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Information on the number of first-time buyers paying LBTT is not currently required to be collected from Revenue Scotland tax returns. Following the announcement of the new LBTT first time buyer relief, the Scottish Government is in discussions with Revenue Scotland to enable the accurate monitoring and reporting of the number of first-time buyers who will benefit from the relief which is planned for introduction from June 2018.

Information on how many couples with children in the home, but where one partner does not have a biological child have accessed IVF since September 2016, is not currently held centrally. However, Scottish Government officials regularly discuss the impact of this change with the 4 Centres providing NHS IVF.

The Scottish Government has had initial discussions with Information Services Division around the steps needed to collect this information within the confines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.

Information on how many couples have used a third cycle of IVF since April 2017 is not held centrally. However, Scottish Government officials regularly discuss the impact of this change with the 4 Centres providing NHS IVF.

The Scottish Government has had initial discussions with Information Services Division around the steps needed to collect this information within the confines of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act.

Decisions on health policy are a matter for Ministers, not officials. Ministers are, of course, accountable to Parliament for those decisions.

The Scottish Government is working to open up the housing market to as many people as possible. Since 2013, over 15,700 households across Scotland, with over 30% of these in the Edinburgh and Lothians area, have been supported to purchase a home through our shared equity schemes - the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) and Help to Buy (Scotland) schemes. The Scottish Government also funds the development by Registered Social Landlords of New Supply Shared Equity units through its Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

In addition, we intend to introduce from June a new Land and Buildings Transaction Tax relief for First-Time Buyers which will have the effect of raising the zero tax threshold for first-time buyers to £175,000. This will result in an estimated 80% of first-time buyers paying no LBTT. Those first-time buyers buying a property above £175,000 will also benefit from the relief on the portion of the price below the threshold, which means all first-time buyers will benefit from the relief by up to £600 once it is introduced.

The Scottish Government is working towards our target to increase housing supply by delivering at least 50,000 affordable homes within this parliament, backed by investment of at least £3 billion. Through this programme, we are determined to increase and accelerate housing supply across all tenures and support the industry and local authorities to deliver their housing priorities with quality homes in mixed communities that fit local needs.

We have a substantial package of support for home ownership and have a good track record in helping people to buy a home. In the Edinburgh and Lothians area, we predominantly support purchasers through the Help to Buy scheme and the Low Cost Initiative for First Time Buyers (LIFT) schemes which have supported over 4,800 purchasers since 2013. In addition, we support mixed tenure schemes through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP).

Data from 2016-17 is provided below, data from the financial years 2012-13 to
‎ 2015-16 was provided in the answers to questions S5W-08627 on 24 April 2017 and S5W-08983 on 10 May 2017.

As highlighted in the answer to questions S5W-08627 and S5W-08983, there are issues around the quality of this data. This means that accurate comparisons between local authorities and between years cannot be made. A lack of consistency in how local authorities have broken down the information to primary, secondary and special categories means that this data does not consistently represent the levels of spending in different categories of schools in local authorities.

Table 1 shows gross revenue expenditure on additional support for learning education from 2016-17 split by Pre Primary, Primary, Secondary and Special Education

Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 1) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

Table 2 shows the percentage of total gross revenue expenditure on education by local authorities which is accounted for by spending on additional support for learning in 2016-17.

Source: Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 1) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

Table 3 shows the average per-pupil spending on additional support for learning by local authority. This data shows gross revenue expenditure on additional support for learning in primary, secondary and special education from the local financial returns, divided by the number of pupils identified as having additional support needs recorded in the 2016 Pupil Census

Sources:

1. Local Financial Returns – Education (LFR 1) statistical return provided by local authorities to the Scottish Government.

2. Pupil Census – published annually - for further details go to; http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/dspupcensus

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the statutory regulator of the medical profession in the UK. The Chief Executive of the GMC is the registrar for the medical profession. Further information can be sought from the GMC annual report: State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK: 2017 Report, accessible at the following link https://www.gmc-uk.org/publications/somep2017.asp .

A short-term detention certificate (STDC) should be the usual route into hospital for someone who needs compulsory treatment. The STDC offers several safeguards for the person. Before granting the certificate, the doctor must consult a mental health officer (MHO) and get their agreement. In deciding whether to agree to the certificate, the MHO should speak to the patient in person, unless there is a good reason why they cannot do this.

A patient’s views and wishes about treatment should be taken into account by everyone involved in their care, including where these views and wishes are expressed in an advance statement. Additionally, people with a mental disorder have a legal right to access independent advocacy.

Mental health law in Scotland is based on rights and principles and offers patients significant safeguards where compulsory treatment is necessary. These safeguards include an independent Mental Health Tribunal which grants and reviews orders for compulsory treatment.

The patient or the patient’s named person can appeal to the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland to have the STDC revoked. This could be because the patient or named person do not think an STDC is needed, or because the patient or named person is of the view that the patient's condition has improved sufficiently that it is no longer necessary.

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is the independent body which monitors the use of Scottish mental health law, including compulsory treatment. The Commission has the power to intervene in particular cases if there is evidence of improper care, treatment or practices.

There is no test of capacity set out in the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. In some circumstances different provisions and safeguards of the 2003 Act apply if the patient does not have capacity to make a certain decision in relation to treatment at a certain time.

A person has a Significantly Impaired Decision Making Ability (SIDMA) when a mental disorder affects the person’s ability to believe, understand and retain information, and to make and communicate decisions. All adults are assumed to have a decision-making ability or capacity as a starting point. A person with a mental disorder who retains unimpaired ability to take treatment decisions cannot be treated compulsorily under the 2003 Act.

The medical practitioner must believe there are sufficient grounds before deciding it necessary to grant an order for a patient who is refusing to accept treatment on a voluntary basis.

• The patient has a mental disorder.
• The patient has significantly impaired decision-making ability with respect to medical treatment for mental disorder, as a result of his or her mental disorder.
• Detention in hospital is necessary to determine what medical treatment is required and to provide that treatment.
• Significant risk exists to the health, safety and welfare of the patient or to the safety of others if the patient is not detained.

Mental health law in Scotland is based on rights and principles and offers patients significant safeguards where compulsory treatment is necessary. These safeguards include an independent Mental Health Tribunal which grants and reviews orders for compulsory treatment. The patient or the patient’s named person can appeal to the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland to have an order allowing compulsory treatment revoked.