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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-24227

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its analysis of the responses to its consultation on the Job Grant, what its position is on almost three quarters of the organisations that responded seeing potential unintended consequences, and whether it plans to amend the Job Grant in light of this.

Question reference: S5W-24226

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its analysis of the responses to its consultation on the Job Grant, what it is doing to amend the Job Grant to make it more accessible to people on zero hour contracts.

The Scottish Government is committed to introducing a Job Grant to support a smooth transition into employment for young people on low incomes. The analysis of consultation responses, published on 3 July 2019, shows that an overwhelming majority of individuals and organisations who responded believe that the Job Grant will meet this policy intention.

The Scottish Government will publish its response to the Job Grant consultation analysis in due course. This will address the issues raised by respondents and take into account the views gathered through our Young People’s Survey and our direct engagement with a range of stakeholders.

Question reference: S5W-24228

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its analysis of the responses to its consultation on the Job Grant, which highlights concerns among some respondents that certain groups are being overlooked, whether it is considering amending the Job Grant to take more account of the views of (a) disabled people and (b) ethnic minorities and refugees.

Question reference: S5W-24163

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a four-year health MOT pilot for people over 40, and, if so, how much it will cost.

Question reference: S5W-24087

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance exists regarding the installation of netting around hedgerows, trees and other wildlife to protect nesting birds.

The Scottish Government is not aware of any specific guidance covering the installation of netting around hedgerows, trees and other wildlife.

There is currently no legislation that specifically prevents the installation of netting around hedgerows or trees.

However, Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 does makes it an offence to obstruct or prevent any bird from using its nest during the nesting season and this would include the use of netting.

Question reference: S5W-24079

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 01 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the Carer’s Allowance Supplement.

Question reference: S5W-24222

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 30 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Reform Scotland report, Beyond Holyrood: Why Scotland’s economic future depends on local power, what progress has been made in discussions with the Scottish Greens on a replacement for the council tax.

The Scottish Government jointly launched the Local Governance Review with COSLA to consider how powers are shared across national and local government, and with communities. The Review reflects our shared commitment to Scotland’s different places and diverse communities having a direct say over decisions which affect them.

Talks with opposition parties and COSLA, our local government partners, to identify options for the replacement of the present council tax that would be supported by Parliament are progressing.

Question reference: S5W-24313

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 30 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which third sector organisations that have been involved in the process of developing community mental wellbeing services for 5- to 24-year-olds.

The Children & Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce, originally charged with taking forward the 2018/19 Programme for Government (PfG) commitment of developing services to aid community mental wellbeing, counted representatives from the third sector amongst its direct membership. A wider range of third sector expertise was also engaged through involvement in the Taskforce's arm's - length 'working groups'.

The Children & Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board, who will take forward the work of the Taskforce, will develop and monitor the delivery of support in the community as set out in the PFG commitment. Membership of the Programme Board includes a representative from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) who will represent the interests of all their members.

Question reference: S5W-24312

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 30 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made with the commitment in its Programme for Government to “develop services for community mental wellbeing for 5-24 year olds and their parents to provide direct and immediate access to counselling sessions, self-care advice, family support, peer-to-peer support and group work with links to other care settings”.

The Children & Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce was charged with taking forward the 2018/19 Programme for Government (PfG) commitment of developing services to aid community mental wellbeing.

Following the resignation of the Chair in May 2019 due to ill health, a joint announcement from Scottish Government and COSLA on 4 July 2019 advised that the work begun by the Children & Young People’s Mental Health Taskforce would be taken forward by a new programme board – the Children & Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Programme Board. The Board will develop and monitor the delivery of support in the community as set out in the PfG commitment.

Question reference: S5W-24309

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on adopting integrated care systems across the NHS.

The Scottish Government are supportive of integrated care systems across health and social care.

That is why work is currently underway through the NES Digital Service (NDS) to develop a National Digital Platform to support the secure and effective flow of people's data across both health and social care. It aims to breakdown traditional integration barriers between for example primary and secondary care, across health board boundaries and between health and social care.