- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what specific criteria it is using to prioritise those who are most in need of treatment as it addresses the NHS Scotland backlog, and what is the evidence used to determine the criteria.
Answer
The Scottish Government has recently announced a new set of ambitious targets to eliminate long waits, with an initial focus on long waits over two years for new outpatients by August 2022 and for inpatients and day case procedures by September 2022.
We have recently stepped down the Clinical Prioritisation Framework that was in place since November 2020 to help Boards prioritise waiting lists throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
This move is a return to pre-pandemic approach of treating patients on an urgent and routine basis, giving Health Boards and clinicians full flexibility to manage waiting lists with a focus on eliminating long waits, as well as continuing to treat the most clinically urgent patients.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many A&E departments there are and what percentage of those have dedicated mental health professionals; and how many (a) additional mental health professionals in A&E departments have been recruited under Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 and (b) mental health professionals in total are based in A&E departments, as of 1 April 2022.
Answer
There are 91 locations providing A&E services across Scotland. Of these, 30 are classed as Emergency Departments - larger A&E services that typically provide a 24 hour consultant led service.
The requested data on the number of mental health workers in A&E departments is not centrally collected. Data such as the number of staff in post or vacancies is collected for specific mental health professional groups in the NHS, but cannot be broken down by settings such as A&E.
Under Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27, an additional 179.2 whole time equivalent mental health posts have been created in A&E departments.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many prisons there are and what percentage of those have dedicated mental health professionals; and how many (a) additional mental health professionals in prisons have been recruited under Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-2027 and (b) mental health professionals in total are based in prisons, as of 1 April 2022.
Answer
There are 15 prisons located throughout Scotland, 2 of which are managed privately.
Responsibility for providing prison healthcare was transferred from Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHS in 2011, and as such the Scottish Government does not hold data on the mental health workforce.
Data such as the number of staff in post or vacancies is collected on specific job roles but not within specific settings such as prisons.
While the Scottish Government provides funding for recruitment under Action 15, workforce and service planning is conducted by Integration Authorities according to the needs of their populations.
Under Action 15 of the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27, 54.4 whole time equivalent (WTE) mental health posts have been recruited to in our prisons.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 5 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Minister for Transport has had with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy regarding long term budgets for local roads maintenance to enable planned asset management and achieve increased value for money.
Answer
The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places the statutory responsibility for local roads improvement, maintenance and repair with local road authorities.
The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and we do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations. It is therefore the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.
The 2022-23 Local Government Settlement of almost £12.7 billion is both fair and affordable, under the most challenging of circumstances.
Following publication of the Audit Scotland report on Maintaining Scotland’s Roads in 2016, the National Roads Maintenance Review undertaken by Transport Scotland, SCOTS (the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland), CoSLA and SoLACE (the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives) considered the recommendation for long term funding settlements for local road maintenance. However, the conclusion was that this would lead to further ring fencing of local authority funding settlements which would impact on local accountability and decision making, and was not taken forward.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 4 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what work has been carried out to assess the use of single-use plastics within the Scottish Parliament.
Answer
In line with our sustainability strategy, we have been compliant with the requirements of the Scottish Single Use Plastics ban for a number of years already. All of our disposable cutlery, hot food and soup containers, salad boxes, coffee cups and lids are made from a compostable material. We have also removed single use cups at water coolers and plastic straws in our bars, as well as switching to jugs of water in the Chamber rather than bottles.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 4 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has commissioned a review to address gender-based violence and sexual abuse in educational settings.
Answer
We are committed to publishing a national framework for schools on addressing gender based violence. This work is being delivered by the Gender Based Violence in Schools Working Group who will also review existing resources and develop new resources where needed. We have also established the Gender Equality Taskforce in Education and Learning to identify ways in which systemic gender inequality in education can be eradicated. In accordance with the Bute House Agreement, in September 2021 the Gender Based Violence in Schools Working Group and the Harmful Sexual Behaviour Delivery Group met to consider existing work on addressing gender based violence in education settings and identify any gaps in the current approach. The minutes of this meeting can be found here . The Scottish Government have committed to commissioning an independent review following the completion of the work of both groups, which will consider the impact of the work, establish positive practice, and any further areas for improvement. In addition, we are taking forward a range of actions in schools such as teaching our children and young people about safe and healthy relationships through relationships, sexual health and parenthood education; and funding programmes, such as Mentors in Violence Prevention, aimed at reducing and preventing sexual harassment and violence in schools. Further and Higher Institutions are expected to adopt and adapt the Equally Safe in Higher Education Toolkit, assessing their own policies and practices against the Toolkit.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 4 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of a forensic laboratory to be run by the Scottish Police Authority Forensic Services, as announced on 9 July 2021.
Answer
A new forensic laboratory based at Junction 24 Business Park in Glasgow is being prepared for the handover of the Post Mortem Toxicology Service from the University of Glasgow to Scottish Police Authority (SPA) Forensic Services.
In July 2022, I visited the laboratory which is now fully-fitted out and being set up for the transfer of the service which is due to take place on 1 December 2022.
SPA Forensic Services are also working closely with the University of Glasgow and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to ensure continuity of the Post Mortem Toxicology Service throughout this transfer period.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support is being provided to clinically vulnerable households for their ongoing PPE needs, including air filters, FFP3 masks, and hand sanitiser.
Answer
As a result of the pandemic, local PPE Hubs were set up all over Scotland to provide free PPE to people providing social care support including to people at highest risk, who need it. The Scottish Government continues to offer free PPE to unpaid carers and provision has been extended to September 2022. Unpaid or family carers who think they require PPE due to their caring role should contact their local carer’s centre and they will advise on how to access supplies locally. If their local carers’ centre is unavailable, they can call the Social Care PPE Support Centre on 0300 303 3020.
With regards to the point on air filters and ventilation I have attached a link to HSE guidance here Overview - Ventilation in the workplace (hse.gov.uk) . You can also find further guidance from Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) CIBSE - Emerging from Lockdown (CIBSE.org) .
Hand-washing and wearing face coverings in indoor public places and on public transport are two of the key things we’re still asking people to do as part of our Covid Sense (gov.scot) campaign.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is providing to local authorities regarding gender-neutral toilets for children within (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.
Answer
It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage their school estate. Therefore, it is for them to determine what facilities are appropriate, while complying with the School Premises Regulations and in full consultation with the school community.
In August 2021, the Scottish Government published Supporting transgender young people in schools: guidance for Scottish schools. This guidance sets out the position on support for and provision of single-sex spaces within Scottish schools.
Our Learning Estate Strategy, which sets out the strategic approach for managing Scotland’s school estate, makes clear that good consultation about learning environments, direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs and experiences, and an involvement in decision making processes should lead to better outcomes for all.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 August 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it collects data on the literacy programmes used by schools.
Answer
The Scottish education system is set up in such a way that decision making is devolved to the most appropriate level, enabling local authorities to make choices that meet their local circumstances and needs. Within this empowered system, head teachers are responsible for ensuring that the literacy programmes used in their school are evidence-based and fit for purpose. As a result, Education Scotland, the Scottish Government agency charged with supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education, do not collect data on the literacy programmes that are selected by head teachers for use in schools.
The Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels statistical publication provides information on national performance of school pupils in literacy organisers (reading, writing and listening and talking) and numeracy. The latest data is available at the following link:
Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Levels 2020-21 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)