Jeremy Balfour

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the causes of domestic abuse against victims of domestic abuse who identify as male.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The particular approach we are taking through Equally Safe brings a strategic focus to the issue of men’s violence against women and girls, as underpinned by the definition we have adopted, which is in turn based on the principles of international law through…

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures the effectiveness of its approach to supporting victims of domestic abuse who identify as male.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The focus of Equally Safe as a strategy tackling violence against women and girls means that reports against the performance indicators on survivors record data on women and children, with the option to include data on men. We will also be publishing the Yea…

16 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19038 by Christina McKelvie on 15 October 2018, what proportion of its funding for tackling domestic abuse is allocated to services that support victims who identify as male.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Scottish Government recognises that all victims and survivors of domestic abuse deserve access to support. Funding for domestic abuse services includes support for services who work with male victims. Over 2017 to 2020, these include nearly £85,000 to ru…

9 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the data-sharing requirements that it lodged with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 14 September 2018, and what timescale it has set to implement a data-sharing agreement between the DWP and the Scottish Fiscal Commission to allow the commission to produc…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: There is a Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government and the Department for Work and Pensions, which covers joint working arrangements for the implementation of devolved provisions in the Scotland Act 2016 relating to Social Security and Emp…

4 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the language used in the One Scotland campaign posters regarding religious hate crime risks undermining the campaign and alienating all faiths and could lead to people of any faith feeling hated.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Any form of hate crime or prejudice is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The campaign aims to encourage witnesses to report hate crime using a series of letters addressed to perpetrators describing the experience of victims, stating that ‘yo…

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include the Grace Kelly Ladybird Trust's childhood cancer signs and symptoms awareness card as part of the Personal Child Health Record.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is currently in discussions with the Grace Kelly Ladybird Trust about the inclusion of the childhood cancer symptoms card in the Scottish Personal Child Health Record.  

3 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to pay out in full all claims for CAP Pillar 2 support for 2017-18.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We started making payments for pillar two schemes in May and June this year, three months ahead of last year. We are making steady progress across the different schemes with the aim of making the vast majority of payments by the end of the year.

5 Jun 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to school leavers regarding the transition to further education, training and work.

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what regulations are in place that relate to requirements for changing places lavatories.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: There is currently no regulatory requirement for the provision of Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) in new buildings. I have, however, met with PAMIS (Promoting a More Inclusive Society) and I intend to introduce CPTs into certain types of new large buildings t…

22 May 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce plastic pollution in the Firth of Forth.

15 May 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the accessibility and increase the availability of properties of all tenure types that are suitable for disabled people.

9 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding is directed to men’s groups that are working on domestic abuse issues, and which groups these are.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government recognises that domestic abuse is an abuse of human rights, and is committed to preventing and eradicating it in Scotland. All survivors of domestic abuse deserve access to support. In terms of funding for supporting survivors, we pro…

3 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times in each of the last 12 months ScotRail services between Edinburgh and Musselburgh have been (a) delayed, (b) cancelled and (c) terminated before reaching (i) Edinburgh or (ii) Musselburgh.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our franchise agreement does not obligate the franchisee to provide the information in the format requested by the member. ScotRail provides my officials at Transport Scotland with statistical information on the public performance measurement (PPM), which is…

17 Apr 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Creative Scotland regarding the appointment of the head of the new Screen Unit.

21 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each local authority area it estimates are eligible for Self-directed Support, and how this compares with the number of claimants.

Answer · Shona Robison: The annual Social Care Survey collects information on people known to Local Authorities that are receiving social care services. This includes self-directed support where a person has been assessed, made a choice and received a service through that choice wit…

20 Mar 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s revenue forecast for the increase in the top rate of tax.

13 Mar 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place regarding the recent publication of the Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I and my officials have had, and will continue to have, constructive dialogue with stakeholders and the industry to maintain positive progress in the delivery of housing across all tenures. Working together, across Scotland, to provide quality homes in mixed …

7 Mar 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure that disabled people are not disadvantaged by the ban on plastic straws.

20 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a whistleblower has claimed that there has been "sizeable" misuse of public funds at the Scottish Police Authority.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All allegations of misuse of public funds should be taken very seriously, and it is important that the Scottish Police Authority is able to demonstrate that they have taken appropriate action in response to the issues that have been raised.

26 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses received disability and autism awareness training as a result of Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI).

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI) provides a financial incentive to employers to recruit a young person with additional barriers to employment. It does not provide funding for awareness training. The Scottish Government has provided separate f…

26 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of young people offered a job or apprenticeship through Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI) remained in employment after 13 weeks, broken down by (a) disabled people or people with a long-term health condition, (b) care-experienced young people, (c) carers, (…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The percentage of young people supported into employment, including apprenticeships, that remain in employment after 13 weeks is set out in the following table. Eligibility Percentage sustained at 13 weeks 2016-17 Disability or long term health condit…

26 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many employment opportunities, including apprenticeships, have been made available to unemployed young people as a result of Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI), broken down by (a) disabled people or people with a long-term health condition, (b…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The information on the number of employment opportunities supported by Scotland’s Employer Recruitment Incentive, broken down by eligible groups in set out in the following table. Eligibility Employment Opportunities 2016-17 Disability or long term he…

26 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what level of funding it made available to Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive (SERI).

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Since its launch on 1 July 2015 to date, the Scottish Government has invested £6.025 million in Scotland's Employer Recruitment Incentive.

23 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the improvement of support services for vulnerable people finding themselves homeless or in temporary accommodation.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government has been involved in a range of discussions with partners, which has led to swift, concrete actions, on improving support to vulnerable people facing homelessness through the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group. Importantly,…

8 Jan 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported high pupil-teacher ratios across the Lothian area.

13 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the quality of watercourses in the Lothian region.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Through Scotland’s river basin management plans we have set out a programme of measures to protect and improve our water environment across the country. We recognise the importance of such improvements for our communities and the wider economy. The draft bu…

5 Dec 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's decision to do so, whether it will bring forward the linking of non-domestic rates poundage to CPI from 2020 to April 2018.

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it began consulting stakeholders regarding its decision to revise the licensing of misoprostol to allow it to be taken outside of a hospital or clinic, and in the absence of medical staff, for the purpose of carrying out an abortion; for what reason it did not carry out a public con…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has used powers under the 1967 Abortion Act to class a patient’s home as a place where abortion treatment can be carried out in some circumstances, in order to enable women for whom it is clinically appropriate to take misoprostol at h…

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, prior to announcing its decision to revise the licensing of misoprostol to allow it to be taken outside of a hospital or clinic, and in the absence of medical staff, for the purpose of carrying out an abortion, what assessment it made of the (a) scope for the drug not to be taken at hom…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has used powers under the 1967 Abortion Act to class a patient’s home as a place where abortion treatment can be carried out in specific circumstances, in order to enable women for whom it is appropriate to take misoprostol at home. A…

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted a pilot exercise to establish the safety of allowing misoprostol to be taken outside of a hospital or clinic, and in the absence of medical staff, for the purpose of carrying out an abortion and, if so, whether it will publish the results, and what other action i…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Patient safety is a priority for the Scottish Government. Allowing women to take misoprostol outwith a hospital setting where clinically appropriate is standard practice in other countries, including France, Sweden and Portugal and is supported by research st…