Michelle Ballantyne

5 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the contract tendering process for the second year of the Baby Box scheme will operate.

Answer · Maree Todd: The second generation baby box will be procured by open tender via Public Contracts Scotland. A link to the Prior Information Notice, which issued to suppliers on 10 January is attached for your information: https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search…

5 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reverse the reported decline in social and economic wellbeing in Scotland, in light of the country reportedly being ranked 16th out of 32 countries in the Index of Social and Economic Wellbeing in 2006 but falling to 20th by 2016, and being one of just five countries…

Answer · Keith Brown: Devolution has been overwhelmingly positive for Scotland. Over the last decade people are living and remaining healthier for longer, inequality has shrunk, the gender pay gap has fallen, more young people are attending university and crime has fallen to a 42-…

3 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to the Civil Service People Survey 2017, which reportedly found that, of Education Scotland's staff, just (a) 7% agree that change was "managed well" by the organisation in 2017 and (b) 18% had confidence in the leadership team.

Answer · John Swinney: These results are deeply disappointing. I believe, however that the appointment of the new Chief Inspector of Education and Chief Executive of Education Scotland, Gayle Gorman, last month will come to be seen as the critical step in improving the situation. …

19 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s reported prediction that the economy will grow at a rate of less than 1% per annum over the next five years, and that the slowdown in growth will lead to £2 billion less being collected in income tax.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts to inform the Scottish Budget. The Scottish Government has set out its plans for supporting the economy and enabling inclusive growth in the Draft Budget 201…

18 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments from the economist, Arthur Laffer, that the proposals in its Draft Budget discourage growth.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Fiscal Commission have identified the key threats to Scotland’s economy as being Brexit, inflation and low population growth driven by downward migration. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government is taking action to grow Scotland’s economy, positioni…

12 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will be taking to tackle the reported increasing amount of disruption in secondary schools that is attributed to the use of mobile phones in class, as highlighted in its report, Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2016.

Answer · John Swinney: Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2016 shows that the vast majority of pupils in our schools are well behaved. With regard to mobile phones, we urge schools and local authorities to think carefully about how they can be used to enhance the learning exper…

11 Dec 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with Police Scotland regarding tackling domestic abuse over the festive period.

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects GPs' workload to be reduced nationally, and what its response is to reports that recent recruitment drives have had poor outcomes.

Answer · Shona Robison: The GP Recruitment and Retention programme has successfully delivered more GPs and builds on a wide range of initiatives that encourage GPs to enter and remain in the profession - for example, the ground-breaking Scottish rural medicine collaborative involvin…

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what extra resources are in place to ensure the long-term sustainability of remote GP practices.

Answer · Shona Robison: The new General Medical Services contract, if accepted by GPs, will introduce a more accurate workload formula, and the Scottish Government has committed £23 million to guarantee that no practice will lose income as a result of the new formula. As part of t…

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will monitor and ensure minimum earnings as per the renewed GP contract.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is awaiting the Scottish General Practitioners Committee (SGPC) of the BMA's response to its poll of GPs on the new contract offer. Should the profession decide to accept the offer, the Scottish Government and SGPC will negotiate appro…

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to local authorities that face difficulties in service repayment of their debt because of interest rate increases.

Answer · Derek Mackay: We have treated local government very fairly despite the cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government. The overall increase in spending power to support local authority services this year amounts to £383 million or 3.7 per cent compared to 2016-17. The…

7 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it invested on health visitors in 2016-17.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government allocated £2 million, £6.8 million, and £19 million in 2014-15, 2015.16 and 2017-18 respectively for additional Health Visitors. In 2016-17, funding for Health Visitors was included in the new Outcomes Framework (totalling over £160 mi…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government  what support it is providing to the NHS to assist it in developing long-term aims and objectives to achieve better value for money, in light of Audit Scotland's recommendations on this matter.

Answer · Shona Robison: In 2018-19 total additional funding for our frontline NHS Boards will amount to £354 million (3.7 per cent) which amounts to a real terms increase of £208 million (2.2 per cent). This includes additional investment in reform of £175 million and reflects o…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will implement each of the recommendations made by Sir Harry Burns in the review, Targets and Indicators in Health and Social Care in Scotland. 

