- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to tackle any stigma associated with receiving welfare benefits.
Answer
We are committed to challenging stigmatising narratives in everything we do – taking a rights-based approach to social security, and embedding this in all of our communications. By embracing person-centred approaches to service design and delivery, and by collaborating with organisations working directly with people, we aim to tackle stigma and increase the take-up of Scottish benefits.
We continue to carry out user research to better understand and tackle stigma, and to ensure that Scotland’s social security system is designed with input from the people who will use it. Their experiences are central to tackling stigma through the design of the application process, from communication material (including factsheets, posters, flyers, social media and marketing campaigns), web content on mygov.scot, application forms, decision letters as well as operational guidance for staff.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has put in place to support the palliative care sector, in light of reports that the number of people needing these services is estimated to rise by an additional 10,000 by 2040.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2023
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to amend the pre-action requirements relating to private tenancies to formalise the referral of tenants for free independent money advice.
Answer
The aim of the Pre-Action Protocol for rent arrears is to sustain a tenancy, as far as possible, so that tenants can remain in their homes. Before taking action to repossess a property, landlords are required to have carried out certain steps to support their tenant to address any arrears. This includes providing tenants with clear information on how to access information and advice on financial support and debt management. In any subsequent eviction action, a landlord must demonstrate how they have complied with the protocol.
There are no plans at this time to formalise the referral of private tenants for free independent money advice. Guidance for private landlords on complying with the pre-action protocols includes sample letters which help ensure tenants are provided information on their rights and sign-posted to available support, including free independent advice from the Money Talk Team. The guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-private-landlords-on-seeking-repossession-of-private-rented-housing-on-rent-arrears-grounds/pages/summary/ .
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to money advice agencies to test improvements to ways of working with people with mental health issues.
Answer
In financial year 2021-2022 the Scottish Government provided £5,116 for the development of a Mental Health and Money Toolkit.
The toolkit, which was developed in partnership with the Money and Pensions Service and Change Mental Health is designed to help people understand, manage, and improve their financial health and wellbeing.
We continue to work with a range of partners, including mental health and money advice services, to ensure that people can access the right practical advice and support to help them cope with the cost-of-living crisis.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of community link workers, and what its position is on whether further investment should be made into community link worker services.
Answer
The Scottish Government has drawn upon external research and evaluations which have demonstrated the impact of the Community Link Workers role and what works well, such as: Evaluation of the Glasgow 'Deep End' Links Worker Programme and Community Link Worker initiatives in primary care: key learning from UK studies. There is also good evidence from local areas of the positive impacts of CLWs.
The Scottish Government works with the Primary Care Evaluation Network and others to monitor and evaluate the impacts of the whole of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT), of which Community Link Workers are a core part. This will allow us to target investment in future years.?
Our aim is to create a permanent framework for MDTs, including CLWs, to ensure their long-term sustainability. MDTs are funded through the Primary Care Improvement Fund. In 2023-24 we have a guaranteed minimum of £170 million for that fund in total and we are making funding available on top of that to cover Agenda for Change uplifts for MDT staff. We are currently working towards refining data held on pharmacotherapy and Community Treatment and Care services which will inform decisions on the potential for additional MDT investment in 2023-24.
We remain committed to supporting Community Link Workers across Scotland despite the challenging financial environment. For example, we have committed to providing Glasgow City HSCP with up to £1.35m to underwrite the costs of existing contracts for their cohort two Community Link Workers in this financial year after the HSCP advised us of a substantial funding gap.
Community Link Workers programme delivery is decided locally in line with local circumstances and priorities as part of Primary Care Improvement Plans. The Scottish Government is currently reviewing Community Link Workers provision to establish whether this approach should continue or needs to be revised.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done with health and social care partnerships to promote the Debt and Mental Health Evidence Form in Scotland.
Answer
We recognise the importance of financial wellbeing and understand the impact that debt and money worries can have on mental health and wellbeing and are working with stakeholders to tackle this issue. In our Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan we have committed to further develop a response to those whose mental health has been affected by issues relating to debt. We are working closely with a range of advice organisations, including Citizens Advice Scotland, to better understand and tackle these issues. We will consider the Debt and Mental Health Evidence Form as part of this work and promote to Health and Social Care Partnerships accordingly.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support access to free internet (a) services and (b) devices in public spaces.
Answer
Every public library in Scotland provides access to free WiFi, networked devices and trained staff to offer digital support. The Scottish Government works with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) to ensure public library staff have access to training to ensure the public receive the support they need. Library Services can apply for funding to develop digital services through the Scottish Government’s Public Library Improvement Fund and latterly (2021-22) through the Scottish Government’s Public Library COVID Relief Fund (£1.25M) both of which are administered by SLIC.
In addition to these routes, The Scottish Government also provided funding for public libraries to support the roll out of NHS Near Me services in public libraries in 2022-23.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address antisocial behaviour on public transport.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response to Freedom of Information request FOI/202100264794, which stated that, at the end of September 2021, only 41 out of 1,478 Social Security Scotland staff had returned to the office on a regular basis, whether it will provide updated figures for how many Social Security Scotland staff (a) there currently are and (b) have now returned to the office on a regular basis.
Answer
Social Security Scotland directly employed 3,976 staff (headcount) as at December 2022. There were 3,566 directly employed staff who work in Social Security Scotland's central buildings in Dundee and Glasgow.
Social Security Scotland has adopted hybrid working in its central buildings. All colleagues based in Dundee and Glasgow are expected to spend part of their working week in an office.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to downsize the Social Security Scotland headquarters, in light of the reported increased number of people working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
Social Security Scotland operates three buildings, forming its headquarters in Dundee: Agnes Husband House, Enterprise House and a part of Dundee House. Social Security Scotland analysis has determined that estates capacity could be reduced, providing a saving to the public purse while continuing to meet the employment commitment made to the city of Dundee.
On this basis, the decision was made to not renew the Occupation Agreement with Dundee City Council for space at Dundee House. From 31 May 2023 Social Security Scotland will occupy Agnes Husband House and Enterprise House. There are currently no plans to reduce the estate further in Dundee.
