- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities will be included in the Inclusive Learning Network for children with special educational needs announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 14 January 2003; how much each local authority will receive from the #150,000 announced for the network, and what formula will determine the amounts received by local authorities.
Answer
The Inclusive Learning Network project is funded through the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Innovation Grants Programme, which is paid to the voluntary sector in support of good practice and new ideas in SEN provision. The Equity Group has been awarded £150,000 to take forward this project in partnership with six local authorities: Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, Scottish Borders and North Lanarkshire. Local authorities, although providing staff and other resources, will not directly receive any of the £150,000 project funding.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 24 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the statement in paragraph 81 of the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people, that some children's panel members and reporters had reservations about the capability of children's hearings to deal with persistent offenders in part due to a lack of resources.
Answer
Ministers have made clear that tackling persistent young offenders effectively is a priority. The fast-track children's hearing pilots which will begin soon will deal specifically with this group by offering a guaranteed place on an appropriate programme to help address their needs and prevent re-offending. The Executive is making available significant additional resources to support these programmes and the operation of the pilots in general.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 24 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-6086 by Mr Frank McAveety on 12 December 2002, what consideration it has given to adopting a policy in Scotland similar to that of Her Majesty's Government's of placing 700 defibrillators in 72 public places in England and Wales.
Answer
Our national advisory body on coronary heart disease will continue to keep under review the evidence on the benefits of siting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public places. This need not prevent local initiatives based on local assessments of cost-effectiveness.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 23 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the statement in paragraph 139 of the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people, that "a serious problem is the lack of throughcare and aftercare" and "prisoners serving less than four years are not subject to statutory aftercare and may receive no support after leaving prison".
Answer
We have recognised the need for improved throughcare and aftercare of prisoners in a major new policy development based on the Tripartite Group's report, Developing the Service. The report, which is to be published later this month, identifies young offenders as a priority group. Membership of the Tripartite Group is drawn from the Scottish Executive, the Scottish Prison Service and local authorities.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 23 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what period the #150,000 announced by the Minister for Education and Young People on 14 January 2003 for the Inclusive Learning Network for children with special educational needs will cover.
Answer
The Inclusive Learning Network was formally launched on 14 January 2003. The Equity Group were awarded £150,000 to take forward this project within the period June 2002 to March 2004. Funding is paid through the Special Educational Needs Innovation Grants Programme.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded formally to the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people, and, if so, whether it will make copies of its response publicly available.
Answer
The Executive responded to the Audit Scotland report
, Youth Justice in Scotland on 5 December 2002. The news release containing this response, SEED 153/2002, is available at
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/pages/news/2002/12/SEED153.aspx.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the statement in paragraph 203 of the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people, that "local authorities complain that there are too many separate funding sources, that they appear uncoordinated and too much time is required to make applications".
Answer
The Executive is actively looking at ways of achieving more integrated funding streams, following the Spending Review 2002, as part of its general drive towards more integrated services for children and young people.
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its new national youth justice standards, as referred to by the Minister for Education and Young People on 5 December 2002 in its press release SEED153/2002.
Answer
The
National Standards for Scotland's Youth Justice Services report was published on 19 December 2002. It is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 25683) and on the Scottish Executive website at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/justice/nssyjs-00.asp
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many women under the age of 21 received (a) a custodial sentence, (b) a community penalty, (c) a monetary penalty and (d) any other penalty in (i) 1999-2000, (ii) 2000-01, (iii) 2001-02 and (iv) 2002-03 to date.
Answer
The information available, which relates to calendar years, is given in the following table.Females Aged Under 21 With a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts, by Type of Sentence, 1999-2001
| | Year of Sentence |
| Main disposal | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 |
| Custody | 282 | 336 | 331 |
| Community sentence | 582 | 525 | 505 |
| Monetary | 1,530 | 1,416 | 1,357 |
| Other sentence | 885 | 782 | 730 |
| Total | 3,279 | 3,059 | 2,923 |
- Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Cathy Jamieson on 22 January 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what data it has on the number of young people in residential and secure units and young offenders institutions that have mental health difficulties and on the staffing provision in such units and institutions, as referred to in paragraph 166 of the Audit Scotland report, Dealing with offending by young people.
Answer
In 2001-02 there were two admissions to secure care for children with a clinically diagnosed mental health illness. In the same year, 103 young people with a clinically diagnosed mental health illness were admitted to residential accommodation. Many young people in residential care are reported to have mental health issues and there are specialist resources available that care establishments draw from to support these young people. This support should be included in the young person's care plan. In the secure estate an independent child care psychologist provides services at St Mary's Kenmure and NHS Glasgow provides sessional psychological support at Kerelaw and at Rossie implementation of an improved mental health assessment and care package has commenced.The Health Department is also conducting a review of the need for a secure facility for young people with a clinically diagnosed mental health illness. In relation to Young Offenders Institutions (YOI), Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service has responded as follows:Approximately 10% of the young offender population at Polmont YOI have mental health problems. 2-3% of those are in receipt of prescribed psychiatric medication. HM YOI Polmont has a dedicated mental health team.
