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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.

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Question reference: S5W-08799

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it position is on how the proposal by NHS Lanarkshire to establish dedicated resources to encourage staff to work for the board for longer period reflects on the overall NHS workforce planning strategy since 2007.

The Scottish Government is fully committed to a sustainable NHS. The National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan, which will be published in Spring 2017, will take full account of the many demographic and other influences on our NHS workforce, ensuring it continues to deliver high quality care for generations to come. However, while the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare in Scotland, it remains the responsibility of NHS Boards – including NHS Lanarkshire – to plan their workforce in order to deliver those services. As part of this planning process, Boards must take account of Scotland’s ageing population and consider how they can support an older workforce.

Question reference: S5O-00996

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when its officials last met Atos Healthcare.

Question reference: S5W-08668

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 10 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Ineos regarding the working practices, terms and conditions and pension arrangements of employees on the Forties pipeline following the company's purchase of it, and whether any guarantees were given.

Question reference: S5W-08741

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 9 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding Commitment 29 in its Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 to publish guidance setting out the evidence base for employability and mental health.

Question reference: S5W-08793

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position will be on any recommendation for a reduction in neonatal services in NHS Lanarkshire arising from the consultation, Achieving Excellence.

The Scottish Government is committed to working with NHS Boards to provide the best neonatal care for babies and families in Scotland. This is reflected in the Scottish Government review - The Best Start - a five year forward plan for maternity and Neonatal are in Scotland. Scottish Government continues to work with NHS Boards through the implementation of The Best Start to ensure appropriate cot capacity and the best care for babies.

Question reference: S5W-08748

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the integration of health and social care has had on services that aim to support people with mental health problems find and retain paid employment.

The Scottish Government holds the principle that care services should be as well-coordinated and seamless as possible. Our programme of health and social care integration, which brings together NHS and Local Authority care services, is helping to deliver this. With a greater emphasis on community-based and more joined-up, anticipatory and preventative care, integration aims to improve care and support for people who use health and social care services. Improving the wellbeing of people with mental health problems is a key priority for Integration Authorities, who recognise that employment is an important factor in promoting wellbeing and recovery.

The Mental Health Strategy 2017 – 2027 focuses on the important role of getting a job and staying in work. In particular, action 37 commits to exploring with others innovative ways of connecting mental health, disability, and employment support in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-08750

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to employers regarding supporting people to recover from mental health problems.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, part of NHS Health Scotland, to provide information and advice on workplace health and wellbeing. The Centre, and the network of advisers in territorial NHS Boards, offer free and confidential advice on a wide range of issues relating to health, safety in the workplace. This includes promoting wellbeing in the workplace, managing sickness absence and supporting employees to return to work.

Health Working Lives runs training courses for employers on managing and promoting good mental health in the workplace.

Question reference: S5W-08742

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made regarding Commitment 34 in its Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 to establish a local government mental health forum to focus on areas of work where local government has a key role, including employability.

Question reference: S5W-08745

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the employment rate for people with mental health problems was in comparison to the general population in each year from 2010 to 2015.

Information sourced from the Annual Population Survey in Table 1 shows the employment rate for the working age population overall, and also for those reporting health problems related to mental health.

Those reporting health problems related to mental health in these data are defined as those who responded to the APS reporting:

that they had a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expecting to last 12 months or more; and,
that their main health problem was either ‘Depression, bad nerves or anxiety’ or ‘Mental illness or suffer from a phobia, panics or other nervous disorders’.

Data is provided for the period between 2010 and 2016, with 2016 being the most recent data available.

Table 1: Employment rate (aged 16-64) for Scotland and for people whose main health problem was related to mental health

Year	Employment rate (Scotland)	Employment rate (for those with mental health problems)
2010	71.0%	27.9%
2011	70.5%	26.9%
2012	70.5%	28.7%
2013	70.8%	30.6%
2014	72.6%	37.7%
2015	73.1%	38.8%
2016	72.9%	39.0%

Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS (January to December in each year)

Question reference: S5W-08749

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with mental health problems it expects to be supported into employment in 2017 through the devolved Work Programme.

Our one year transitional employment programmes were launched at the beginning of April 2017. Work First Scotland will deliver employment support for up to 3,300 disabled people, including those with mental health conditions. Work Able Scotland will provide employment support for up to 1,500 clients with a disability or a health condition, including those with mental health conditions, who are at risk of long term unemployment.

While one of the key target groups for support through these services, as they are both wholly voluntary, we cannot state how many people with a mental health condition we expect to volunteer to participate or achieve job outcomes. However, we are collecting customer information on type of health condition and aim to include this in the Scottish Government statistics publication due for release later in the year, which will report on the transition year employability services.

From April 2018, we will introduce a new Scottish employability service - Fair Start Scotland. It is expected that the programme will support a minimum of 38,000 people over 3 years of referrals. People with mental health conditions are one of the key client groups we aim to support into work through Fair Start Scotland.