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-21823

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its suicide prevention action plan, what action has been taken regarding its aim to create and implement refreshed mental health and suicide prevention training by May 2019.

Question reference: S5W-21826

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20262 by Clare Haughey on 11 December 2018, when the Autism Strategy Review Group was established; who its members are; on what dates it has met; which (a) NHS boards and (b) local authorities it has met, broken down by date, and how it will review and monitor progress towards achieving the priorities and outcomes set out in the strategy.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lives of autistic people through the implementation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism.

The Scottish Strategy for Autism Review Group was established in 2018 following the publication of the Scottish Strategy for Autism: outcomes and priorities 2018-2021 document in March 2018.

The Scottish Government reviews the progress of the strategy through quarterly meetings with the Autism Review Group. This group provides service expertise, strategic leadership and challenges the delivery of the strategy’s outcomes - aimed at improving outcomes for individuals and families living with autism.

The members are key representatives from Scottish Government, Third Sector, NHS, COSLA, Autistic People’s Organisations, parent/carers and Autism Network Scotland.

The group has met twice since it was formed, the first public meeting was hosted by the Borders Health and Social Care Partnership on 6 December. A closed meeting was held on 25 January 2019 in Edinburgh. The next public meeting of the group is currently being planned for NHS Highland in April/May.

The strategy’s progress is highlighted at the annual autism conference, this year’s event will take place on 26 March.

The strategy’s progress is also being monitored by the Autism Cross Party Group. Policy officials attended the last meeting on 26 February to give a strategy update.

Question reference: S5W-21825

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02853 by John Swinney on 6 February 2019 (Official Report, c. 19), regarding the support for local authorities to access mental health first aid training, what positions "key staff" hold, and whether these include teaching assistants and additional support needs staff.

Mental Health First Aid Training can be delivered to all staff within school settings which could include teaching assistants and additional support needs staff. Local authorities and schools are encouraged to identify members of the school community who are best placed to identify pupils who may be struggling with mental health issues.

This approach empowers local authorities and schools to target the support to the communities within the school that need it most.

Question reference: S5O-02946

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what recent meetings the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding local government finance.

Question reference: S5W-21322

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the National Rail Passenger Survey, which has reported that overall passenger satisfaction in ScotRail services has fallen to a 15-year low.

Question reference: S5W-21165

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many sheep have been shot on land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland in each year since 2016.

Question reference: S5O-02853

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in the last year regarding the provision of training for teachers and staff to support pupils with mental health issues.

Question reference: S5W-20699

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the police by Forestry Commission Scotland in each year since 2008 to remove sheep from land owned by the agency, and how many sheep were removed using lethal control.

Please see below the number of applications made to Police Scotland by Forest Enterprise Scotland for the removal of sheep and the number of sheep subsequently removed from Scotland’s National Forest Estate:

Year	Applications Made	No. of Sheep Removed
2008	0	0
2009	0	0
2010	0	0
2011	0	0
2012	0	0
2013	0	0
2014	0	0
2015	0	0
2016	0	0
2017	2	51
2018	2	222
2019	0	20*

* associated with an application approved by Police Scotland in 2017.

Following consultation with the Scottish Government, the Animal and Plant Welfare Agency, Police Scotland, the Queen’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer and the National Farmers Union of Scotland, FES introduced new guidance to staff in 2016.

The Guidance accompanied a Memorandum of Understanding between FES and Police Scotland which identifies how FES can act to assist Police Scotland deal with legally trespassing sheep on Scotland’s National Forest Estate which are classed as ‘lost and abandoned property’ and are the responsibility of the Chief Constable.

Question reference: S5W-20976

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 14 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers have received mental health first aid training in each year since 2014, and whether the grant provided to local authorities for this purpose covers the cost of supply staff while teachers attend training.

Information on the total number of teachers trained each year in Mental Health First Aid is not currently available. This is because, in addition to the training supported by Education Scotland, training can also be delivered by other organisations, to teaching and other school staff.

The overall number of teachers who have received the training supported by Education Scotland can be obtained from NHS Health Scotland.

Education Scotland is currently undertaking an audit of the number of teachers and school staff in all local authorities that have undergone the training in order to identify future Career-Long Professional Learning requirements.

The grant provided by Education Scotland can be used by the local authorities to cover the cost of supply staff.

Question reference: S5O-02804

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether HMP Inverness exceeded prisoner capacity in 2018.