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-07098

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to eliminate what is claimed to be a grey area in succession rules, which means that static motorhomes serving as the main residence of a deceased person are treated differently to a bricks and mortar home.

The Scottish Government consulted on recommendations of the Scottish Law Commission for reform of substantive succession law between June and September 2015. The recommendations are based on the removal of the distinction between heritable and moveable property with rights in succession coming from the whole of the estate regardless of the types of property which it comprises.

The Scottish Government is considering the analysis of responses to that consultation together with the findings of a survey of public attitudes towards succession law of just over 1000 people representative of the Scottish population and a targeted Survey Monkey on disinheritance which received over 800 responses.

The analysis of, and the responses to, the consultation together with the Scottish Government’s response will be published when that consideration is concluded and will inform the way forward. The issue raised about static motor homes will be considered in the context of any further reforms to the law of succession.

Question reference: S5W-07097

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to change the rules in relation to winding up the estate of a deceased person.

Question reference: S5W-07032

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what alternatives to the National Citizen Service are available for Scotland’s youth.

There is a wide range of youth work opportunities available to young people in Scotland that provide similar outcomes for young people as the National Citizenship Service. For example:

The Outward Bound Trust provides residential programmes for over 200 young people aged 16 and 17 each year through the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award.
Young people aged between 16 and 25 who are unemployed can take part in the 12 week Team programme run by the Princes Trust. The programme helps young people to gain new skills and improve their confidence through residential, community projects and work placements. In 2014-15, 2,500 young people took part in the Trust’s Team, XL, Fairbridge and Get Started programmes.
Ocean Youth Trust Scotland works with over 550 young people each year who take part in voyages which provide the opportunity for self-development through the experience of sailing voyages.

There is also evidence that many young people in Scotland are already achieving similar outcomes which might be available through a NCS through involvement in youth work and volunteering activity. For example:

The number of young people participating in, completing, progressing and gaining accreditation through Youth Awards in Scotland has increased dramatically in recent years. There has been significant growth in the number of young people looking to achieve awards such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the John Muir Award, the Saltire Award and the Dynamic Youth Award – from less than 20,000 awards in 2009-10 to more than 60,000 in 2014-15.
Recently published research by Volunteer Scotland shows strong growth in youth volunteering in Scotland with 52% of young people involved in volunteering, up from 45% in 2014. There are higher rates of youth participation in Scotland compared with the other UK nations.

Question reference: S5W-07030

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing the National Citizen Service in Scotland.

The Scottish Government believes that youth work has a significant impact in improving the life chances of young people. The national youth work strategy for Scotland 2014-18 sets out our ambitions for improving outcomes for young people through youth work. It aims to ensure that we harness and build on our partnerships and what we know works in delivering vibrant and effective youth work practice.

The Deputy First Minister has requested that officials work with appropriate youth work partners to consider the option of undertaking a NCS pilot project in Scotland. Education Scotland officials and YouthLink Scotland held a meeting on 16 December 2016, attended by a range of national youth work organisations and a representative from the UK Cabinet Office, to consider the option of undertaking a NCS-style pilot project in Scotland.

Partners agreed that further discussion was needed before committing to a Scottish pilot.

Question reference: S5O-00721

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation has been made of its previous suicide prevention strategy, and how this will underpin its updated mental health strategy.

Question reference: S5W-06706

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when in 2017 the updated suicide prevention strategy will be published.

In Spring 2017 we will begin engagement with stakeholders regarding possible content of a future Suicide Prevention Strategy or Action Plan. This engagement will build on the engagement we undertook on the forthcoming Mental Health Strategy, and on engagement already undertaken with stakeholders e.g. in academia, in the NHS and in the Third Sector who have a specific interest in suicide prevention. We aim to publish a new Suicide Prevention Strategy or Action Plan in late 2017 or early 2018.

In the meantime, whilst the timeframe of the existing Suicide Prevention Strategy (2013-16) has passed, its key themes (e.g. improving responses to distress; improving the NHS response to suicide; talking about suicide; and developing the evidence base) remain pertinent to continuing efforts to reduce the suicide rate; we will continue to work with stakeholders to implement the commitments under these themes.

Question reference: S5W-05980

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 3 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05304 by Maureen Watt on 12 December 2016, whether (a) the consultation will include extending the powers to practitioners other than psychologists and (b) it expects to introduce new legislation as a result of the consultation.

Question reference: S5W-06410

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 3 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the post of national coordinator of childhood bereavement services will be advertised.

Question reference: S5W-06175

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of introducing mandatory mental health first aid training in the workplace.

The Staff Governance Standard for NHSScotland commits all Boards to providing a continuously improving and safe working environment promoting the health and wellbeing of staff, patients and the wider community. The welfare of NHS staff is critically important with every health board is required to have policies in place to comply with national policies on managing health at work which includes mental health and wellbeing. Through monitoring arrangements, we are ensuring that Boards have policies and actions in place to support staff.

There are programmes specifically targeted at workplace settings include Mental Health at Work and Work Positive are provided where workplaces sign up to these programmes.

Between April 2016 to November 2016, Mentally Healthy Workplace (MHW) one day courses were delivered to 418 people and 221 businesses; prior to participants attending these specific courses, they are encouraged to complete an online course which employers are also encouraged to promote as part of their wider mental health awareness activities – between April and November 2016 (which is the first year this online course has been actively promoted to employers), 7921 people have accessed this online resource.

In addition, there has been Mentally Healthy Workplace Training for Trainers (T4T) courses to 34 trainers and 16 businesses which qualifies those attending to deliver the MHW course at a local or business level. Work Positive courses were delivered to 113 people/80 businesses to allow them to use the Work Positive resource in their businesses and identify the work related issues that are causing stress to staff.

Question reference: S5W-06176

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the budget for mental health has been allocated to mental health in the workplace for each year up to 2021.