Maurice Corry

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what conditions apply to veterans in terms of receiving priority NHS treatment.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scottish Government policy on priority treatment for veterans is defined in the Chief Executive Letter (CEL) 8 (2008), which you can find at the following link: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2008_08.pdf. This letter, sent to NHS Board Chief Executives …

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that effective partnerships exist between voluntary sector mental health services, the NHS, local authorities and the justice system to ensure that vulnerable veterans receive access to appropriate help in relation to alcohol issues.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Public Bodies (Joint Working)(Scotland) Act 2014 placed a duty on Integration Authorities to develop a 'strategic plan' for integrated functions and budgets under their control. Strategic commissioning plans have been published by every Partnership, and …

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase awareness of NHS staff so that issues relating to pre-enlistment and length of time served in the Armed Forces, and the impact of these on veterans' mental health and related health and social care needs, are taken into account when deciding on the most appro…

Answer · Shona Robison: Health and social care professionals work together to ensure person-centred and effective care and treatment is based on a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary needs assessment with individual care plans put in place to meet that need. Health and social care p…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance and training it provides for NHS Veterans Champions to help them meet the obligations of the Armed Forces Covenant.

Answer · Shona Robison: In November 2010, the Scottish Government issued Chief Executive Letter (CEL) 39 (2010) to NHS Boards in Scotland (link: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2010_39.pdf). This sets out our expectation that all Boards appoint a Champion for veterans’ issues an…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that funding provided for veterans' organisations and events are being used in the most effective and efficient manner.

Answer · Keith Brown: All Scottish Government grant funding recipients are required to fully comply with the terms and conditions scheduled in a formal grant offer letter. These include setting out clear objectives and outcomes, a payment schedule (if required) and an end of proje…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve access to information for veterans on public sector websites.

Answer · Shona Robison: Working with colleagues across the Scottish Government and service providers, the mygov.scot website will bring together information on the advice and support that is available to veterans and their families into one place, including: • Housing • Employmen…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policy guidance it has provided to NHS boards in relation to the Armed Forces Covenant.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answers to questions S5W-04124 and S5W-04133 on 10 November 2016. 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/parl…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve mental health services to ensure that they meet the needs of female veterans and veterans' spouses, in light of reports that these groups are underusing available services.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies – including NHS boards and local authorities – to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, …

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to the needs of (a) older and (b) disabled veterans by local health and social care partnerships.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Public Bodies (Joint Working)(Scotland) Act 2014 placed a duty on Integration Authorities to develop a 'strategic plan' for integrated functions and budgets under their control. In 2015, the year before integration went live, the Scottish Government pub…

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase the understanding of the impact of alcohol misuse among vulnerable veterans.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s Alcohol Strategy Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action was published in March 2009 and signalled our whole population approach to tackling alcohol misuse in Scotland recognising that alcohol misuse is …

27 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to the mental health and related needs of veterans by local health and social care partnerships.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Public Bodies (Joint Working)(Scotland) Act 2014 placed a duty on Integration Authorities to develop a 'strategic plan' for integrated functions and budgets under their control. In 2015, the year before integration went live, the Scottish Government publ…

26 Oct 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which projects have received support from the Scottish Veterans' Fund, broken down by amount provided.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Veterans Fund was established in 2008 for the purpose of assisting groups and organisations providing support services to Scotland’s ex-Service personnel. The Scottish Government has invested £833,316.88 to date via the Fund supporting 125 proj…

24 Oct 2016 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, further to the decision by the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association to take industrial action, what steps the Scottish Government has taken to resolve the issue of teacher workloads.

14 Sep 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will fill the reported £21 million cash shortfall faced by Police Scotland.

6 Sep 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to farmers who are in debt.

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it provides to veterans with mental health issues.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and …

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many veterans live in each local authority area, also broken down by how many are (a) in employment and (b) homeless.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work (Keith Brown): On 19 May 2016, the Ministry of Defence published the most recent analysis of the Annual Population Survey produced by the Office of National Statistics in 2014, which contains information o…

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it provides to veterans seeking (a) accommodation and (b) employment.

Answer · Keith Brown: Through its affordable housing supply programme, the Scottish Government provides grant funding to build homes to support ex-Service personnel. The Scottish Government awarded £2.59 million to Scottish Veterans Residences’ to provide affordable rental homes e…

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of the recommendations made by Scottish Veteran Commissioner in the document (a) Report on the Provision of Information on Housing for Service Leavers and Veterans in Scotland and (b) Transition in Scotland it has implemented.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government continues to work with stakeholders to ensure that the Commissioner’s findings and recommendations are central to our current and future work programme. We have taken forward a number of recommendations made by the Scottish Veteran Co…

18 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training and placement schemes it has in place for people who have left the Armed Forces.

Answer · Keith Brown: Ex-Service personnel have full access to training and placement schemes that are available to those seeking employability support in Scotland, subject to eligibility. In September 2015 the Scottish Government provided an additional £1.3 million to the Commun…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of farmers has received their 2015 Basic Payment Scheme payment in full.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As at 31 August 2016, The Scottish Government has paid CAP 2015 payments (Basic, Greening and Young Farmers) that total almost £323 million to more than 17,704 farms. Of that, 17,330 businesses have received their full payment. The remainder (374) have receiv…

11 Aug 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to begin processing applications for the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Processing of applications for the 2016 Basic Payment Scheme has already commenced.

20 Jun 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle high rents.

26 May 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will retain the the current level of services at the Vale of Leven Hospital.