Chamber and committees

There arecurrently up to 18 beds designated for women in forensic medium securefacilities. The beds (6 to 8) in the West of Scotland medium secure unit are ina women’s ward with its own facilities. The beds (10) in the East of Scotlandmedium secure unit are co-located with beds for male patients but all haveen-suite facilities and there are specific policies and procedures in place toaddress safety, privacy and dignity for women within this setting.

There arecurrently 15 beds for women at high security (in the State Hospital, Carstairs) but plans are under way toclose these beds.

Women withoffending behaviour may also be accommodated in general female psychiatricwards where this is considered appropriate.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5103 on 29 October 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-5103 on 29 October 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website,the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5103 on 29 October 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I understand thatWest Lothian Council works in collaborationwith NHS Lothian to provide a range of social care services for people with mental health problems andalso their carers. Social Work and MentalHealth Services provide support for named persons, parents, primary carers, partnersand children of women with mental health problems on an “as required” basis, meetingstatutory and legislative requirements.

NHS Lothian have told me that women in West Lothian with mental health problemshave access to a range of general psychiatry in-patient and out-patient facilities.Women with mental health and offending mental health behaviour problems have accessto assertive outreach, community day and out-patient care services across West Lothian. I understand that thereare no specialist mental health beds in West Lothian for women who have offended or are at risk of offending. Depending on the individual risk assessments, patientsmay be admitted to an intensive psychiatric care unit or to a general psychiatryward. Where appropriate, women offenders can be referred to the Forensic PsychiatryService at the Orchard Clinic in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital which provides acute psychiatric and mental health services.

I refer themember to the answer to question S3W-5103 on 29 October 2007. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

We have commissionedresearch to provide an accurate picture of the use of park homes as dwellings inScotland as the basis for the development of policyin this area. The research has considered the extent to which any problems identifiedare addressed by the existing legislation, including that recently implemented bypart 6 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 which introduced new protections for parkhome residents.

The research has alsosought to identify the number and location of such dwellings, and to explore indetail the reasons why people are living in park homes and the types of issues andproblems experienced by residents in connection with their occupation and use ofthese homes.

We expect to publishthe research later this year.

I refer the memberto the answer to S3W-5213 on 26 October 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Planning controlsmay already apply to operations in relation to park homes, depending on the particularcircumstances of a case.

The planning systemapplies to operations which amount to “development” as defined in section 26 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997. Subject to certain exceptions andclarifications, “development” means the carrying out of building, engineering, miningor other operations in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material changein the use of any buildings or other land. As well as certain exceptions from thedefinition of “development”, some operations which are “development” benefit froma general grant of planning permission set out in the Town and Country Planning(General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992 which removes the need forplanning permission.

The 1992 Order grantsplanning permission for certain activities, in certain circumstances, associatedwith “caravans”, the definition of which includes any structure designed or adapted for human habitationwhich is capable of being moved from one place to another.

If there is any questionabout whether certain activities or structures require planning permission, theseshould be addressed to the planning authority for the area in the first instance,and would ultimately be a matter for the courts.

We will consider whetherany change to planning legislation is necessary in relation to park homes in thecontext of the current review of the 1992 Order and the specific review of issuesaffecting park homes. On the latter, I refer the member to the answer to questionS3W-5213 on 26 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the memberto the answer to S3W-5213 on 26 October 2007. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.