available for young people in employment who have dyslexia.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is working with disabled people’s organisations, the third sector, and disabled people, including those who have been diagnosed with dyslexia, to assess the support that is needed to enable people to move into and stay in work. For th…

2 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice is given to young people with dyslexia, and their parents/carers, regarding dyslexia assessments prior to leaving school.

Answer · John Swinney: The Additional Support for Learning Legislation has specific provisions relating to transitions. Where a child or young person is expected to leave school (at the end of primary school or when leaving secondary school) the education authority has a duty to re…

2 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for apprentices who have dyslexia.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland is committed to improving the success of individuals with dyslexia as set out in out in their five year Equality Action Plan, published in December of 2015. The Equalities Action Plan Update Year 2 was published in August 2018: Th…

19 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning (a) last met and (b) will next meet Engender to discuss (i) the Planning (Scotland) Bill and (ii) how gender relates to planning.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I have not met, nor have any current plans to meet Engender to discuss planning matters, but I have noted their correspondence relating to the Planning Bill. My officials met with Engender on 18 May 2018 and are arranging to do so again this autumn, following…

12 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the reported proposed disposal of 24 Police Scotland buildings, and whether there are plans to close any more.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: As responsibility for the police estate sits with the Scottish Police Authority, the Authority considered and agreed to the disposal of 49 unused Police Scotland properties at a public Board meeting on 2 May 2018. The Scottish Government understands that 31 …

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to improve uptake of cervical screening in the most deprived areas of Scotland.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are investing up to £5 million from the Cancer Strategy to tackle inequalities in access to screening, including cervical screening. The funds will support new activities, sharing of learning from local practice and innovation, to improve uptake of screeni…

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to improve uptake of cervical screening among women under the age of 30.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Increasing participation in the Scottish Cervical Screening Programme is a key objective for the Scottish Government and we are continuing to carry out a range of work to encourage women to attend their screening appointments. This includes a series of nation…

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each rape crisis centre will be given in each of the next three years from the additional £1.5 million that was announced in the Programme for Government; what criteria it will use to determine how this will be allocated, and whether it will set out how each allocation has been …

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government is working with Rape Crisis Scotland to seek proposals from each rape crisis centre on how it can best reduce waiting times by utilising additional resources. The outcome of decisions on how to allocate the additional funding will be m…

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the remaining £500,000 of additional funding for survivors of rape and sexual abuse, which was announced in the Programme for Government, will be distributed.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government will discuss further with stakeholders how this funding may be allocated, and further details will be provided on this in due course.

3 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the number of people who have paid for private mental health counselling in the last three years.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government does not collect data on the number of patients who have accessed private mental health counselling.

31 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in the last three years were on NHS waiting lists for mental health treatment where the waiting time target was exceeded and, of these, what information it holds how many paid for private mental health counselling during the period.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government has figures on people waiting for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) and Psychological Therapies, but not on people who have paid for private mental health counselling. For CAMHS in the last 3 years: Year Number of p…

30 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12099 by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2017, what its response is to the recent report by the Children's Society, which states that a fifth of girls in the UK have self-harmed.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Although this is a UK-wide report, we are aware that levels of self-harm are higher in girls than boys in Scotland and it is unacceptable that anyone should feel this way. We want anyone who may be at risk of self-harm to be able to get the help they need qui…

30 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12099 by Maureen Watt on 26 October 2017, what its response is to the recommendation in the recent report by the Children's Society that all secondary schools should have access to a counsellor, and whether it will take action to implement school-ba…

Answer · Clare Haughey: We have made absolutely clear the commitment of this government to promoting children’s health and wellbeing. This year’s Programme for Government includes a commitment to invest in school counselling services across in Scotland. This will create around 350 …

29 Aug 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on agreeing to the City of Edinburgh Council piloting a tourism tax as a means of raising revenue.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government position remains consistent: we will not consider requests to implement a tourist tax unless the tourism and hospitality industry is involved from the outset and its long-term interests are fully recognised. Whilst the City of Edinbur…

28 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children receive home-based education, and what provision is in place for them to access free period products.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: In our Programme for Government last year, we committed to providing access to free sanitary products in schools, colleges and universities and in the majority of local authorities this is being delivered on educational establishment premises. While the numbe…

24 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the information that it holds on how many complaints it has received relating to sexual assault or sexual harassment by (a) Ministers, (b) Special Advisers and (c) its staff since 1999; how many complaints have been upheld; how many cases have been referred to the…

Answer · Graeme Dey: As an employer, the Scottish Government does not make determinations about whether the nature of a complaint constitutes a sexual assault as that is rightly a matter for Police Scotland to determine. We do not therefore have a record of any complaints that ha…

23 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S5W-17888 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 17 August 2018, whether the existing specialist endometriosis centres in Aberdeen and Edinburgh include experts in pain management and fertility.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Both centres are supported by specialist staff for pain management and fertility.  

23 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S5W-17888 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 17 August 2018, what date the third specialist endometriosis centre is expected to open.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5O-02319 on 6 September 2018. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the parliaments website, the Official Report can be viewed at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.a…

23 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on awarding grants or funding to organisations that have been found by an employment tribunal to have discriminated against, harassed, or victimised an employee due to the employee’s gender.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Public Finance Manual provides guidance on accountability arrangements for the use of public resources, such as grant payments. It requires that certain conditions should be satisfied before grant funding is awarded, including the standing and re…

16 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reported concerns that its website has limited search functionality and can be time-consuming for users seeking to access ministerial engagement data, including it requiring them to review multiple spreadsheets and it not having a search function for organisation …

Answer · Kate Forbes: We are committed to presenting information in an open and transparent way, using feedback from users to drive improvements to the corporate website. As part of the continuous improvement process we are considering options to make it easier for users to searc…

14 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met its Independent Race Equality Adviser, and what was discussed.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The last meeting with the Independent Race Equality Adviser was the Race Equality Action Plan Programme Board meeting on 22 August 2018. The discussion was around the progress being made on the actions in the Race Equality Action Plan.  

14 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the term of its Independent Race Equality Adviser ends, and whether it will appoint a new adviser or reappoint the current one.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The term of the Independent Race Equality Adviser ends on 31 October 2018. Consideration will be given by the Race Equality Action Plan Programme Board to the appointment of another Adviser.  

14 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendation in the report, Addressing Race Equality: The Way Forward, by its Independent Race Equality Adviser, what consideration it has given to instructing Directors of Service to review previous initiatives that are relevant to delivering race equality with a view…

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Race Equality Action Plan Programme Board was established to oversee the implementation of the Race Equality Action Plan. The first meeting of the Programme Board was held on 22 August 2018, attended by the Independent Race Equality Advisor. At the first …

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long the waiting list is for rape survivors at each rape crisis centre.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: According to Rape Crisis Scotland, as of August 2018 waiting list times for each centre were as follows: Centre Length of waiting list Argyll and Bute 6 months Grampian 2 weeks South West (Dumfries and Galloway) 6 months WSRAC (Dundee) 10 months ST…

3 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provision there is for alcohol-related brain damage supported accommodation in each NHS board area.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Information on the provision of supported accommodation for patients with alcohol-related brain damage in each NHS board area is not held centrally. Integration Authorities have delegated responsibility for the planning and commissioning of services in relat…

3 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for people with alcohol-related brain damage.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Integration Authorities have delegated responsibility for the planning and commissioning of services in relation to mental health, drugs and alcohol services. In carrying out these responsibilities, they will work with their NHS partners to ensure that servic…