Seòmar agus comataidhean

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 3602 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-10552

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported comments by the chairman of the British Transport Police (BTP) Federation in The Scotsman that it is "in the dark" regarding plans to integrate the BTP into Police Scotland, when it will next meet the BTP Federation to discuss this, and whether it will publish any (a) correspondence and (b) minutes of meetings it has had with the BTP Federation on this issue.

Scottish Ministers and officials have met BTP Federation representatives on a number of occasions to discuss our plans and further engagement is planned.

During the passage of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 we published a series of letters between the Scottish Government, the BTPF and other organisations in respect of the integration of British Transport Police into Police Scotland these can be found on the following links http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/102680.aspx

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/police-scotland/BTP/BTPFLetter

Question reference: S5W-10553

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports in The Scotsman on 2 August 2017 that officers have begun leaving the British Transport Police ahead of its integration into Police Scotland, and what action it will take to offer assurances to officers.

The Scottish Government has consistently given assurances throughout the passage of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 that terms and conditions, pay and pensions of BTP officers and staff will be the same as they are currently, or that an equivalent level of benefit will be provided to ensure that transfer takes place on a no-detriment basis.

We greatly value the work of BTP officers and staff in keeping people safe. Maintaining and improving safety and security is our main priority and Police Scotland will maintain a dedicated railway policing unit protected within the broader structure of the force.

Integration will provide a single command structure for policing in Scotland with seamless access to wider support facilities and specialist resources, providing an enhanced service provision to the rail industry and travelling public.

Question reference: S5F-01497

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2017

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide an update on the management of Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority.

Question reference: S5O-01196

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the recommendations of the Barclay review of non-domestic rates.

Question reference: S5W-10581

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to promote health visiting as an attractive career.

Question reference: S5W-10579

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £40 million committed to in 2014 for the training and recruitment of 500 additional health visitors by 2018 has been spent, broken down by financial year.

The Scottish Government allocated £2 million, £6.8 million, and £19m in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 respectively for additional Health Visitors. In 2016-17, funding for Health Visitors was included in the new Outcomes Framework (totalling over £160m) issued to Health Boards. All of this funding supported the provision of an additional 500 health visitor posts. In addition, a further £3.3m has been allocated to Health Boards over the same period in respect of Health Visitor training.

The above funding will allow us to meet the manifesto commitment by 2018, investing over £40m by 2017-18.

Question reference: S5W-10576

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that the additional 500 health visitors committed to in 2014 will be (a) trained and (b) recruited by 2018.

We have engaged with all Health Boards since the commitment to delivery of the 500 additional health visitors by 2018 was made in 2014. This engagement includes monitoring progress through quarterly returns and face to face meetings. A further series of meetings is due to take place between September 2017 and January 2018.

Our discussions and information to date suggest we are on track to meet this commitment.

Question reference: S5W-10574

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many health visitors have been recruited on a part-time basis in each of the last six years, broken down by NHS board.

Workforce data on Health Visitors in contracted hours (part-time or full-time) is published quarterly by ISD Scotland and is available from March 2015 onwards at the workforce statistics web site:-

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Workforce/Publications/2017-06-06/Health_Visitors_M2017.xls

Health Visitors were part of a recent review of community nurses data. Therefore, information on the Health Visitor workforce prior to March 2015 is not comparable with previous years.

Question reference: S5W-10578

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the need for additional health visitors beyond 2018.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to an additional 500 health visitors by 2018 was based on the national application of a validated caseload weighting tool to support consistency in determining Health Visitor numbers across Scotland. The tool is based on population data and allows calculation of the number of Health Visitors required and weight this according to local deprivation.

The information from the application of the Health Visiting caseload weighting tool should be used locally by NHS Boards in conjunction with the Nursing and Midwifery Workload Workforce Planning tool to determine local Health Visiting staff requirements. The Nursing and Midwifery Workload Workforce Planning tool takes account of the workload attributed to the individual patient, enables professional judgement and local context in which care is being provided to be considered. Caseload Weighting Tool All of this information should be considered to enable NHS Boards to use evidence-based decision making on future requirements for Health Visitor staffing.

In addition the National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan which was published on 28 June sets out how we will work withall major stakeholders across Health and Social Care to secure sustainable NHS staffing.

Question reference: S5W-10573

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many health visitors have completed Registered Specialist CPH Nurse – Health Visitor training in each of the last six years.

The numbers competing Registered Specialist Community Public Health Nurse – Health Visitor training in each of the last six years at 18 July 2017 is contained in the following table:

Year	Numbers Completing Health Visitor Training
2011*	61
2012	52
2013	57
2014	57
2015	115
2016**	183
Total	525

Source:

*Data from 2011 to 2015 – NHS Education for Scotland Nursing & Midwifery Annual Statistical Supplement available on request from NHS Education for Scotland

**NHS Education for Scotland management information

In addition to the above course, students can choose the Specialist Community Public Health Nursing Generic course. The total number of students who completed both courses from 2011 to 2016 is 658.