Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27655

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 31 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to increase the maximum amount that a victim of domestic abuse can receive through the Fund to Leave scheme.

As outlined in my response to S6W-27647 on 31 May 2024, and in my recent letter to Ms Gosal, I would welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss further alongside your policy paper which outlines this particular ask. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6O-03546

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent children and young people from overdosing on over-the-counter medication.

Question reference: S6W-27704

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many overdoses from painkillers in those under the age of 18 were recorded in the financial year 2023-24, and, of these, how many instances resulted in death.

Drug-related hospital stats are published by Public Health Scotland and can be found at. Drug-related hospital statistics - Scotland 2022 to 2023 - Drug-related hospital statistics - Publications - Public Health Scotland Breakdowns are available by ‘drug type’, but are not specific to different painkillers, and are not cross tabulated with age.

National Records of Scotland also publish an annual official statistics report on Drug-related Deaths in Scotland. The most recent publication was released on 22 August 2023 and can be found at Drug-related Deaths in Scotland in 2022 | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) . Within Table SUB2 ( Additional Data | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk) of the additional data tables published alongside the main report there is a breakdown of drug poisoning deaths by year and by substance, including specifically those drugs which were implicated or potentially contributed to the cause of death. National Records of Scotland does not publish an age breakdown of this data.

Question reference: S6W-27394

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Islands Housing Fund in each year since its introduction.

A breakdown of spend from the main Rural and Islands Housing Fund in each year since the funds were launched in 2016-17, broken down by rural (mainland) and Islands is provided in the following table. The Rural and Island Housing Fund plays an important role in offering support to community organisations and other eligible applicants while complementing the significant delivery through our mainstream programme by Councils and Registered Social Landlords in rural and island areas.

Rural (mainland) and Island Spend	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24*	Total Spend
Rural	0.074	0.961	1.451	2.142	3.062	2.392	1.458	2.412	13.952
Island	0.027	0.100	0.200	0.681	1.855	2.401	2.625	4.268	12.157
Total Spend	0.101	1.061	1.651	2.823	4.917	4.793	4.083	6.680	26.109
*This includes provisional programme management information for 2023-24 and could be subject to change

Question reference: S6W-27395

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have been built through the Rural Housing Fund in each year since 2016-17.

Question reference: S6W-27393

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have been built through the Islands Housing Fund in each year since 2016-17.

The number of homes completed through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund in each year since 2016-17, broken down by rural (mainland) and islands is provided in the following table. There are over 80 housing units currently on-site which are expected to complete in 2024-25 through the fund. The Rural and Island Housing Fund plays an important role in offering support to community organisations and others to deliver affordable homes, while complementing the delivery through our mainstream programme by Councils and Registered Social Landlords. Between 2016-17 and 2022-23 the Scottish Government has supported the delivery of more than 10,000 affordable homes in rural and island areas.

Rural (mainland) and Island Homes	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24*	Total Homes
Rural	2	21	1	35	16	41	36	6	158
Island	-	4	-	5	4	12	8	15	48
Total Homes	2	25	1	40	20	53	44	21	206
*This includes provisional programme management information for 2023-24 and could be subject to change

Question reference: S6W-27396

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Rural Housing Fund in each year since its introduction.

Question reference: S6W-27378

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the approach to counter allegations set out in the joint protocol on challenging domestic abuse is followed in practice by (a) reporting officers and (b) marking deputes.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 2

In relation to the reporting of domestic abuse cases, COPFS should work with Police Scotland to:

[...]

(c) ensure that the approach to counter allegations set out in the joint protocol on challenging domestic abuse is followed in practice by both reporting officers and marking deputes. Managing counter allegations should form part of training

[…]

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

Question reference: S6W-27450

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) will ensure that domestic abuse victims (a) are informed of bail review applications, (b) have their views sought and put before the court and (c) are informed of the outcome timeously.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 12

With regard to bail in domestic abuse cases, COPFS should:

[...]

(c) ensure that victims are informed of bail review applications, their views are sought and put before the court, and they are informed of the outcome timeously.

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

Question reference: S6W-27376

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that prosecutors have sufficiently detailed information on any risk to domestic abuse victims, which could be passed on to the court when required.

This question relates to a recommendation in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS)’s inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases which was instructed by the Lord Advocate and was published on 17 April 2024.

The relevant recommendation is:

Recommendation 2

In relation to the reporting of domestic abuse cases, COPFS should work with Police Scotland to:

(a) ensure that prosecutors have sufficiently detailed information on the risk to victims which can be passed on to the court when required [...]

The Lord Advocate has accepted this recommendation.

COPFS is commencing work in relation to the areas identified in the HMIPS report and will provide updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report in due course.

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