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: S5W-24311

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 how much of the £250 million allocated to mental health in its Programme for Government has been invested in community mental wellbeing services for 5- to 24-year-olds.

Question reference: S5W-24299

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 30 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to consider establishing treatment and guidance for psychopathy in adults.

Psychopathy is antisocial personality disorder. The Scottish Government has no plans at present to produce guidance on this. NICE clinical guideline [CG77] on “Antisocial personality disorder: prevention and management” was published in January 2009, and updated in March 2013. This guides clinical practice in the UK. The Royal College of Psychiatrists also publishes information for the public on personality disorders that includes information on psychological and physical treatment: https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems-disorders/personality-disorder

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.

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-24244

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Life at Age 12: Initial Findings from the Growing Up in Scotland Study, which stated that over 50% of 12-year-olds say that they feel pressured at school, what action it is taking to address this issue.

We take child and adolescent mental health very seriously. The wellbeing of school pupils is vitally important, and we recognise the impact that pressure at school can have on children and young people. That is why health and wellbeing is a key priority of the Curriculum for Excellence. All adults working in schools are responsible for supporting and developing mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing to support successful learning and happy lives.

All schools should help young people to develop resilience and personal coping skills, and should have measures in place to support young people who experience stress. Opportunities should be available through the school year for young people to have regular conversations about their learning and progress.

Question reference: S5W-24245

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Life at Age 12: Initial Findings from the Growing Up in Scotland Study, which stated that 40% of young boys engage in anti-social behaviour, what action it is taking to address this.

We are actively working with schools and local authorities to tackle serious disruptive behaviour, violence and anti-social behaviour. Developing and promoting positive relationships and behaviour with children and young people is at the heart of all of our schools, and all staff should be proactive in promoting this.

Our new policy guidance, ‘Developing a positive whole school ethos and culture: relationships, learning and behaviour’ https://beta.gov.scot/publications/developing-positive-whole-school-ethos-culture-relationships-learning-behaviour/ , in response to the findings of the most recent Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research contains actions designed to support local authorities, establishments, practitioners and partners to further improve the ethos and culture, and relationships and behaviour in Scottish schools.

Question reference: S5W-24240

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its report, Life at Age 12: Initial Findings from the Growing Up in Scotland Study, which stated that children who have experienced bullying have a much lower level of life satisfaction, how it plans to fund (a) schools and (b) healthcare services to allow them to take action to help these young people.

The Scottish Government takes bullying very seriously. Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and must be addresses quickly, whenever it arises.

In 2017, the Scottish Government published updated anti-bullying guidance for all those working with children and young people. The guidance sets out the responsibilities of local authorities and head teachers to record and monitor bullying incidents. This enables schools to identify issues and put in place effective programmes to prevent bullying and to promote positive relationships and behaviour. There is an expectation that all schools will be using the new approach to recording and monitoring by Autumn 2019.

respectme, Scotland’s anti-bullying service is fully funded by the Scottish Government to provide direct support to all those working with children and young people, including schools, to build confidence and capacity to address all types of bullying effectively.

Question reference: S5W-24395

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines the terms "adverse childhood experience-aware" and "trauma-informed", and whether it considers that these can be used on an interchangeable basis.

Language is important to people affected by trauma and to those who provide services. The Scottish Government does not routinely use the language "adverse childhood experience-aware". Rather, the terms Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), childhood adversity and trauma- informed would be used.

In 2017, the Scottish Government and NHS Education for Scotland published Transforming Psychological Trauma: a Knowledge and Skills Framework for the Scottish workforce . This was informed by evidence and co-produced with employers, experts in psychological trauma and people with lived experience. Pages 20 – 23 of the Framework discusses language and terminology and how these interrelate. The diagram on page 20 provides an illustration of how the terms overlap.

The Framework recognises that terms used in this area are complex and overlapping. The terms “Adverse Childhood Experience and “trauma- informed” are not interchangeable. Trauma can be experienced at any point in life. Childhood adversity can cause trauma but a person who has not experienced childhood adversity can still experience trauma.

In 2018, the Scottish Government established a National Trauma Training Programme coordinated by NHS Education for Scotland (NES), to implement this Framework, giving the workforce the evidence, skills and confidence to recognise and respond effectively to people affected by trauma and adversity. The evidence base on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is incorporated in course content, along with wider evidence on the impact of trauma and appropriate responses.

Further information on the principles of trauma-informed practice and guidance for employers are available on the NHS Education for Scotland webpage on National Trauma Training Framework .

Question reference: S5W-24494

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 July 2019
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a recent YouGov poll, which found that the cost of childcare has risen, what it is doing to ensure that childcare is provided through a diverse range of sources.

Question reference: S5W-24261

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 July 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of harms reported by ME patients instructed to undertake graded exercise therapy, whether it will ask NHS National Services Scotland, in collaboration with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, to issue a safety alert to all NHS boards and local authorities in Scotland in this regard.