Chamber and committees

As I announced in Parliament on 13 September 2016, the Scottish Government has set up the 2016 National Basic Payment Support Scheme.

Under this scheme, eligible farmers and crofters will be able to receive a loan of
80 per cent of their expected eligible CAP Basic Payment and Greening 2016 up to a maximum of €150,000.

More information is available at:

https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/national-loan-schemes/loans-for-2016-17-payments/

Suicides in Hospitals

Records do not provide precise enough information on the location where the suicidal act occurred to identify those event that happened in hospital. Whilst data can identify people who are in hospital at the time that they died from suicide, it is anticipated that a large number of these will be due to suicidal acts occurring outside of hospital, after which the individual is taken to hospital.

Suicides in Prisons

Information relating to Prisoner Deaths is published on the SPS Website under Freedom of Information.

Any death in prison custody may lead to a Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976 however the decision to hold an FAI is a matter for the Lord Advocate/Procurator Fiscal. No cause of death is recorded where a death has not yet been determined following FAI.

For information the term 'Event of Undetermined Intent' is an outcome where the exact intent of the individual concerned cannot be ascertained.

The table below shows the number of suicides in prison determined by Fatal Accident Inquiry, recorded in calendar years 2007 to 2016.

The Scottish Government do not hold this information. Analysis and briefings for overseas travel by the First Minister are prepared by civil servants during normal working hours.

The following table sets out the length of each trunk road managed and maintained by the Scottish Ministers in (i) Scotland and (ii) Dumfries and Galloway.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive to contact you with the information you have requested and my understanding is that this will be with you soon.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive to contact you with the information you have requested and my understanding is that this will be with you soon.

Businesses are required under the Equality Act 2010 to make reasonable adjustments to ensure disabled people do not experience substantial disadvantage compared with nondisabled people.

The duty is ‘anticipatory’. An organisation cannot wait until a disabled person wants to use its services, but must think in advance (and on an ongoing basis) about what disabled people might reasonably need.

Examples of reasonable adjustments would include ramps and stairway lifts, making doorways wider, installing automatic doors, more lighting and clearer signs. If a disabled person would be at a substantial disadvantage compared with a nondisabled person, not providing reasonable adjustments would be unlawful discrimination and could result in a discrimination claim under the act.

More examples are provided on the EHRC’s website at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/multipage-guide/reasonable-adjustments-practice

A full five-year policy review of the Home Report was launched on 5 December 2013 and consisted of a public consultation (the findings from which were published on 7 May 2014) and a research study (published on 7 January 2015). Overall, the Review found that the home report is supported and valued. A clear majority of the respondents to the consultation felt that the home report was continuing to meet its original objectives and that these remained appropriate. The review found that while the home report had an impact on buyers and sellers, the impact on the wider housing market was more limited.

The Scottish Government carried out a full policy review after five years of operation of the home report. The findings of a public consultation were published on the Scottish Government website on 7 May 2014, and of a research study on 7 January 2015. We have no plans to undertake a further policy review at this stage.

A meeting of the Road Maintenance Strategic Action Group has been scheduled to discuss the Group’s response to the recommendations of the Audit Scotland report. We will continue to co-fund the Roads Collaboration Programme and use that forum to engage with all councils in Scotland to explore opportunities to share services.

With regard to funding, the Scottish Government has allocated over £10.3 billion to local government for 2016-17. It is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives.

On 22 August 2016, the Deputy First Minister and I hosted a groundbreaking Transport Summit in Dumfries at which a variety of important issues were discussed including the condition of both national and local roads in Dumfries and Galloway. We have committed to publishing a draft report of the summit within four weeks.