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-04930

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it has provided for advocacy services in each year since 2007-08.

In each year since 2005-06, £13 million has been included in the overall funding for local authorities and £5 million has been included in NHSScotland funding to help in the implementation and delivery of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. This includes funding for the provision of advocacy services.

From 2010-11, additional annual recurring funding of £500,000 has also been provided for advocacy services.

Question reference: S4W-04929

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the findings of the publication, More for Less? Independent Advocacy – More Demand, Less Funding, which predicts increased demand for advocacy services as a result of the recession.

Question reference: S4W-04928

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has assessed the demand for independent advocacy services.

< >I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-04931 on 23 January 2012. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

NHS boards were asked in 2010-11 to undertake an assessment of advocacy needs and to review and update their advocacy plans. The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance (SIAA) was funded to support boards with this work and has recently submitted its report on progress. We are considering this report with individual NHS boards.

Question reference: S4W-04943

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish responses to, and an analysis of, its consultation on equal marriage.

Question reference: S4W-04931

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has provided to local authorities about the need to maintain funding for independent advocacy services in the last year.

Local authorities and NHS boards are responsible for ensuring that advocacy is available to all who need it within their respective areas and that resources are matched to meet these needs.

The Guide to Commissioners, issued in 2010 and produced by the Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance is available to assist local authorities and NHS boards in the scoping of needs and procurement of advocacy services. Also relevant is the Guidance on the Procurement of Care and Support Services by public bodies in Scotland which was published jointly by the Scottish Government and COSLA in September 2010.

Question reference: S4W-04908

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what research has been conducted on non-pharmacological interventions in pain management, including alternative and complementary therapies, since 2007.

<>The UK Clinical Research Network Portfolio Database is a register of all research funded by the UK Government, Research Councils and Partner Charities. It documents that 16 studies on the non-pharmacological management of pain have been completed since 2007 with a further 12 ongoing. Details of these studies can be accessed at http://public.ukcrn.org.uk/search/. The Scottish section of the register, which can be accessed at http://scotland.ukcrn.org.uk/, records three ongoing and three completed studies.

Question reference: S4W-04927

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 20 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendations contained in the Equality and Human Rights Commission report on its inquiry into human trafficking in Scotland; what action it will take in response, and when.

Human trafficking is an abhorrent crime and the Scottish Government is committed to making further progress in tackling the criminals who engage in it and supporting the victims who are subjected to it. We supported the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Inquiry into Human Trafficking in Scotland and have publicly welcomed the contribution that it has made to our knowledge of this horrendous crime.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the recommendations contained within this report and others on the same subject. A response will be prepared in due course.

Question reference: S4O-00624

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the 20% reduction in college budgets will have in terms of staffing, student numbers and the range of courses available.

Question reference: S4W-04905

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what the referral pathway is for a patient with chronic pain who is referred for alternative therapy.

We recognise that complementary therapies may offer relief to some people living with long term conditions including chronic pain, however, the Scottish Government does not fund or deliver complementary therapies directly.

It is open to NHS boards to make complementary therapy services available to their populations based on an assessment of needs within their respective areas. It is therefore for individual NHS boards to determine whether to make complementary therapies available in accordance with national and local priorities and in line with the health needs of their local population.

Guidance HDL (2005) 37 issued to boards in August 2005 sets out the framework for the provision of these services across NHSScotland. The guidance is available online and can be found at: http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/mels/hdl2005_37.pdf

Question reference: S4W-04849

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 18 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide funding for corrective surgery for breast implants where these have been manufactured by PIP.

No additional funding will be made available to NHS boards.

Where PIP implants have been provided by the private sector, it is expected that private health care providers will provide, without charge, the same level of service as NHSScotland would provide to NHS patients. This includes offering a consultation, where clinically appropriate removal of the implant and if the woman wishes provision of a replacement.