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-11414

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it will reduce the number of care-experienced young people who end up in homeless accommodation through no fault of their own.

The Scottish Government recognises the particular vulnerability of those leaving care to homelessness. Numbers of young people recorded as leaving care and directly applying as homeless to local authorities are low and has been falling in recent years due to our focus on the prevention of homelessness.

Alongside the forthcoming care review and the recent extension of legal rights to those leaving care, we have issued Guidance for Corporate Parents on Housing Options for Care Leavers, which was clear that care leavers should not have to become homeless to access appropriate housing. This approach will be further strengthened by the publication of a Housing Options Training Toolkit, with funding from the Scottish Government, due to be published next year.

I wrote to local authorities in the summer to highlight the importance of preventing homelessness amongst care experienced young people. This followed a bilateral meeting with the Minister for Childcare and Early Years to identify what more can be done in this area.

Question reference: S5O-01292

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many care-experienced and accommodated young people are eligible for continuing care, and how this compares with the number receiving it.

Question reference: S5W-10697

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it taking to address homelessness (a) in Edinburgh and (b) nationally.

(a) Local authorities have the statutory duty for homelessness in Scotland and as such it is for City of Edinburgh Council to make decisions on activity to address homelessness in its area, taking account of local context and priorities.

(b) More broadly, with strong statutory rights to housing for homeless households, we are focusing with local authorities and partners on preventing homelessness before it occurs. We are continuing to fund five local authority led Housing Options Hubs across Scotland to promote prevention activity. This approach will be strengthened further with the development of a housing options training toolkit for local authority officers enabling a consistency of the housing options approach across Scotland.

The national focus has been through the Scottish Government and COSLA’s Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group. Its membership involves a range of stakeholders at a national level who meet to develop policy and promote practice in tackling and preventing homelessness and rough sleeping. The Group’s priorities include working to address homelessness for people with more complex needs, including those who may be sleeping rough, which involves working with partners such as health and the development of approaches such as Housing First. We are in the process of refreshing this high level strategic homelessness group, which is expected to be re-launched in the autumn.

To help expand the accommodation options for those experiencing homelessness the Scottish Government has committed to delivering at least 50,000 affordable homes over the lifetime of this current Parliament.

Question reference: S5W-10699

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what support is offered to help people with substance abuse problems.

We continue to provide leadership and support in the delivery of the Scottish Government drugs strategy, Road to Recovery, which secured cross party support and have invested over £630 million since 2008 to tackle problem substance use. We have improved access to treatment by the introduction of a drugs and alcohol treatment waiting times LDP standard that continues to be met and exceeded. We are now investing significantly in supporting services to improve the quality of services, publishing the quality principles, and embedding improvement. Initiatives to support prevention and education continue to be supported and improved at a national level by Scottish Government.

We recently announced a refresh of the drugs strategy at the ‘Drugs through a Health Lens’ conference at the end of July. It is intended that this will allow the strategy to better reflect the changing patterns of drug use, and the changing landscape within which services are delivered.

Question reference: S5W-09883

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out or plans regarding the impact that solitary confinement has on the mental health of prisoners.

Solitary confinement does not exist in prisons in Scotland. Prisoners may be removed from association for their safety or for the safety of others but they are never held in solitary confinement. The Scottish Government has no plans to conduct research on the mental health of prisoners. Action 10 of the Mental Health Strategy (2017-27), says that the Scottish Government will support efforts through a refreshed Justice Strategy to help improve mental health outcomes for those in the justice system. In achieving this action, we will work with the Scottish Prison Service and partners to improve the mental health of prisoners, including supporting young offenders.

Question reference: S5W-09884

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 June 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what mental health support is in place for prisoners who are or have been subject to solitary confinement.

Solitary confinement does not exist in prisons in Scotland. Prisoners may be removed from association for their safety or for the safety of others but they are never held in solitary confinement. The responsibility for provision of healthcare to prisoners in Scotland, including mental health care, was transferred from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to the National Health Service (NHS) on 1st November 2011. The Scottish Government works with and funds NHS Boards and local authorities to ensure they plan and deliver appropriate local services. It is for local NHS Boards to decide how they implement these policies to ensure that their local population, including prisoners, have the highest quality care and treatment.

Question reference: S5F-01438

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the week.

Question reference: S5F-01408

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 19 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the week.

Question reference: S5F-01379

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the week.

Question reference: S5F-01351

Asked by: Kezia Dugdale, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2017

To ask the First Minister what engagements she has planned for the rest of the week.