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: S4W-10339

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to NHS boards on developing an access policy as required by the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.

<>NHSScotland National Access Policy to acute hospital care was issued by the Scottish Government to NHS boards in August 2012. This guidance asks boards to develop their own local access policy. A link to the Scottish Government guidance is provided www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_33.pdf.

The National Access Policy clearly sets out the key principles we expect NHS boards to follow in setting out their own local access policy. These should include the principles in such areas as suitable alternative providers and reasonable offers of appointments.

Question reference: S4W-10343

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 1 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure the consistent treatment of patients with the 12-week waiting time guarantee set out in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011.

The operation of the treatment time guarantee is contained in the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, in the Treatment Time Guarantee Regulations and Directions as well as the guidance issued by the Scottish Government in August 2012. Links to the Regulations and Directions are:

www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_17.pdf.

The guidance on the treatment time guarantee can be found at:

http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2012_32.pdf.

The Scottish Government expects NHS boards to ensure they comply with the law for each individual patient.

Question reference: S4W-09939

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether any changes to pension arrangements will be the subject of a legislative consent motion or made by regulation and when it would introduce any such motion or order to the Parliament.

Question reference: S4F-00935

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2012

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Audit Scotland report, NHS financial performance 2011/12, which suggests real-terms budget reductions and growing financial pressures on the NHS.

Question reference: S4W-09846

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 26 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what outcomes (a) have been and (b) are expected to be achieved by the Youth Employment Strategy fund.

Youth Employment Strategy funding allocated to date aims to support:

1,000 of the most disadvantaged young people into work;

1,100 young people into job opportunities in social enterprises and third sector organisations through Community Jobs Scotland;

2,019 young people to progress towards and into jobs through projects funded by the Social Enterprise and Third Sector Challenge Fund, and

3,371 young people through a range of employment and skills opportunities in six local authorities with particular youth unemployment challenges.

Question reference: S4W-09968

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 26 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether kinship care payments made by a local authority should cease if a residency order is granted and, if so, for what reason.

For children whose long-term wellbeing is best served by living with kinship carers and who do not need compulsory supervision by a local authority, a kinship carer can be granted a section 11, Residence Order, of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995.

Whether the local authority continues to pay an allowance after a residency order is granted is a matter for them to decide. Under section 22 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 local authorities have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need by providing a range and level of services appropriate to the children’s needs; and under section 50 of the Children Act 1975 local authorities have the power to make payments for or towards maintenance of a child being cared for by a person other than a parent.

Question reference: S4W-09911

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how many doctors who practise in Scotland have a sexual offence or child pornography conviction and of these how many are still deemed fit to practice.

<>All NHSScotland health boards are expected to comply with the Safer Pre and Post Employment Checks Partnership Information Network (PIN) policy and take appropriate action based on any information received. This covers appointment checks that are either required by law or should be considered mandatory for all NHSScotland posts. The Safer Pre and Post Employment Checks PIN can be found at http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/publications/j9227.pdf. It is the duty of the General Medical Council to regulate whether doctors are fit to practice.

Question reference: S4W-09754

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how the £20 million contingency budget dealing with welfare reform will be allocated.

Question reference: S4W-09783

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the local authority contribution to the (a) Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund, (b) Early Years Change Fund and (c) Reducing Reoffending Change Fund was for (i) 2011-12 and (ii) 2012-13 and is for 2013-14.

Local government is fully committed to making an appropriate financial contribution to the Reshaping Care and Early Years Change Funds. The Scottish Government continues to work with local government to enable decisions on contributions from respective local authorities, but does not centrally hold definitive information for the total contribution from local government. Local government has made no financial contribution to the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund.

Question reference: S4W-09781

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 September 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the (a) Reshaping Care for Older People Change Fund, (b) Early Years Change Fund and (c) Reducing Reoffending Change Fund is spent on prevention.