- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 November 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it is providing to each local authority to provide mental health first aid training (a) in schools and (b) to teachers.
Answer
We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. Since 2014, the Scottish Government has supported delivery of mental health first aid training by offering a grant to local authorities to undertake the Scottish mental health first aid training programme. The training was initially offered to local authorities who were identified as being in the most need of immediate support, based on the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation and on figures provided by NHS on the number of professionals trained within the authority. Following the first year, suicide rates were also included as an additional indicator to identify local authorities in need thereafter.
We are continuing to offer the grant to local authorities in need as part of our commitment within the Suicide Prevention Action Plan, published earlier this year, to offer every local authority this training by the end of academic year 2019-20.
This will be enhanced by our commitment to deliver school counsellors in every secondary school in Scotland, which was announced in the Programme for Government, along with the significant additional investment in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 30 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment by the Minister for Local Government and Housing on 29 May 2018 during the stage 1 debate on the Planning (Scotland) Bill regarding its “commitment to effective front loading of the planning system” (Official Report, c.13), what its response is to reports that Scottish Enterprise is supporting a planning application for Balloch that includes the development of Drumkinnon Woods and a part of Drumkinnon Bay, which were not earmarked for development in the area’s local development plan.
Answer
As laid out in their Business Plan, Scottish Enterprise works in partnership with other bodies to promote the full extent of Scotland's assets. On this occasion, the responsibility for dealing with planning applications and local planning matters rests with Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA).
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19092 by Ivan McKee on 11 October 2018, which section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual contains the statement regarding human rights due diligence checks.
Answer
Reference to Human Rights Due Diligence checks is in the Appraisal and Evaluation section of the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 25 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how much and (b) what proportion of funding that has been awarded by (i) Scottish Enterprise and (ii) Highlands and Islands Enterprise in each of the last 10 years has been given to employers that were Living Wage-accredited.
Answer
I refer the member to my answer to question S5W-19100 on 25 October 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 25 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of employers that have received (i) Scottish Enterprise and (ii) Highlands and Islands Enterprise funding in each of the last 10 years were Living Wage-accredited.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise do not currently retain this information in this way. However, both agencies do consider all aspects of the Scottish Business Pledge when assessing applications for business support, including the Living Wage.
The Scottish Government is fully committed to increasing the number of employers paying the Living Wage in Scotland and both enterprise agencies play a critical role in achieving this. For example, our Programme for Government states that we will add criteria on fair work practices, including the Living Wage, to business support grants through Regional Selective Assistance and other large Scottish Enterprise job-related grants, starting with grants offered in 2019-2020.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been provided by Skills Development Scotland to companies involved in the arms trade in each of the last 10 years.
Answer
As this is an operational matter for Skills Development Scotland I have asked their Chief Executive to respond to you directly.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 15 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5O-02429 by John Swinney on 3 October 2018 (Official Report, c. 13), what action it will take to investigate the reason for the fall in the number of co-ordinated support plans from 6% of those with an identified additional need in 2010 to 1% in 2017.
Answer
We will continue to monitor the statistical information on co-ordinated support plans and will engage with ADES and CoSLA on these issues.
In light of these discussions, we will consider if further revision to the statutory Supporting Learners' Code of Practice is required to support education authorities to continue to meet their duties under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 (as amended) in relation to CSPs.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 October 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18712 by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2018, whether its new guidance on human rights and the requirement to conduct an assessment are compulsory and, if not, how it will ensure that the guidance is followed.
Answer
All Scottish public bodies within the scope of the Scottish Public Finance Manual are required to follow the manual. The manual states: Human rights due diligence checks should be carried out before entering into an investment relationship or agreement or with a third party.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03736 by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016, what criteria it uses to define companies involved in the arms trade.
Answer
As stated in the answer to S5W-03736, Highlands and Islands Enterprise provided funding figures for a range of activities in businesses that may be targeting defence contracts as part of their operating strategy. Scottish Enterprise used the industry standard sector definition of Aerospace, Defence and Marine to capture company support.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 September 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14272 by Keith Brown on 23 February 2018, what steps it has taken to ensure that public funding provided by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to companies involved in the arms trade has not been used to manufacture munitions.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18383 on 14 September 2018. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .