Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-06719

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many restorative justice services there currently are, and where these are located.

This information is not held centrally. Where such services are currently available they are provided at a local level. As set out in the answer to S6W-06718 on 2 March 2022, we are working closely with stakeholders to deliver the Restorative Justice Action Plan, with the aim of making restorative justice services available across Scotland by 2023.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-06499

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent by each NHS board on external legal support in connection with cases of staff bullying, in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6W-06414

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent deaths from non-communicable disease, in light of a recent report by the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Coalition, which stated that only one of the six actions it called for had been implemented.

We are fully committed to taking action to prevent deaths from non-communicable disease. Work is underway to deliver a range of measures to target harmful health behaviours such as smoking, unhealthy diet and obesity and alcohol misuse.

We published our out of home action plan in September last year.
On 03 Feb 2022 we launched our consultation to introduce regulations on the domestic advertising of e-cigarettes.
We are taking a range of actions to reduce alcohol-related harms including consulting on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising this year, reviewing the level of the minimum unit price and improving health information on product labels.
Our Programme for Government committed to introduce a Public Health Bill that includes restrictions on unhealthier food and drink promotions during the course of this parliament. Government officials are working on this and other policy proposals for the Bill and will be consulting on them throughout 2022. We will continue to engage stakeholders as proposals develop.
We are undertaking a range of work to ensure that weight management, alcohol treatment, and smoking cessation services can be accessed when needed.

Question reference: S6W-06381

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date NHS Scotland will resume face-to-face antenatal classes, in light of the reported resumption of private classes.

Group antenatal classes were able to resume from 31 July 2020. Current guidance for delivery of maternity and neonatal services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic states that antenatal and postnatal group sessions can continue virtually or in person, subject to local risk assessment in NHS Boards.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) delivering maternity and neonatal services through the pandemic: beyond Level Zero - guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-06325

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05609 by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2022, whether it will provide the information requested regarding what consideration Scottish Water gave to the minimum income expectation set by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland within the 2021-27 final determination of charges when setting charge levels for 2022-23; how Scottish Water assessed the economic circumstances of the customers referred to; what view Scottish Water’s customer advisory body gave on the charges proposed, and whether it was consulted prior to Scottish Water making its charging decisions for the 2022-23 financial year.

The Water Industry Commission for Scotland has responsibility for setting charge caps and otherwise sets out expectations or forecasts including for income as a guide to Scottish Water and stakeholders. Consideration of the economic circumstances of customers encompassed both GDP growth and the GDP level relative to pre-pandemic, wage growth relative to inflation and unemployment levels. Scottish Water’s Independent Customer Group was consulted prior to Scottish Water making its charging decisions for the 2022-23 financial year and its clear preference was to see increases held to around 4%.

Whilst there is no formal requirement to consult the Scottish Government, Ministers were made aware of the outcome of the independent process, including the rationale underpinning the decision by Scottish Water's Board on the scheme of charges for 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-06119

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether ScotRail Trains Ltd and ScotRail Holdings Ltd will fall within the scope of the Public Sector Equality Duty.

Question reference: S6W-06051

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to address any pay disparities that exist for social workers in different local authorities, including differences in starting salaries.

The Scottish Government is aware of variations in social worker pay across different local authorities, both at recruitment stage and throughout their careers. Social workers primarily practice within, and are employed by local authorities. Each local authority is responsible for setting the terms and conditions and pay rates for the social workers they employ and this results in difference. One of the ambitions of the National Care Service (NCS) is to address this issue.

The Government proposals included within the NCS consultation would create a National Social Work Agency which would have oversight of pay and grading for social workers within a national framework. The consultation has concluded and Government decisions will be announced shortly.

Question reference: S6W-06021

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06045

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Shetland Islands Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Question reference: S6W-06017

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Argyll and Bute Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.

I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.

Chamber and committees