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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-12715

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when Public Health Scotland will next publish data on the prevalence rate for problematic drug use in Scotland, and what years this data will cover.

Public Health Scotland is working with partners to develop and publish data on the prevalence rate for problematic drug use in Scotland. The next publication will include an estimate of the number of people with problematic opioid use during 2018-19 and this will be published by the end of 2023.

The most recent figures on the prevalence rate for problematic drug use in Scotland were published in 2018 and covered 2015-16.

Question reference: S6W-12714

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled the financial costs of implementing Medication Assisted Treatment standards (a) one to five and (b) six to 10, and whether it will publish these costs.

Question reference: S6W-12716

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals Police Scotland have administered naloxone to, and how many of these individuals were referred to drug treatment services, in each month since the roll-out of naloxone to Police Scotland officers.

The national roll out of the Police Scotland Naloxone Programme has been delivered in 2 stages. The first stage was a test of change (pilot), covering the period 01-03-2021 to 31-10-2021. The second stage covers the period from the completion of pilot up to the point where the most recent data is available, 02-12-2022. The number of administrations per month, in each stage of the roll out, is provided below.

Test of Change period (01-03-2021 – 31-10-2021) – Total of 51 administrations

March – 2

April - 5

May - 5

June – 10

July - 8

August - 7

September - 6

October – 8

Start of roll-out (01-11-2021 – 02-12-2022) – Total of 44 administrations

November - 3

December - 2

January - 5

February - 4

March - 1

April - 3

May - 2

June - 4

July - 5

August - 2

September - 4

October - 3

November - 4

December – 2 (up till 2-12-2022)

Casualties at each incident are sign posted to drug and addiction services within their area by officers on scene. The details are recorded on the Vulnerable Persons Database, the details of which can be shared with partner agencies to assist the individual.

Question reference: S6W-12710

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether its National Drugs Mission Oversight Group has met since its June 2022 meeting, and, if this is the case, whether it will publish the minutes for any subsequent meetings.

Question reference: S6W-12709

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 15 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the National Drugs Mission Implementation Group has met in 2022, what dates any meetings took place, and whether it will publish the minutes for any such meetings.

Question reference: S6W-12723

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason alternatives to custody for non-violent women with dependency issues, such as Turning Point Scotland's 218 service, have not been (a) replicated in other cities and (b) piloted for men.

Decisions about specific programmes or interventions for those who have committed offences are generally taken at a local level under the model of community justice introduced in 2017. Local authorities have significant autonomy to direct justice social work funding to deliver statutory justice services and meet local priorities aimed at reducing reoffending. Services are also commissioned through local partnerships such as Health and Social Care Partnerships, and priorities will be informed by local Community Justice Outcome Improvement Plans.

The funding of Turning Point Scotland’s 218 service pre-dates the implementation of the current community justice model, so central funding has been protected as part of the legacy arrangements for the last 5 years. The creation of any new services, however, would primarily be a matter for local areas to consider.

We currently invest over £119 million of ring fenced funding in community justice services, which includes community sentences and other interventions. The bulk of this funding – around £108 million – is distributed to local authorities for the delivery of justice social work services. The remaining £11 million is directed towards third sector organisations for the delivery of community justice related services. From the main funding, £1.5 million is specifically for bail services for women which is distributed across 32 local authorities.

An additional £50 million per annum over this Parliament is also allocated to support the National Mission to reduce drug deaths and harms. Of this an additional £20 million per year goes to Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and the further £30 million supports grassroots initiatives, implementation of Medication Assisted Treatment Standards, and work with nationally funding organisations.

Question reference: S6W-12721

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out on the effectiveness of the Scottish Prison Service's (a) assessments for and (b) support for and/or treatment of (i) substance use and (ii) mental health issues for remand prisoners, and whether this has been published.

The Scottish Government published prison population health needs assessments for mental health and for substance use ( Prison population health needs: synthesis report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and Prison population health needs: synthesis report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . These reports aim to provide stakeholders, including the SPS, with a better understanding of the health needs of the prison population and help align services to support people whilst in prison, along with their transition into and out of prison custody.

The SPS is currently working in partnership with mental health experts to co-produce a revised mental health strategy for those in custody.

Question reference: S6W-12720

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Scottish Prison Service is taking to ensure that those on remand are (a) assessed for and (b) offered support and/or treatment for (i) substance use and (ii) mental health issues.

All individuals have a healthcare consultation with an NHS healthcare professional within 24 hours of arrival.

Whilst in prison individuals can self-refer to see the NHS Healthcare team and where needed, SPS staff can also refer prisoners to the healthcare team.

The SPS Drug & Alcohol Strategy, currently under revision, aims to reduce re-offending and drug-related deaths by adopting the principles of recovery to reduce the supply and demand of illegal substances and the harm caused by problematic substance use. The revised Strategy will reflect the national approach to embed Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards across SPS.

Question reference: S6W-12722

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 12 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in each of the last three financial years, how many remand prisoners have been assessed for (a) substance use and (b) mental health issues; what proportion of those on remand this represents, and, of those assessed, how many have accessed (i) drug treatment services and (ii) mental health services.

Question reference: S6O-01562

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring adequate support provision is available for staff and pupils in schools.