Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-03437

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03457

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reported concerns that the UK Labour administration has not affirmed the commitment, which was signed in March 2021 by the UK and Scottish governments under the Borderlands Growth deal, to allocate £5 million towards a feasibility study to extend the Borders railway to Carlisle.

Question reference: S6W-30145

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of local authority care homes to ensure that the proper care is available to women.

Although the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, the statutory responsibility for delivering and commissioning services at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS boards and integrated health and social care partnerships. Local authorities are distinct corporate bodies whose powers and duties are set out in statute and are separate from the Scottish Government. As long as they act lawfully, it is up to each authority to manage its day to day activities, including the planning of services, in accordance with these responsibilities.

Question reference: S6W-30144

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what training it has provided to justice system staff regarding eradicating male violence against women and girls.

The Scottish Government are committed to the eradication of violence against women and girls (VAWG), and this is why we are implementing the Equally Safe Strategy.

However, the Scottish Government are not responsible for the training of justice system staff. As independent organisations, they are responsible for their own learning and development.

The Scottish Government often provides additional funding for training to support the implementation of new legislation and initiatives, for example, additional funding of £825k was provided to Police Scotland to support officers and staff respond to and investigate the new Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 offence.

Justice organisations are subscribed to the Equally Safe Strategy and are included in the membership of the Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board who are responsible for driving change in relation to the aims and priorities of the Equally Safe Strategy and its implementation. Our Equally Safe delivery plan, which was published in August 2024, contains a commitment to develop a streamlined approach to trauma-informed workplace practices that promote and enhance VAWG knowledge, skills, and expertise. Partners from the justice system will be engaged in the development of this approach.

The Vision for Justice in Scotland (2022) prioritises women and children and reiterates a commitment to make improvements to the justice system which benefit and empower women. The Justice Board, which represents many of the key national justice organisations, overseas the implementation of the delivery plan. The Vision ensures that Equally Safe is a key component in the route to a transformed justice system and commits to working across boundaries to improve outcomes for individuals to address causes of crime and reduce offending.

Question reference: S6W-30163

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve its guidance to local authorities in relation to the allocation of priority adapted housing for disabled people in social housing.

Social landlords (local authorities and housing associations) are responsible for the allocation of social housing. They must develop and publish allocation policies, within a broad legal framework for social housing allocations. Our Social housing allocations in Scotland: practice guide was published in 2019 and provides practical assistance to staff with responsibility for reviewing, monitoring and updating allocation policies and procedures to ensure they comply with current legislation. This includes having an allocation policy that recognises some people will need an adapted or accessible property and ensure that people requiring one of these properties are given priority.

Question reference: S6W-30157

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments reportedly made by a Transport Scotland official at Shetland’s external transport forum on 17 September 2024 that fares on the Serco NorthLink Northern Isles Ferry Service are “fairly priced” and “not astronomical”, what work has been done by Transport Scotland to assess the affordability of fares, giving consideration to inflationary increases on household budgets in Shetland and across Scotland, to provide a basis for these claims.

Scottish Ministers make contractual grant payments based on the projected cumulative difference between Operating Costs and Revenue for each Service Year.

Islander fares on Northern Isles routes were frozen from 2020 to 2024 along with a 20% reduction in cabin fares. This meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue.

These initiatives have required the Scottish Government to invest an additional £4.8m since 2020, over and above the general subsidy, in order to protect islanders from the impacts of recent high levels of inflation.

Question reference: S6W-30153

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what calculations form the basis for the comments that a Transport Scotland official reportedly made at Shetland’s external transport forum on 17 September 2024 that reducing fares on the Serco NorthLink Northern Isles Ferry Service could cost the Scottish Government “millions”.

Scottish Ministers make contractual grant payments based on the projected cumulative difference between Operating Costs and Revenue for each Service Year.

Islander fares on Northern Isles routes were frozen from 2020 to 2024 along with a 20% reduction in cabin fares. This meant that government effectively bore the loss of revenue.

These initiatives have required the Scottish Government to invest an additional £4.8m since 2020, over and above the general subsidy, in order to protect islanders from the impacts of recent high levels of inflation.

Question reference: S6W-30121

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the further £15 million that it planned to provide to local authorities for the continuation of community-based mental health and wellbeing support and services in 2024-25 is still being provided.

Question reference: S6W-30143

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to the relevant authorities to tackle any misogynistic and racist attitudes within the justice system.

Justice agencies are operationally independent of the Scottish Ministers.

However, misogyny and racism should play no part in the operation of the justice system. We will continue to support all justice agencies and bodies who operate within the justice system to eradicate racism and misogyny.

In April 2023, Scottish Government published a landmark summary of data on Ethnicity and Justice. This presents a picture of what is currently known about the experiences of minority ethnic people within Scotland’s justice system and supports the development and delivery of evidence-led actions.

Through our Cross Justice Group on Race Data and Evidence, the Scottish Government continues to improve our understanding of the experiences of minority ethnic people within Scotland’s Justice system. Generally, our approach supports the commitments contained within the Race Equality Framework (2016-2030) and Immediate Priorities Plan (2021-2023).

In relation to policing specifically, in May 2023, the former Chief Constable of Police Scotland declared that it is institutionally racist and discriminatory. This is an important recognition of the work still to do to ensure that policing and justice feel trusted by, and provide the right service to, all our communities. Their Policing Together programme is taking forward a range of actions to move towards this goal.

Question reference: S6W-30117

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) rejected referral rate in the quarter ending June 2024 was reportedly much higher in NHS Borders than the national rejected referral rate.

Every child and young person should be able to access support for their mental health and wellbeing when and where they need it. Not all children and young people need specialist services like CAMHS, and many will find more suitable support in their local community.

We are aware that the rate of CAMHS referrals not accepted in NHS Borders in the quarter ending June 2024 was higher than other Health Boards. Scottish Government officials are meeting with NHS Borders to understand the reasons behind this, and to ensure that any referrals not accepted are receiving meaningful redirection.

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