Official Report 1066KB pdf
Residents of Unlicensed Temporary Accommodation
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that City of Edinburgh Council plans to move up to 700 residents living in unlicensed temporary accommodation this winter without suitable alternative accommodation being available. (S6O-03997)
Everyone has the right to a safe and suitable home. The Minister for Housing and I have twice met the leader and housing convener of the City of Edinburgh Council and we have pledged to work with the council on its plans to resolve the problem. Scottish Government officials are meeting daily with council officers and all options are urgently being explored to ensure that the affected residents are fully supported and, where necessary, safely rehoused.
The situation in Edinburgh shows the overwhelming need for an urgent, human rights-based response to the housing emergency by ministers and local authorities. There must be no dilution of the existing legal protections for people experiencing homelessness. Will the cabinet secretary work with the local authority, local stakeholders and any public bodies that may have suitable accommodation to find a pragmatic solution to ensure that no one ends up on the streets after 30 November?
The Minister for Housing and I were pleased to meet yesterday with Lorna Slater and representatives of charities working in Edinburgh to outline the urgent steps that we are taking, alongside the council, to find a solution. I said at that meeting, and am happy to confirm again today, that we are looking at all the options that the Scottish Government could undertake, and that we will do so in conjunction with stakeholders so that we can be assured that we are aware of the consequences of any proposed change and can base any proposed solutions on data and evidence. I make that commitment again today to Lorna Slater and to those who were at the meeting that we both attended yesterday.
I thank the cabinet secretary for her answers so far and for the collaborative approach that is being taken with the City of Edinburgh Council to address a worrying situation. The situation is partly a product of the housing emergency, which is most acute in the capital. Will the cabinet secretary set out what additional and specific support the Scottish Government is providing to the City of Edinburgh Council, and will she say what share of the £40 million housing acquisition fund is being allocated to Edinburgh?
The £40 million housing acquisition fund has, in the main, been targeted at the local authorities facing the greatest pressures. That means that Edinburgh will receive just over £14 million of that £40 million allocation, which it can use both for acquisitions and to bring void properties back into use. The issue of void properties is usually dealt with solely by councils, but the Government has stepped in to give further flexibility. That takes the total amount available for investment in affordable housing in Edinburgh to more than £49 million this year.
Dental Extraction Waiting Times (Rural NHS Boards)
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce waiting times for dental extractions in rural national health service board areas. (S6O-03998)
Any long wait for surgery is highly regrettable. However, it is important to note that the overwhelming majority of NHS dental care is delivered in a primary care setting.
We are working with health boards to develop detailed annual delivery plans to support waiting list reductions and improve productivity. We continue to target resources to ensure that those who have been waiting longest are treated as soon as possible.
The results of a freedom of information request made to NHS health boards reveal a failure to deliver adequate dental care across Scotland. In NHS Dumfries and Galloway, children wait an average of 42 weeks, those in NHS Ayrshire and Arran wait for 20 weeks, and NHS Lothian has seen waiting times rise by almost 300 per cent since 2019.
The NHS is an emanation of the state, and article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child is clear that every child has a right to the
“highest attainable standard of health”
and access to essential care. What is the Scottish Government’s defence of its failure to live up to that human right?
I recognise that the waiting lists for young children are far too long. I have visited the dental hospital in Glasgow to see what work it is doing to improve throughput and the work that it is doing with health boards. I also met the British Dental Association Scotland last week and listened to its concerns. As I noted in my first answer, we expect health boards to deliver annual delivery plans to clearly set out how they will address long waits across all specialties, including paediatric dentistry.
Firework Safety
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it can make communities safer from the use and impact of fireworks. (S6O-03999)
We have introduced a number of measures to limit unsafe and antisocial use of fireworks, including restrictions on supply and powers for local authorities to designate firework control zones. Like the police and partners, we are keen to explore further opportunities to address and prevent disorder of the kind that we have seen in some places. I have written to the United Kingdom Government asking for a meeting to discuss what more can be done on fireworks regulation. We will continue to engage with the UK Government to gauge opportunities to improve fireworks regulation.
The minister will be acutely aware of the traumatic impact that the noise from fireworks can have on family pets and wildlife, with more examples each year of animals actually dying of fright from the noise, and we should not forget people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Will the Government consider what more it can do to persuade people to opt for silent or low-noise fireworks? They are readily available and just as spectacular in visual displays, but they do not cause any traumatic effects for our household pets and wildlife or the citizens that I mentioned.
