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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: S5W-05964

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition's call for clearer guidance on how the number of pupils with additional support needs is collected, in light of the 2016 pupil census data that suggests that there is significant variation across local authorities in the number recorded.

Question reference: S5W-05963

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its guidance to local authorities on how to identify, record and monitor the additional support needs of young people in schools.

Guidance to education authorities on duties under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 is provided through the Statutory Code of Practice ‘Supporting Children’s Learning’ which is available from: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/Doc/348208/0116022.pdf

It is planned to review this in anticipation of the commencement of provisions within the Education (Scotland) Act 2016. We are supported in this by the Advisory Group for Additional Support for Learning who will work with us to ensure that the guidance we produce on this, and on any other issues related to additional support for learning, is fit for purpose and supports those working with children and young people.

Question reference: S5W-05867

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05094 by Maureen Watt on 12 December 2016, whether it will update the guidance for the mental health innovation fund, and when this will be published on its website.

The Guidance for the Mental Health Innovation Fund provided parameters for how NHS boards and their partners were to use £15 million additional funding, with £5 million being allocated in each of 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. The Guidance is therefore specific to this tranche of additional funding and, as all the funding has now been allocated, it is not necessary to update or publish it.

Question reference: S5F-00727

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that hundreds of children with mental health problems have waited more than a year for treatment.

Question reference: S5O-00539

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what further consideration it has given to how it will address the affordability and accessibility of sanitary products.

Question reference: S5W-05421

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01773 by Mark McDonald on 22 August 2016, what its position is on the baby box containing (a) sanitary pads and (b) maternity pads.

Question reference: S5W-05422

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01773 by Mark McDonald on 22 August 2016, what its position is on the baby box containing aids to support breastfeeding, including breast pads and pumps.

The Baby Box will include materials which promote attachment and which help parents prepare for the arrival of their baby. There will also be a strong focus on joining up core public health messages around things like safe-sleep. At present we do not plan to include direct aids to support breastfeeding, but we will signpost parents to the new feedgood.scot website so that they can access up-to-date information which will help them make the right feeding choices for their babies.

Question reference: S5W-05420

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 15 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01773 by Mark McDonald on 22 August 2016, whether it will provide an update on what (a) progress it is making in identifying the items that will be included in the baby boxes and (b) discussions it has had with (i) parents' groups, (ii) women’s groups and (iii) other stakeholders regarding what items should be included.

Collaboration is a key part of this policy. We have been working closely with a range of stakeholders including midwives, health visitors, other health professionals and our third sector partners. We have also commissioned research with parents themselves to better understand what they would find most useful about the Baby Box and which items they’d like to see included. This research will allow us to provide an update following the pilot phase which will be completed in March 2017.

Question reference: S5W-05439

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 14 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01498 by Maureen Watt on 22 July 2016, whether it will provide an update on its timetable for the publication of the updated mental health strategy.

I gave evidence to the Health and Sport Committee on 29 November 2016 as part of the Committee's Inquiry into mental health. During that session, the Committee requested that publication of the new Mental Health Strategy be withheld to allow Committee's report on the issue to be taken into account. I indicated to the convener that I was sympathetic to that request, and on that basis, the Scottish Government has agreed to withhold publication of the next Mental Health Strategy until early 2017.

Question reference: S5W-05098

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 12 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-03842 by Maureen Watt on 2 November 2016, what proportion of the mental health innovation fund will be allocated to (a) supporting better access to child and adolescent mental health services and (b) developing innovative approaches to delivering mental health services.

The majority of the mental health innovation fund (£4.2 million in each year) will be allocated to NHS boards. NHS boards will be expected to work with their partners in local government and the third sector to develop and deliver the proposals. The indicative split between access to CAMHS and innovation is 50/50. However, NHS boards and partners have discretion to alter this in line with demonstrable local priorities.