Answer · Shona Robison: Sir Harry Burns’ independent review of targets and indicators was published on 15 November. Sir Harry identifies some key principles and recommendations for developing and using targets and indicators going forward. He suggests that targets and indicators hav…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will establish a more positive culture to support nurses, as per the Nursing 2030 vision.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Nursing 2030 Vision sets a direction for nursing across Scotland through to 2030 in order to promote confident, competent and collaborative nursing for Scotland's future. To support nurses as we move towards 2030, the Vision emphasises the importance of p…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that each NHS board will be in a position to afford to (a) fund pay increases and (b) recruit more GPs.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government’s 2018-19 Draft Budget sets out details of a 3.7% uplift in funding for frontline NHS Boards, comprising budget increases of £179m and a share of £175m additional funding for reform. In the Draft Budget, the Scottish Government has set…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12320 by Shona Robison on 20 November 2017, how it defines the "reasonable steps" that NHS boards should be taking to live within their means when they are trying to improve performance targets, and how it will ensure that its "balanced approach to …

Answer · Shona Robison: Our balanced approach to performance is reflected in the Sustainability and Value Programme which supports NHS Boards to deliver their efficiency savings and oversees four workstreams across NHS Scotland: workforce, clinical transformation; effective prescrib…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that its investment to support NHS winter resilience will lead to positive outcomes for patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has invested record levels of additional funding this year of £22.4 million to support unscheduled care and winter pressures. Despite the recent winter pressures impacting on A&E departments, Scotland’s performance for the year to Nove…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects to achieve the standard target for (a) waiting less than 12 weeks for an outpatient appointment, (b) referral to treatment within 18 weeks, (c) the 12-week treatment time guarantee for inpatient/day care treatment services and (d) A&E waiting times of less than fo…

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is working closely with health Boards across Scotland to support delivery of a range of key performance targets. We have invested more than £50 million this year (2017-18) to improve all parts of the patient pathway - outpatient cons…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the additional money made available to NHS boards in 2017 will (a) reduce referral to treatment times, (b) reduce outpatient waiting times and (c) guarantee the 12-week treatment time for inpatient/day care treatment services.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-13214 on 18 January 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/parliamentarybusiness…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of agency staff in the NHS.

Answer · Shona Robison: In NHSScotland, the majority of temporary shifts are filled through the NHS Staff Bank. The Staff Bank provides NHS Boards with a pool of appropriately trained staff, working on NHS contracts at NHS rates of pay who can provide temporary cover for short term …

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what contingencies are in place to deal with a possible influenza A epidemic, other than the £5 million it has invested to support winter planning for health services.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Health and social care services have developed winter plans and have £17.4 million additional funding provided by the Scottish Government this year to ensure good patient flow in hospitals and in the community. Ahead of each influenza season a coordinated c…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle obesity; how it promotes an increase in physical activity by teenagers as part of this; what progress is being made by the initiatives, (a) the Recipe for Success, Scotland’s First National Food and Drink policy and (b) Becoming a Good Food Nation, and …

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government is presently consulting on a bold new diet and obesity strategy which proposes a package of measures to help people be more active and make healthier choices. This includes action to change the food environment and improve children’s d…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Scottish Patient Safety Programme is making with regards to deteriorating patients.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) is a unique national initiative that aims to improve the safety and reliability of health and social care and reduce harm, whenever care is delivered. As part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s Improvement Hub (i…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it investing an additional £88 million to maintain teacher numbers and support probationer teachers in 2016-17, what its response is to reports that there remains a shortage of teachers. 

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to my answer to her previous question S5W-12808 answered on 23 November 2017 which outlines the actions the Scottish Government is taking to increase teacher recruitment. I am pleased to report that “The Summary Statistics for Schools in …

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the roll-out of national standardised assessments, which was proposed in the 2016-17 Programme for Scotland has not been delivered, and when it will do so.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish National Standardised Assessments have been available to schools from 24th August 2017, in line with the commitment in 2016.17 Programme for Government.

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) new and (b) refurbished schools have been delivered in each year since the Schools for the Future programme was introduced.

Answer · John Swinney: Through the Scotland's Schools for the Future programme, the number of (a) new and (b) refurbished schools delivered in each year since the programme was introduced is as follows: 2012 (a) 6 (b) 0 2013 (a) 6 (b) 1 2014 (a) 3 (b) 1 2015 (a) 5 (b) 2 2016 (…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of children are living in combined material deprivation and low income households, and how it plans to reduce this to no more than 5% by 2020.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Delivery Plans due under the Child Poverty (Scotland) Bill will set out action to make progress towards the ambitious 2030 income targets, the first of which will be published by April 2018.

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the Child Poverty Fund will be used to tackle the root causes of child poverty.

Answer · Angela Constance: As outlined within the Programme for Government 2017-18 it is the intention of this government to use the Tackling Child Poverty Fund to trial new approaches, strengthen the evidence base and support innovation at a national and local level in order to make p…

5 Dec 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost for all childcare workers to be paid at least the national living wage by 2020; how it calculated this, and from which budget line the money will be drawn.

Answer · Maree Todd: The national living wage is the statutory minimum wage that workers aged over 25 must be paid and is set by the UK Government. The real Living Wage is a higher, and independently-calculated, wage rate which is intended to reflect the cost of living. It is se…