I agree that fireworks should always be used responsibly, particularly considering the noise impact. I noted with interest that there is a private member’s bill in the House of Commons that seeks to mandate the use of silent or low-noise fireworks. The legal maximum noise level for fireworks is defined in the UK-wide legislation. As I said, I have written to the UK Government to request a meeting to discuss updating fireworks regulation. I recognise that we share the goal of enhancing community safety and wellbeing, and I plan to address the noise issues as part of those conversations.
Milngavie Primary School
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with East Dunbartonshire Council regarding the condition of Milngavie primary school. (S6O-04000)
Scottish Government officials continue to be in close contact with East Dunbartonshire Council regarding the condition of Milngavie primary school. The council advised that it has had a number of site meetings at the school with the parent council, councillors and MSPs. It stated that those meetings were positive and helped the council to demonstrate the work that has been completed to date. Further remedial work is planned and the council has assured us that it will continue to engage with the parent council and school community as it progresses.
Milngavie primary school is a Victorian-era building and it is in poor condition. East Dunbartonshire Council had a plan for a full and thorough refurbishment that should have begun by now, but that plan had to be put on hold as a knock-on effect of the previous United Kingdom Government’s decision to cut Scotland’s capital budget by 20 per cent. The urgent remedial work that has taken place has resolved some of the most acute issues, but a thorough refurbishment of the building is clearly required. That is the consensus of all political parties and elected representatives in East Dunbartonshire.
Is the cabinet secretary willing to visit the school with me? Given the slight relief to Scotland’s capital settlement as a result of the most recent UK budget announcement, will the Government consider providing an increase to the learning estate improvement programme to allow both Milngavie primary school and the other schools in East Dunbartonshire that require refurbishment or a full rebuild to proceed?
I thank Ross Greer for his interest in the matter. He has written to me directly and I am happy to confirm on the record that I will visit the school with him and ask officials to continue their engagement with East Dunbartonshire Council.
It is worth putting it on the record that the funding that was announced in the UK Government’s autumn statement was broadly in line with our planning assumptions. However, we will continue to look carefully at the context of education consequentials.
Ross Greer will know that the reason why the new UK Government has been forced to prioritise investment in school buildings is a legacy of the Conservative Government’s previous starving of investment in school buildings in England. That is not the case in Scotland, where we have prioritised investment in our school estate. That has been shown in the latest statistics, with more than 91 per cent of our buildings now in good or satisfactory condition.
East Dunbartonshire Council has benefited from £10.2 million for schools in its area through the previous schools for the future programme, and is benefiting through the learning estate investment programme. I am happy to continue to work with Ross Greer on the issue. I recognise the strength of local feeling. Officials will continue to engage with the local authority.
Worried parents, including the president of the parent council, have written to me expressing distress over the state of Milngavie primary school. I visited the school premises last month, and it was clear that more substantial work needs to be done. I have also received correspondence from parents at Westerton primary school in Bearsden, who said that that school building is in dire need of repair. What action is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that children’s safety in schools is a number 1 priority?
It is worth reminding Pam Gosal that the school estate does not belong to the Scottish Government. It is owned by local authorities. Responsibility for the school estate therefore rests with the local authority.
I very much hear the strength of feeling from Pam Gosal, which has also been reflected by Ross Greer. I hope that she has heard my continued commitment to engaging with the local authority on the issue.
The Government has provided significant additional investment to improve the quality of our school estate. Back in 2007, approximately 61 per cent of the estate was in good or satisfactory condition; today, the figure is more than 91 per cent. That has happened only as a direct result of investment from the Government. I hope that Pam Gosal recognises that, and I commit again to working directly with the local authority on helping to drive the improvements in the primary school that she named.
Do Not Resuscitate Orders
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of people who are not aware of a do not resuscitate order being placed on their medical notes, including in relation to next of kin and power of attorney holders. (S6O-04001)
The Scottish Government does not centrally collect information or data relating to the number or use of do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation—DNACPR—forms. As with all other clinical treatments, decisions about CPR should be based on the individual clinical circumstances and wishes of the patient, and should be recorded appropriately. That is done in hard copy on a DNACPR form, the existence of which is then recorded on an individual’s key information summary. Such information is shared only for the purposes of direct care, and is therefore not centrally collected.
I acknowledge that the Scottish Government is not collecting that information.
Serious concerns have been raised, especially during the pandemic, about the use of do not resuscitate—also known as do not attempt resuscitation—orders. Is the Scottish Government looking at changing that process? What investigation have ministers undertaken to assess how many patients may still be unaware that a DNR order has been placed on their medical notes? Will the cabinet secretary review that, and review the collection of data by the Scottish Government?
I thank Miles Briggs for raising an issue that is, obviously, incredibly sensitive. I recognise the strength of feeling among patients and others whom he seeks to represent today.
