Chamber and committees

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: S4W-22893

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 11 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the discharge rates for maternity units have been in each of the last five years.

The total number of maternity discharges from hospitals, including women discharged after delivery, and all antenatal and postnatal discharges.

	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13p
All discharges	128,492	124,604	121,303	123,025	118,607

Notes:

1. Excludes home births and births at non-NHS hospitals

2. A mother is counted once when a multiple birth occurs

3. Includes live and stillbirths

p = provisional

Source: SMR02, Information Services Division, October 2014

Question reference: S4W-22895

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 11 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what training opportunities there are for midwives to gain specialist experience in bereavement care.

There are a number of ways in which midwives gain knowledge and training in bereavement care. There is considerable input on this topic in the pre-registration midwifery programmes at all three higher education institutions in Scotland.

Post-registration, there are a number of approaches to continuing professional development and education in this area open to all midwives, including a range of interactive workbooks, a suite of e-learning resources provided by The Scottish Grief and Bereavement Hub and regular conferences and specialist training by the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society.

Question reference: S4W-22897

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 6 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in the implementation of the Everyone Matters: 2020 Workforce Vision.

Good progress is being made in the implementation of the Everyone Matters: 2020 Workforce Vision.

NHS boards have developed local plans to address the actions in the implementation plan 2014-15 and as an early priority are embedding shared NHSScotland values. At national level all actions are being actively progressed and are on track to be delivered in 2014-15 as planned.

In 2015-16, NHS boards, the Scottish Government and others will build on the work undertaken so far, to take forward the actions in the Everyone Matters: 2020 Workforce Vision Implementation Plan 2015-16 (published on 3 November 2014) with an increased focus on quality improvement and leadership.

Further information on the Everyone Matters: 2020 Workforce Vision and implementation plans is available on the website: www.workforcevision.scot.nhs.uk

Question reference: S4O-03619

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 29 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that young people have access not only to employment, but to "decent work" as promoted by the STUC.

The Scottish Government will publish and implement a refreshed youth employment strategy later this year. It is committed to providing opportunities that allows all of Scotland’s young people to realise their full potential.

It is clear that our policies are driving a recovery in all labour market measures but we want more people working in better jobs and for employers that value their efforts.

Earlier this year the government set up the independent Working Together Review. Based on the report’s recommendations, published in August 2014, the First Minister confirmed on 15 October 2014 that a fair work convention would be established. The Scottish Government’s view is that fair work in Scotland can and should be enhanced by devolution of powers relating to employment rights and duties and industrial relations which are currently reserved to the UK Government.

Question reference: S4W-22899

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the Office of the Public Guardian in reducing the processing time for power of attorney applications.

Question reference: S4W-22898

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the current processing time for power of attorney applications to be acceptable.

Question reference: S4W-22901

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support is provided to families affected by a delay in processing an application for power of attorney or guardianship.

Question reference: S4W-22900

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the Office of the Public Guardian for (a) power of attorney and (b) guardianship and intervention orders in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4O-03575

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many further education college staff have had pay reductions or an increase in working hours following the recent merger process.

Question reference: S4O-03547

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 September 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions it has drawn from the funding for the Help to Buy scheme being fully allocated within three months.