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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.

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Question reference: S4W-18738

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are estimated to sleep rough due to a lack of emergency accommodation in each local authority area.

During 2012-13, 1,745 applications contained someone who had slept rough on the night immediately preceding the day they made their homelessness application. A further breakdown of the reasons for sleeping rough is not held centrally.

2012-13

Local Authority	All applications containing someone who had slept rough on the night immediately preceding the day they made their homelessness application	All Applications
Aberdeen City	64	1,369
Aberdeenshire	78	1,408
Angus	19	793
Argyll & Bute	29	465
Clackmannanshire	11	522
Dumfries and Galloway	43	951
Dundee City	96	1,471
East Ayrshire	9	471
East Dunbartonshire	6	488
East Lothian	18	674
East Renfrewshire	16	307
Edinburgh	367	4,316
Eilean Siar	5	168
Falkirk	0	1,087
Fife	156	2,829
Glasgow City	475	8,299
Highland	45	1,019
Inverclyde	11	320
Midlothian	9	754
Moray	31	552
North Ayrshire	10	661
North Lanarkshire	15	2,096
Orkney	4	105
Perth and Kinross	28	910
Renfrewshire	58	1,103
Scottish Borders	18	638
Shetland	5	150
South Ayrshire	52	861
South Lanarkshire	0	2,112
Stirling	13	351
West Dunbartonshire	54	1,364
West Lothian	0	1,863
Scotland	1,745	40,477

Source: HL1 Dataset as at 21 October 2013.

Question reference: S4W-18739

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 13 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many more social houses it estimates are needed to meet the demand for permanent accommodation.

The demand for permanent accommodation can be met through different types of housing tenures, of which social housing plays a vital role but it is distinct from housing need. Whilst specific assessments of housing need are made by local authorities, the supply of affordable housing remains a high priority for the Scottish Government, which has made clear its commitment to deliver at least 30,000 affordable homes during the lifetime of this Parliament. We recognise the vital role of social housing in providing people with an affordable home and a platform for getting on in life, which is why at least 20,000 of the 30,000 affordable homes will be for social rent, which will include at least 5,000 council houses.

Question reference: S4O-02681

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it considers that, in the event of Scotland becoming independent, charging UK students tuition fees but not students from other EU countries will be compatible with EU law.

Question reference: S4T-00523

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the new Higher exams.

Question reference: S4O-02559

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill does not refer to the living wage.

Question reference: S4W-17411

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the average number of standard grade passes for pupils in kinship care in each of the last three years and how this compares with pupils (a) who live with their parents, (b) in foster care and (c) in residential care homes.

The Scottish Government collects information on average tariff scores of looked after children (total points earned across different qualifications) but not standard grades specifically.

The attached link to table 1.3 of the Scottish Government publication Education Outcomes for Scotland’s Looked After Children 2011-2012 provides information on the average tariff score of looked after children who left school by placement type.

This information refers only to looked after children who left school during the academic year and spent the entire academic year in a single placement, therefore it covers only a small number of children. A link to the publication is attached.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/9231/downloads.

Question reference: S4W-17407

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it provides (a) pastoral care and (b) help with behavioural difficulties resulting from early years traumas for pupils in kinship care and what support it provides to help get parent/guardian consent for extracurricular activities.

The issue of consent for extracurricular activities and the provision of pastoral care and help with behavioural difficulties for all pupils, including those in kinship care, is a matter for education authorities.

Authorities are supported in delivering this through the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 (as amended), and associated code of practice. This provides the framework for the provision of support to pupils who have additional support needs, including the need for pastoral care support and support for behavioural difficulties. Parents and Carers who care for pupils with additional support needs may benefit from the advice and information provided by Enquire, the national advice and information service for additional support for learning.

In March 2013 we published Better Relationships, Better Learning, Better Behaviour, our updated policy on promoting positive relationships and behaviour in schools which emphasises the importance of whole school approaches and the responsibilities of all staff for identifying the care and wellbeing needs of all children and young people.

Education Scotland’s Rights, Support and Wellbeing Team provides support and training to Local Authorities and schools in a range of whole school approaches to develop positive relationships and promote positive behaviour. For example, the approaches “Towards Social and Emotional Health and Wellbeing” and “Nurturing Approaches” include a variety of topics such as attachment, brain science, trauma, and barriers to a child's learning and development. There are also Health and Wellbeing curricular programmes available such as Creating Confident Kids to support children develop their own emotional and social Health and Wellbeing.

Question reference: S4W-17408

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what services are available to support newborn babies with alcohol or drug withdrawal symptoms who (a) go home with their parents and (b) enter a kinship care placement.

If the mother is already known to maternity or social care services, prior to delivery, then there will be pre-birth, multi-agency planning meetings. The outcome of these meetings would be to agree a care plan for both mother and baby post-delivery and subsequent follow up meetings will be scheduled.

Many infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) require admission to a neonatal unit (NNU) for medication, observation and expert medical and nursing care. The length of hospital stay either in a neonatal unit or postnatal ward would be dependent upon the severity of NAS in each case.

Whether the child goes home with a parent or a kinship carer, support will continue from a health visitor, paediatrician and allied health professions. They will work with parents/carers in assessing and planning the care for ongoing and arising health and developmental needs of babies and children affected by NAS once babies have been discharged from hospital.

Question reference: S4W-17410

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the benefits of kinship care.

Since the publication of our strategy Getting it Right for Every Child in Kinship and Foster Care in December 2007, the Scottish Government has fully recognised the value and benefits of keeping children within the family unit, minimising disruption in the children’s lives and reinforcing the child’s sense of identity and self-esteem. In recognising the benefits of kinship care we have worked hard to ensure kinship carers are fully supported. To date we have:

Legislated in 2009 to recognise kinship care for the first time.

Provided significant funding to local authorities to support kinship carers;

Funded Children 1^st, Citizens Advice Scotland, Mentor UK and the Child Poverty Action Group to provide support to kinship families.

To further improve on support to kinship families we are conducting a review of financial allowances to kinship carers with a view to tailoring support and tackling inconsistencies across Scotland. We are also, through the Children and Young People Bill, providing additional support to many more kinship carers and families who are in the early stages of distress.

Question reference: S4W-17409

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 8 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been carried out on the benefits of kinship care for children who cannot live with their birth parents; whether further research has been proposed, and how it will ensure that kinship care is (a) prioritised and (b) supported.

The Scottish Government has not carried out research in relation to the benefits of kinship care for children who cannot live with their birth parents although extensive international research has been conducted including the Mentor Foundation UK study, “EU Kinship Carers Project” and reviews of family group conferencing and the benefits of children remaining in the care of the wider family.

Over the next two years, through a strategic funding partnership, the Scottish Government is funding Mentor Foundation UK to undertake work to look at breaking the inter-generational cycle of children being looked after receiving poorer outcomes.

Kinship care continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government and the introduction of the kinship care order, as an addition to other options to secure permanence for children and young people will ensure that even more kinship families are being supported.