- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 10 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will be accountable to the new Scotland-wide statutory board that will coordinate the activities of Scottish Enterprise and HIE.
Answer
Decisions regarding the formation, format and remit of the new Scotland-wide statutory board will be taken forward during phase two of the review process which began on 1 November.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 10 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing for costs associated with (a) health services and (b) civil legal advice and assistance, which result from the dispersal of asylum seekers to Scotland.
Answer
Asylum seekers living in Scotland can access NHS health services and civil legal advice and assistance in the same way as anyone that is ordinarily resident here.
It is for NHS Boards to provide health services that best meet the needs of their local populations from their general funding allocations.
Scotland has a legal aid system that is not cost limited and has a high eligibility rate. Asylum seekers can apply for publicly funded legal assistance under the same eligibility criteria as any applicant facing legal proceedings and their legal status is not a barrier.
The Scottish Refugee Council, which has received funding of £534,000 from the Scottish Government in 2016-17, works with refugees and asylum seekers and can help them to find legal representatives.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to increase awareness of services such as Women’s Aid Orkney to encourage more women in Orkney to seek support following domestic abuse.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the vital role support services have in raising awareness of domestic abuse in these communities and supporting victims to have the confidence to come forward and report it. That is why we have provided an additional £1.85m (2015-18) to Rape Crisis Scotland to enhance specialist support for victims across Scotland and, in partnership with Orkney and Shetland Women’s Aid, open the first-ever rape crisis services in these areas.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported increase in domestic abuse cases in Orkney between 2006-07 and 2015-16, and what steps it will take to tackle domestic abuse in Orkney.
Answer
The statistics (available at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/10/2442) indicate that between 2006-07 and 2015-16, the number of recorded domestic abuse incidents in Orkney has increased from 22 per 10,000 population in 2005-06 to 64 per 10,000 population in 2015-16. This increase should be seen within the context of an increase across most local authorities in the same period and the rate per 10,000 population in Orkney in 2015-16 continuing to be well below than the national rate (64 compared to 108).
The Scottish Government is committed to tackling all violence against women and provided an additional £1.85m (2015-18) to Rape Crisis Scotland to enhance specialist support for victims across Scotland and, in partnership with Orkney and Shetland Women’s Aid, open the first-ever rape crisis services in these areas. These two vital support services are working together to raise awareness of domestic abuse in these communities and support victims to have the confidence to come forward and report it.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce domestic abuse in areas that have seen a rise in such cases in recent years.
Answer
The Scottish Government is taking action and investing record levels of funding to tackle domestic abuse and violence against women across Scotland. In 2016/17, we have allocated £11.8million towards initiatives to tackle violence against women, including a range of front line services for women and children experiencing domestic abuse.
Last year, the First Minister announced an additional £20million would be invested from the Justice Budget (over 2015-18) to tackle violence against women. We believe that in some cases, people feel more confident about reporting domestic abuse to the Police as they believe action will be taken.
We are committed to strengthening the law in this area through the introduction of a Bill creating a specific offence of domestic abuse in 2016-17. We will continue to take action to prevent and eradicate domestic abuse and all forms of violence against women and girls through the implementation of our strategy, Equally Safe.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 8 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the UK solar power market of the proposed rise in business rates in 2017 for organisations investing in rooftop solar power for their own consumption.
Answer
Non-domestic rates liabilities have not yet been finalised for 2017. The revaluation by independent Assessors will update the rateable value of non-domestic properties, in line with rental values. The Scottish Government will bring forward legislation for the 2017-18 rates poundage and any changes to reliefs in due course, having considered the revaluation effect across sectors.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 8 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out a review of the provision and resourcing of services for women with borderline personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder as recommended in the final report of the Commission on Women Offenders.
Answer
The National Prisoner Healthcare Network’s workstreams on female offenders, mental health and psychological therapies will provide a range of opportunities for local services to consider the provision of services for women with borderline personality disorders and PTSD. In light of this, the Scottish Government does not intend to implement a separate review of the matter.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maureen Watt on 8 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what mental health training is available to (a) police officers, (b) prison officers, (c) criminal justice social workers and (d) third sector workers regarding their work with women offenders.
Answer
A range of training on mental health, including suicide prevention training, is coordinated by NHS Health Scotland, and is available to a variety of groups including police officers, prison officers, criminal justice social workers and third sector workers regarding their work with women offenders. This includes Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid, Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Skills-based Training on Risk Management (STORM) and safeTALK. Further information is available at http://www.smhfa.com/about/index.aspx and http://www.chooselife.net/Training/index.aspx
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that every town and village has free wireless internet by 2020, as proposed by the European Commission.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the European Commission's commitment to extend free access to Wi-Fi connectivity in public spaces, and the associated 120M WiFi4EU scheme. We exploring how Scotland’s potential benefits can be maximised.
The Scottish Government’s Public Wireless Programme, established in 2015, has already delivered improved Wi-Fi coverage in Scotland. The Programme provided just under £1M of grants in 2015-16 enabling local authorities to extend, or introduce, free Wi-Fi services across a range of buildings used by the public such as libraries, community centres and sports facilities. In tandem, the Programme has created best practice guidance in collaboration with public organisations to ensure wireless broadband projects are developed sustainably and genuinely match local needs.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 8 November 2016
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to work with community groups and charities to encourage people affected by (a) forced marriage and (b) domestic abuse to seek help and advice.
Answer
The Scottish Government works collaboratively with a range of third sector and community based organisations who provide support and advice to people affected by domestic abuse and or forced marriage. Along with our partners in the Scottish Government facilitated forced marriage network, we have developed and distributed a range of printed and web based information and awareness raising materials which include information and contact details for a range of support organisations. All materials are available in English and in community languages. This ensures that those affected are aware of and understand the protection available and are able to access advice and support as required.
The Scottish Government also funds the Scottish Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage helpline, over £350K for 2016-2017, which is available 24 hours a day to anyone affected by forced marriage or domestic abuse. In October 2016, the Scottish Government announced an extra £665K to expand advice and support services for victims of gender based violence, through the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre.
