Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-23111

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports local authorities in taking action to make people feel safer when walking at night.

We know from Scottish Household Survey and Scottish Crime and Justice Survey data that the majority of people in Edinburgh, and across Scotland, feel safe in their local area and around their home at night; and that the proportion of adults in Scotland feeling safe has increased in the last decade.

The Scottish Crime and Justice Survey shows that in 2017-18, the vast majority of adults in Scotland (77%) felt very or fairly safe walking alone in their local area after dark and that 96% of adults felt very or fairly safe alone in their home at night. On both counts demonstrating an increase in feeling safe within Scotland’s communities since 2008-09.

The Scottish Government supports the Scottish Community Safety Network to champion community safety across all 32 local authorities in Scotland. This includes providing advice and support, networking and training events for local practitioners.

The Scottish Government also supports and works with a number of partner agencies who are engaged at the local level, including Neighbourhood Watch Scotland (NWS), Crimestoppers, the Violence Reduction Unit and the Scottish Business Resilience Centre who play an important role in offering reassurance to local communities, sharing messages on potential criminal activities, offering advice on keeping safe and encouraging communities to look out for one another.

Question reference: S5W-23107

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21643 by Kevin Stewart on 27 February 2019, how it will support each group at high risk of homelessness, including those (a) who have experienced domestic violence and (b) with experience of care.

The Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group agreed an initial scope and approach to the development of the prevention pathways for each group at high risk of homelessness at its meeting on 7 March. Officials will lead sequential work on each pathway initially identified, which will allow key partners to be involved across all relevant pathways. The approach builds on the experience of developing the SHORE standards (Sustainable Housing On Release for Everyone) and is making use of existing understanding of best practice.

Work has begun on a care leavers pathway, with officials from across the Scottish Government partnering to convene a working group of key external stakeholders to develop the detail.

Policy officials have been building internal connections around the prevention pathway for women experiencing domestic violence, ahead of convening key external partners as a working group later in 2019.

Question reference: S5W-23109

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports homeless households that have (a) dependent children and (b) pregnant women.

Scotland’s strong homelessness rights ensure that homeless households have a place to stay until settled accommodation is found which meets their needs. The vast majority of homeless households with children and pregnant women are given temporary accommodation in the social rented sector. For others, the Homeless Persons (Unsuitable Accommodation) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2017 provides extra protection to ensure that families and pregnant women do not stay in unsuitable accommodation, such as bed and breakfast accommodation, for more than seven days.

Question reference: S5W-23108

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22703 by Kevin Stewart on 1 May 2019, whether it will provide a breakdown of the other reasons for loss of accommodation.

Question reference: S5W-23302

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5O-03265

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the Edinburgh International Festival.

Question reference: S5W-22996

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls by the charity, Miricyl, and other organisations, to set up a children’s mental health research centre.

Applications for applied health research, including in children’s mental health, can be submitted to the two open competitive response mode grant scheme committees operated by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office. Applications submitted are funded following independent expert assessment of the quality of the research projects proposed with funding recommendations made by an independent expert committee.

Question reference: S5W-22997

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of its research funding that is awarded through the Chief Scientist Office and the Scottish Funding Council it will spend on children’s mental health in 2019-20.

Applications for applied health research, including in children’s mental health, can be submitted to the two open competitive response mode grant scheme committees operated by the Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office. Applications submitted are funded following independent expert assessment of the quality of the research projects proposed with funding recommendations made by an independent expert committee. Since neither committee has made funding recommendations in financial year 2019-20 as yet, no funding for applications submitted to the committees has been awarded.

Question reference: S5W-22995

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to conduct a comprehensive equality impact assessment or another process to fulfil its public sector equality duty obligations regarding medical research funding awarded by the Chief Scientist Office and the Scottish Funding Council, as part of a wider review of medical research funding.

An equality impact assessment will be undertaken by the Scottish Government's Chief Scientist Office to support the development of a new health and social care research strategy to replace the current 2015-2020 strategy. The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) does not provide funding specifically for medical research. A review would therefore not be directly relevant to the SFC. The SFC meets its obligations under the Equality Act 2010 by adhering to the Scotland-specific advice and guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Question reference: S5W-22687

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 14 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the evidence given by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport to the Public Petitions Committee on 24 January 2019 regarding petition PE1690 (Official Report, c. 30), whether it will provide details of how the proposed working group on ME will operate; what the timescale will be for its set up and operation, and how it will involve people with lived experience of the condition.

Chamber and committees