Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-23918

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-20601 by Jeane Freeman on 7 January 2019, what data on waiting times and standards for people in prison has been published.

People who are in prison are subject to the same waiting times standards as those in the community. Their waiting times are included in the figures published routinely by ISD Scotland, including the Treatment Time Guarantee, New Outpatient Standard and 18 Weeks Referral to Treatment. However, it is not always possible to identify from all the waiting times data ISD has, if a person is in prison or not.

In addition to this on 4 July 2019, ISD published a prison health dashboard. This brings together previously published data and will report on the standards and indicators for those in prison:

National Drug Related Deaths
National Naloxone Programme
Smoking Cessation Services
National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times
Alcohol Brief Interventions

Question reference: S5W-23809

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of probationer teachers are to be allocated to island and rural communities in 2019-20.

A high proportion of local authorities have rural communities. The following table provides information on (a) how many and (b) what percentage of probationer teachers are allocated to each Local Authority for the 2019-20 Teacher Induction Scheme.

Local Authority	Total probationers allocated @ 27-6-2019	%
ABERDEEN, CITY OF	103	3.05%
ABERDEENSHIRE	148	4.39%
ANGUS	60	1.78%
ARGYLL & BUTE	26	0.77%
CLACKMANNANSHIRE	34	1.01%
DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY	93	2.76%
DUNDEE, CITY OF	85	2.52%
EAST AYRSHIRE	87	2.58%
EAST DUNBARTONSHIRE	112	3.32%
EAST LOTHIAN	81	2.40%
EAST RENFREWSHIRE	162	4.80%
EDINBURGH, CITY OF	227	6.73%
EILEAN SIAR	16	0.47%
FALKIRK	121	3.59%
FIFE	293	8.68%
GLASGOW, CITY OF	365	10.81%
HIGHLAND	122	3.61%
INVERCLYDE	47	1.39%
JORDANHILL SCHOOL	2	0.06%
MIDLOTHIAN	64	1.90%
MORAY	37	1.10%
NORTH AYRSHIRE	61	1.81%
NORTH LANARKSHIRE	236	6.99%
ORKNEY ISLANDS	8	0.24%
PERTH & KINROSS	56	1.66%
RENFREWSHIRE	95	2.81%
SCOTTISH BORDERS	36	1.07%
SHETLAND ISLANDS	4	0.12%
SOUTH AYRSHIRE	68	2.01%
SOUTH LANARKSHIRE	216	6.40%
STIRLING	83	2.46%
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE	91	2.70%
WEST LOTHIAN	136	4.03%
(Totals)	3375	100.00%

Question reference: S5W-23811

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 10 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages probationer teachers to consider teaching in islands and rural communities.

Probationer teachers are allocated to local authorities through the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS) primarily on the basis of student choice.

The TIS includes a Preference Waiver Payment (PWP) system whereby students taking up this option waive their right to express a preferred local authority and are prioritised for allocation to remote and rural authorities during their probationary year. Student who choose this option receive a payment of £8,000 if they are a secondary school teacher or £6,000 if they are a primary school teacher.

Islands and rural communities continue to receive the highest proportion of allocations of probationary teachers who have chosen the PWP option.

Question reference: S5W-23923

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 2 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21383 by Clare Haughey on 18 June 2019, what the estimated timeline is, broken down by quarter, for it fulfilling the commitment in its mental health strategy to hire 800 additional mental health professionals, and whether it will place a copy of the documents supporting this planning in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

As advised within the answer to S5W-21383, we expect to have over 800 additional mental health workers within the key settings of this commitment by 2022. However it should be noted that the planning around workforce is evolving and can change for a variety of reasons. Recruitment also rests with Integration Authorities (IAs) for their areas who have devolved responsibility for health and social care with added complexities in delivering plans which require input and engagement across a number of partners and organisations.

Setting out estimated timelines per quarter around recruitment therefore would not be helpful or appropriate. I can however assure the member that both policy officials and I remain in constant dialogue with IAs on their recruitment plans under this commitment.

Through the Reporting Framework between the Scottish Government and IAs, we are also publically making available through the Scottish Government website the information we have on those recruited per quarter from that point.

Question reference: S5W-23922

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 2 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21383 by Clare Haughey on 18 June 2019, whether it has any provisional projections of the proportional allocation in 2022, broken down by (a) A&E, (b) custody suite, (c) GP, (d) prison and (e) other setting, and whether it will place a copy of the documents supporting this planning in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

As advised within the answer to S5W-21383, we expect to have over 800 additional mental health workers within the key settings of this commitment by 2022. However it must be noted that the planning around workforce is evolving and can change for a variety of reasons. Recruitment also rests with Integration Authorities (IAs) who have devolved responsibility for health and social care for their areas with the added complexity of delivering plans which require input and engagement across a number of partners and organisations.

Setting out provisional projections around recruitment would therefore would not be helpful or appropriate. I can however assure the member that both policy officials and I remain in constant dialogue with IAs on their recruitment plans under this commitment.

Through the Reporting Framework between the Scottish Government and IAs, we are also publically making available through the Scottish Government website the information we have on those recruited per quarter at that point.

Question reference: S5W-23804

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 27 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in installing new mobile phone masts in Orkney under the 4G infill programme.

Our Scottish 4G Infill Programme is currently working to progress three mast locations in Orkney. These are located in the vicinity of Burray, Stromness and Hoy.

At all three sites, planning consent and agreements with landowners are being sought by our delivery partner, WHP Telecoms. However, securing the commitment of a mobile operator is critical to any site in S4GI progressing. To date, no mobile operators have committed to using any of these sites. The Scottish Government, at Ministerial and official level, as well as WHP Telecoms continues to engage with all four mobile operators to encourage greater participation in the S4GI Programme.

Question reference: S5W-23707

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication in June 2018 of the report, Scottish greenhouse gas emissions 2016, whether it can provide a breakdown of which companies or other parties in each sector were responsible for the most emissions.

Question reference: S5W-23705

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 18 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21383 by Clare Haughey on 21 February 2019, what the estimated timeline is, broken down by quarter, for it fulfilling the commitment in its Mental Health Strategy to hire 800 additional mental health professionals, and what it estimates the final proportional allocation will be, broken down by (a) A&E, (b) custody suite, (c) GP, (d) prison and (e) other settings.

We expect to have over 800 additional mental health workers within the key settings of this commitment by 2022.

As part of the Reporting Framework with Integration Authorities, we receive quarterly updates from them which form the basis of the national update provided on the Scottish Government website.

As planning around workforce evolves and can change for a variety of reasons, it would therefore not be appropriate to set out a final allocation per setting in advance of 2022.

Question reference: S5T-01718

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 June 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly agreed with the SPFL to keep information regarding the extent of sectarianism at football confidential, and whether it will publish this data.

Question reference: S5O-03383

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides for college students regarding fees encountered for starting a course and then withdrawing.

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