Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-07335

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what websites it (a) funds and (b) directly runs relating to adolescent sexual health, and when the websites were last updated.

The Scottish Government does not currently run or fund any websites relating specifically to adolescent sexual health. However, the Sexual Health Scotland website is funded and operated by Scottish Government and does contain advice and information on a range of topics relating to sexual health and wellbeing.

In addition and in partnership with Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland via the Children, Young People and Families Early Intervention Fund and Adult Learning and Empowering Communities Fund (CYPFEIF and ALEC Fund) we have provided funding to Young Scot who we will support to develop a digital resource for young parents. This resource is being developed to meet the actions relating to young parents as set out in the Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy but will include advice that will be applicable to all young people.

Question reference: S5W-07841

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the recommendations in the five-year review of the Home Report.

Question reference: S5W-07843

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on home reports mainly being used for valuations and alterations, as opposed to providing energy efficiency information, given they are not as detailed as Scheme 2 surveys.

The Home Report was introduced to provide information on the condition, valuation and energy efficiency of a property upfront, and contains three documents – a single survey, which is broadly equivalent to a Scheme 2 survey and includes condition and valuation information; an Energy Report, which in practice is delivered through an Energy Performance Certificate; and a property questionnaire, which provides useful information on the property.

The 5 year review found that the Home Report’s objectives remain valid. The Scottish Government encourages home owners to make use of all of the information available to them within the Home Report. As part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme the Scottish Government will be further considering how to encourage action on energy efficiency in owner occupied housing.

Question reference: S5W-07842

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will reconvene the Home Report Implementation Group to consider the findings of the five-year review of the Home Report.

The Scottish Government is considering the best ways to engage with stakeholders to consider the findings of the five year review of the Home Report within the wider context of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme, given the potential role of the Energy Report in raising awareness of energy efficiency improvements amongst home owners at the point of sale. A decision on how to involve the Home Report Implementation Group as part of this wider process will be taken following discussion with key stakeholders, taking account of the responses to the current consultation on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme.

Question reference: S5O-00804

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on 72% of respondents to its consultation on social security in Scotland believing that it should aim to deliver social security through already available public sector services and organisations.

Question reference: S5O-00791

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the outcome was of the discussions between it and the Scottish Council for Jewish Communities regarding the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of anti-Semitism.

Question reference: S5W-07336

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that young people have a say in formulating the personal and social health education teaching framework.

Question reference: S5W-07334

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities for the teaching of personal and social health education, also known as personal and social education, and when the guidance was last updated.

PSE is a taught subject which covers aspects of planning for choices and changes, substance misuse, relationships, sexual health and parenthood, in addition to aspects of physical activity, sport and health. There are six areas which provide a holistic view of health and wellbeing.

Mental, Emotional, Social and Physical Wellbeing;

Planning for Choices and Changes;

Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport;

Food and Health;

Substance Misuse; and,

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP).

Through Curriculum for Excellence, health and wellbeing is spread right across the curriculum and it is one of the three core areas that are the responsibility of all staff in the school, the other two areas being literacy and numeracy. Schools are encouraged to develop the curriculum to suit their local context and meet the needs of children and young people. It is good practice for schools to consult with children and young people and respond to their views appropriately, to ensure this meets the needs of all children and young people in the school or educational setting. The RSHP guidance highlights this good practice.

There is no specific guidance for local authorities for teaching of personal and social education (PSE), guidance is however made available on individual areas explained below and is updated regularly.

Question reference: S5W-07155

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided to local authorities regarding legislation on the Named Person Service, and whether this guidance was updated following the judgement in the case, The Christian Institute and others v The Lord Advocate, on 28 July 2016.

The Scottish Government, in close collaboration with stakeholders, produced draft Statutory Guidance for Parts 4, 5 and 18 (Section 96) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) and published this in December 2015. Through the policy document, which was issued to stakeholders on 26 October 2016, the Scottish Government gave advice on the draft Statutory Guidance following the Supreme Court judgment. The policy document is available on the Scottish Government website via the following link http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0050/00508709.pdf. The relevant sections are included below for ease of reference.

The substance of the draft statutory guidance on Parts 4, 5 and 18 (section 96) of the Act issued in December 2015 is still reflective of the Scottish Government’s expectations in terms of the delivery of GIRFEC, with the notable exception of how information sharing is to operate.

The draft statutory guidance describes how the requirement to share information with and by Named Persons was planned to operate when Part 4 of the Act was commenced. The guidance on Part 4 includes guidance on sections 23, 26 and 27 (Communication in relation to movement of children and young people; Information sharing; and Disclosure of information, respectively). These three sections specifically refer to the sharing of information. The Supreme Court judgment requires the information sharing provisions of Part 4 of the Act to be amended in order for them to be compatible with Article 8 of the ECHR. Therefore, the current draft statutory guidance on sections 23, 26 and 27 is not applicable for the time being until it is revised following amendment of the provisions. Any information sharing by and with those identified as Named Persons under GIRFEC policy can and should continue to operate in accordance with the existing legal framework and guidance on data sharing, human rights and children’s rights, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

The draft statutory guidance on Part 5 of the Act (Child’s Plan) includes guidance on section 40 of the Act (Assistance in relation to child’s plan). This guidance states that the duty to provide assistance may include a duty to provide information, however, as Part 5 of the Act has not been commenced there is no statutory requirement to provide information in relation to Child’s Plans. The current draft statutory guidance on section 40 of the Act should, therefore, also be disregarded for the time being until the draft statutory guidance has been reviewed in light of any further legislative amendments. Any information sharing in relation to child planning can and should continue to operate in accordance with the existing legal framework and guidance on data sharing, human rights and children’s rights, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Human Rights Act 1998.

Question reference: S5O-00704

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to acknowledge and commemorate the role of the founding Director of the Edinburgh International Festival, Rudolf Bing, in this its 70th anniversary year.