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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: S5W-12232

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Health Survey 2016 finding that 4% more women than men exhibit mental ill-health.

The Scottish Health Survey 2016 reports that 15% of adults exhibited signs of a possible psychiatric disorder (GHQ-12 score of four or more). The reported rate is 17% for women and 13% for men. It is important to note that the rate for women has consistently been 3 to 6 percentage points higher than for men since 2003. It should also be noted that the World Health Organisation reports that anxiety and depression are more common in women than in men worldwide.

Nonetheless, these statistics show the importance of achieving the vision laid out by the Mental Health Strategy 2017-27. Our aspirations include that we will see, and be able to measure, the following for mental health compared to physical health:

Equal access to the most effective and safest care and treatment
Equal efforts to improve the quality of care
Allocation of time, effort and resources on a basis commensurate with need
Equal status within healthcare education and practice:
Equally high aspirations for service users
Equal status in the measurement of health outcomes

Question reference: S5W-12230

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Health Survey 2016 finding that alcohol-related morbidity and mortality disproportionately affects people living in the most deprived areas.

Question reference: S5W-12231

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to communicate the new guidelines on alcohol consumption, which were published in 2016 by UK Chief Medical Officers.

The new drinking guidelines were revised by the UK Chief Medical Officers in February 2016, and advise that both men and women consume no more than 14 units per week, spread evenly over 3 or more days, and that alcohol should be avoided if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.

We have been clear to the industry that we expect the UK Chief Medical Officers’ guidance to be reflected on alcohol labels, and clear advice has been provided along with examples of how best to display the message (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/602132/Communicating_2016_CMO_guidelines_Mar_17.pdf.)

We are aware that a number of responsible organisations, such as the British Retail Consortium, the Scottish Retail Consortium and Tennent’s, are already implementing, or in the process of implementing, this guidance.

Question reference: S5W-12229

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the reported increasing rates of alcohol-related mortality.

The Scottish Government’s alcohol strategy, Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action, is well regarded internationally and contains over 40 measures to tackle alcohol misuse. The Framework has been shown to have a positive impact including 2.6 per cent reduction in consumption due to the multi-buy discount ban; increased delivery of Alcohol Brief Interventions; legislation to ban irresponsible promotions and the introduction of a lower drink drive limit. However, given the link between affordability and harm, we remain committed to minimum unit pricing which is the most effective pricing measure to tackle the high strength, low cost alcohol that causes so much damage to our communities.

The latest alcohol-related mortality statistics highlight the need for continued action to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland. We have seen improvements from historic peaks but we know we need to do more. We are in the process of refreshing our Framework and will consider what further action to take to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Question reference: S5W-12089

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how its 10-year mental health strategy will support armed forces veterans with mental health problems.

Many of the key themes and commitments in the Scottish Government’s new ten-year Mental Health Strategy will impact positively on veterans and their families, which has improving access to services and supporting earlier intervention at its core. The Strategy highlights the Scottish Government’s support for the ethos of the Armed Forces Covenant and, as set out in Renewing Our Commitments, that no one should suffer disadvantage as a result of military service. In supporting efforts to meet the needs of veterans and their families, local partnerships are encouraged to consider how best to provide services locally for them.

For example the Scottish Government has committed £825,000 in 2017-18 to support the Veterans First Point Network, and has made a match funding offer for the next two financial years to 2020 to NHS Boards and Integrated Authorities to encourage sustainable services in local areas.

We will continue to work with our partners to deliver the Strategy and updates on progress, governance and monitoring arrangements are available on the Scottish Government's website at

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Health/Services/Mental-Health/Strategy/StrategyImplementation

Question reference: S5W-12090

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has made available to support armed forces veterans with PTSD in each year since 2011.

The Scottish Government sets national direction of policy on mental health and provides funding to agencies, including NHS boards and local authorities, to support implementation of policy.

The management of local actions in implementing national policy, and decisions on local spending priorities are the responsibility of relevant local agencies. It is therefore the responsibility of NHS boards, local authorities and Integration Authorities to work with their partners and regularly review spending decisions to ensure they deliver fit for purpose services which respond to the needs of their local population, including for veterans with PTSD.

Funding for mental health services, including veterans with PTSD, will continue to be drawn from the overall funds allocated to NHS Scotland and Local Authorities by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5W-12098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of the reported increase in the number of girls in their early to mid-teens who self-harm.

The Scottish Government funds NHS Boards to provide safe and effective care to meet the needs of all population groups, including girls in their early to mid-teens who self-harm. Guidance on the safe and effective care and management of those aged 8 and over who self-harm is available from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

As stated in our Mental Health Strategy, we want evidence-based interventions which address behavioural and emotional issues in children and young people to be available across Scotland. To this end:

- we are investing £150 million over five years to improve mental health; this includes £15 million to support better access to CAMHS and innovation; and £10 million to support new ways of improving mental health in primary care;

- we have commenced a national review of Personal and Social Education, including counselling, in schools (Mental Health Strategy Action 1);

- Education Scotland is rolling out Scotland’s Mental Health First Aid Training for Children and Young People to local authorities.

Question reference: S5W-12046

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 6 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11463 by Maureen Watt on 5 October 2017, whether it will confirm by what date the findings of the audit of child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) rejected referrals will commence.

Question reference: S5O-01441

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of recent reports regarding sexual harassment, whether it will initiate an independent review of reporting procedures and parliamentary culture.

Question reference: S5W-12093

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 2 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of a survey by the British Menopause Society, published on 18 October 2017, on the impact that the menopause has on women’s lives.

high-quality menopause care to all and specialist referral if needed.

The Scottish Government provides policies, frameworks and resources to NHS Boards to allow them to deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. All healthcare professionals receive high quality training and education on women’s health needs, as part of their respective curriculums, which are developed and informed by professional organisations, and approved and overseen by the respective regulators of each profession.