In 2016, the DNACPR policy was reviewed to reflect feedback on changes in the United Kingdom-wide national good practice guidance from the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Resuscitation Council UK. A note of legal changes, which had resulted from case law, and specialist legal advice were provided as part of the formation of that policy. The Scottish Government continually reviews best practice and advice relating to resuscitation. We are undertaking work to improve our electronic recording systems, to allow us to provide more clarity on care planning at a local and national level.
In recognition of the sensitivity of the issue, if further discussion in a more private space would be helpful to Miles Briggs, I will be happy to facilitate that.
Audiology Services
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve access to audiology services. (S6O-04002)
Audiology is considered to be a clinical priority area, and improvement work is now being progressed through the national planning and delivery board arrangements, led by the chief operating officer of NHS Scotland. I wrote to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee on 23 September to outline that work, and committed to writing to the committee again in January 2025 with a further update on progress.
The minister will know that it is cost effective to provide hearing-loss services for adults in the community, rather than in hospitals, and that primary care and high street audiologists are expert clinicians who can improve access to care in communities throughout Scotland and can timeously address hearing loss at the right time to reduce associated loneliness and isolation. Does the minister agree that we could benefit from approaching hearing loss in Scotland in the same way as we approach eye tests in the community—as set out in Specsavers’ recent “It’s Time To Talk About Hearing” report—to improve patient experience and relieve pressures on valuable national health service resources?
Having visited a glaucoma service on the high street, I recognise the benefits of such services to patients, as Elena Whitham outlined. We remain committed to our vision for an integrated community-based hearing service in Scotland. In considering the future direction for the sector, it is right that we move forward in step with the work of the independent review on audiology. That, together with the wider financial and strategic context in which we are currently operating, has necessitated the rephasing of our commitment on community hearing services. However, we continue to work with NHS, third sector and private providers to identify appropriate models for community care for any future service reform, and we are ensuring that those with lived experience inform that work.
People in South Scotland continue to report to me that, a year after an independent review highlighted multiple systemic problems with NHS audiology services, they are still being left to navigate a bureaucratic maze just to get a proper diagnosis. Will the minister commit to dealing urgently with that bureaucratic maze?
I recognise the urgency that is required, which is why I am very pleased that the chief operating officer of NHS Scotland is leading the work with the task and finish group. I get regular updates on progress, as do members of that group and third sector organisations.
Social Security Scotland (2023-24 Performance)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the annual performance of Social Security Scotland in 2023-24. (S6O-04003)
Social Security Scotland published its annual report and accounts and its charter measurement framework results this week. The findings show that 90 per cent of respondents said that their overall experience was very good or good. In the previous financial year, we paid more than £1.9 billion to people across Scotland. During that time, we launched the carer support payment nationally and a pilot for the pension-age disability payment. We now deliver 15 benefits, seven of which are available only in Scotland.
Of the £1.9 billion that was issued in devolved social security payments across Scotland, more than £277 million was invested in Glasgow, including for my Glasgow Cathcart constituents. Will the cabinet secretary outline, for Glasgow and for Scotland as a whole, how much of Social Security Scotland’s investment went towards devolved benefits that are unique to Scotland and not available anywhere else in the United Kingdom, such as the transformative Scottish child payment?
In 2023-24, Social Security Scotland invested £500 million in benefits that are unique to Scotland. Of that, £80 million was invested in the Glasgow city area. Our investment will support 1.4 million people this year—about one in four people in Scotland. Social Security Scotland’s benefits are helping to keep children out of poverty, assisting people to deal with rising living costs and supporting disabled people and those who devote their time to caring for others.
Road Policing
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland’s latest report on road policing. (S6O-04004)
My thoughts are with all those who have been affected by road deaths. I am grateful to HMICS for producing its report. Although it is for the chief constable to determine how to allocate her resources, I welcome the confirmation that the service is already taking action to address the issues that have been raised, including the identification and implementation of a sustainable model for road policing.
It is quite clear that speed kills, and that communities across Scotland are fed up with dangerous speeding that goes undetected, unenforced and unpunished by the police and the courts. That is a rural problem but it is also an urban problem. Does the cabinet secretary believe that it is time to devolve responsibility for speed enforcement to councils, allowing communities to control dangerous speeding and creating a much-needed source of revenue to invest in safer streets?
In terms of investment, I assure the member that road safety is a priority for the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, which is why we are investing a record £36 million this year to deliver initiatives that are aimed at improving driver behaviour and, ultimately, helping to reduce the number of casualties on our roads.
The member may also be aware of the new digital evidence-sharing capability system, which will enable members of the public to upload footage from mobile devices or computers, making it easier to share evidence, allowing swifter access to justice and helping cases to be resolved more quickly.