- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had in response to reports that local authorities are considering a reduction in the school week.
Answer
I am concerned at suggestions of cuts to learning hours in any local authority. I wrote to all local authorities in February this year make clear that this would not be acceptable to Scottish Government.
We are continuing to engage with COSLA to work towards a voluntary agreement with local government on protecting learning hours. If no agreement is reached, I remain open to taking steps towards utilising the powers in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to prescribe in the regulations the number of hours made available.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the reported £19 million reduction to mental health services will have on mental health waiting times.
Answer
Following the UK Chancellor's July statement, the Scottish Government continues to face the most challenging financial situation since devolution.
Whilst any reduction is regrettable, we remain committed to taking forward our work across mental health, working closely with key partners. Our collective focus has to be on making as much difference as possible with our funding.
We continually monitor both CAMHS and Psychological therapies (PT) waiting times performance and directly engage with all 14 territorial NHS Boards. The latest CAMHS and PT waiting times statistics published on 3 September 2024 show positive signs of improvement. However, we are not complacent and continue to direct enhanced support to those NHS Boards with the longest waits.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms it has to prevent local authorities from reducing the number of hours in the school week.
Answer
The Scottish Government is keen to come to a voluntary agreement with local government on protecting learning hours, but if no agreement is reached we will consider options including use of regulations. We continue to engage with local government on this matter.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether children and young people are taught about their own gender identity in school.
Answer
Children and young people are not taught about their own gender identity in Scottish schools. That is a personal matter for any individual and, in the case of young people, their family.
Relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education is an integral part of the health and wellbeing area of the school curriculum in Scotland. Learning and teaching focusses on equipping children and young people with the knowledge, skills and values to make informed and positive choices about forming relationships. This aspect of the curriculum is intended to enable children and young people to build positive relationships as they grow older. Relationships, sexual health and parenthood education has been in place since 2010, the same year Curriculum for Excellence was implemented.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that individual artists can still apply for and have access to public funding, in light of Creative Scotland's recent change to its guidance on applications from individual artists.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides significant funding to Creative Scotland each year and will continue doing so. It is disappointing that Creative Scotland took the decision about the Open Fund before the Scottish Government could complete due diligence to release funding, as is normal practice. The due diligence has now been completed and the funding has been released to Creative Scotland.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many unique views there have been of the website, Mind Yer Time, in each of the last 12 months.
Answer
The number of unique views to the Scottish Youth Parliament/Children’s Parliament Mind Yer Time website in each of the last 12 months are as follows:
Date range | Active users | New users |
10th September - 30th September 2023 | 160 | 151 |
1st October - 4th November 2023 | 261 | 246 |
5th November - 2nd December 2023 | 277 | 259 |
3rd December - 6th January 2024 | 214 | 209 |
7th January - 3rd February 2024 | 215 | 204 |
4th February - 2nd March 2024 | 325 | 299 |
3rd March - 6th April 2024 | 465 | 438 |
7th April - 4th May 2024 | 259 | 247 |
5th May - 1st June 2024 | 269 | 249 |
2nd June - 6th July 2024 | 497 | 486 |
7th July - 3rd August 2024 | 286 | 272 |
4th August - 31st August 2024 | 1019 | 1013 |
1st September - 11th September 2024 | 116 | 107 |
| 4273 | 4180 |
"Active users" is the number of people who engaged with the site or app in the specified date range. "New users" is the number of people who have never visited the site or app before in the specified date range.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what support is being given to staff in the NHS who feel burnt out.
Answer
Scottish Government funding of over £2.5m has been committed to support the mental health and wellbeing of health and care staff in 2024-25. These resources include a 24/7 compassionate listening service, confidential mental health treatment through the Workforce Specialist Service and access to psychological therapies and interventions.
Prioritising these treatment and therapeutic programmes reflects our commitment to offer care and support to those staff suffering from burnout, stress, anxiety and other conditions. In addition, the National Wellbeing Hub offers a range of self-care wellbeing resources and signposting to relevant mental health and support services.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 19 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of its funding of LGBT Youth Scotland, in light of reported allegations regarding safeguarding and the protection of children.
Answer
The Scottish Government have engaged with LGBT Youth Scotland to determine the facts around the recent media reports. We have determined no further action is needed at this stage.
The Scottish Government are continuing to fund all organisations who have received funding through the Equality and Human Rights Fund for the 2024-2025 financial year.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the proposed £115 million of savings in the Health and Social Care budget outlined in its fiscal statement on 3 September 2024.
Answer
On the 3 September 2024, the Scottish Government pre-budget fiscal update outlined savings measures of £115.8m in the Health and Social Care budget, with funding redirected to support emerging pressures within Health and Social Care, not used for wider SG spending.
A breakdown of the savings can be found at: Scottish Government Pre-Budget Fiscal Update: Letter to Finance Committee - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will next update the Parliament on its just transition plan for Grangemouth.
Answer
We remain committed to delivering a Just Transition Plan that reflects the needs of the industrial site operators, workforce and the wider community and anticipate the launch of a draft plan for consultation in the coming months.
We will update the Parliament on the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan in due course.