Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-05037

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the indicator to reduce the number of Scottish public bodies by 25% by 2011 was removed from the National Performance Framework.

The number of devolved public bodies was reduced from a baseline of 199 in October 2007 to 144 by December 2011, and will reduce further to around 112 when the Children’s Hearings (Scotland) Act 2011 is fully implemented later this year.

The original commitment to a 25% reduction in the number of public bodies has therefore been delivered in full, which is why the refreshed National Performance Framework includes new indicators focusing on the quality and responsiveness of public services.

Question reference: S4W-05038

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it met its target to reduce the number of Scottish public bodies by 25% by 2011.

Question reference: S4W-04896

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of difficulties experienced by older people in accessing or receiving mental health services provided by the voluntary sector.

The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local service planning and delivery, spending priorities, and the important contribution of the voluntary sector in this, is the responsibility of relevant local agencies.

As part of the work to support NHS boards to achieve the HEAT target Deliver faster access to mental health services by delivering 18 weeks referral to treatment for Psychological therapies from December 2014, we have identified that there are barriers to psychological therapy provision for older people. This target is intended to drive improvement across mental health services, and will require NHS boards to have in place services that meet the full range of people’s needs, and all areas including the voluntary sector to be working effectively together.

Question reference: S4W-04881

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) work is being done and (b) action it is taking to ensure that people over 65 are not excluded from receiving mental health services provided by the voluntary sector.

The Scottish Government sets national policy direction for mental health and provides funding to NHS boards and local authorities to support implementation of policy. The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local service planning and delivery, spending priorities, and the important contribution of the voluntary sector in this, is the responsibility of relevant local agencies.

NHS boards and their partners are expected to plan and deliver services in line with relevant legislation including the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 which has at its heart fundamental principles to ensure equal access to health care: participation; non-discrimination; respect for diversity; reciprocity; and equality.

As part of the work to support NHS boards to achieve the HEAT target Deliver faster access to mental health services by delivering 18 weeks referral to treatment for Psychological therapies from December 2014, we have identified that there are barriers to psychological therapy provision of older people. Through a working group made up of relevant experts and professionals, the group has made an initial report to the Scottish Government, identified the key barriers, and set out potential solutions to address this.

Question reference: S4W-02037

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2011
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 25 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding the Scottish Book Trust has received (a) in total and (b) for the Bookbug programme in each year since 2007.

Since 2007, the Scottish Government has funded the Scottish Book Trust as follows:

(a) Total amount

2007-08	£70,083.88
2008-09	£89,695.09
2009-10	£1,120,262.92
2010-11	£1,489,474.01

(b) Bookbug was launched by Scottish Book Trust on 30 June 2010. The Scottish Book Trust received funding for this programme as follows:

2009-10	£1,050,000
2010-11	£1,437,388*
2011-12	£662,612

Note: * An amount of £387,388 from the 2011-12 budget was paid in advance during 2010-11 to cover the additional preparation costs for starting the Scottish Bookbug programme.

Question reference: S4O-00397

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact its proposed reductions to college budgets will have on widening access to education.

Question reference: S4F-00279

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2011

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on the Educational Institute of Scotland's call for a ballot on industrial action about proposed changes to the McCrone agreement.

Question reference: S4W-02933

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether children with scoliosis wait longer than adults between seeing their consultant and having surgery.

Question reference: S4W-03036

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funding will be provided to assist NHS boards to implement the Scottish Service Standards for Neonatal Care when they are published.

The Neonatal Expert Advisory Group, regional planning groups, the Managed Clinical Networks for neonatal services and NHS boards are currently looking at the possible implications, including resource implications, of implementing the standards framework for neonatal care in Scotland. Ministers will consider their findings and recommendations in full once this work has been completed, but no funding has been identified.

Question reference: S4W-02932

Asked by: Ken Macintosh, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for patients with scoliosis between seeing a consultant and having surgery.

Chamber and committees