Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-08749

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with mental health problems it expects to be supported into employment in 2017 through the devolved Work Programme.

Our one year transitional employment programmes were launched at the beginning of April 2017. Work First Scotland will deliver employment support for up to 3,300 disabled people, including those with mental health conditions. Work Able Scotland will provide employment support for up to 1,500 clients with a disability or a health condition, including those with mental health conditions, who are at risk of long term unemployment.

While one of the key target groups for support through these services, as they are both wholly voluntary, we cannot state how many people with a mental health condition we expect to volunteer to participate or achieve job outcomes. However, we are collecting customer information on type of health condition and aim to include this in the Scottish Government statistics publication due for release later in the year, which will report on the transition year employability services.

From April 2018, we will introduce a new Scottish employability service - Fair Start Scotland. It is expected that the programme will support a minimum of 38,000 people over 3 years of referrals. People with mental health conditions are one of the key client groups we aim to support into work through Fair Start Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-08747

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has issued to health and social care partnerships regarding employment services for people with mental health problems.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with Integration Authorities to strengthen the links between health, social care and employability, however decisions for the delivery of services at a local level are for Integration Authorities to agree depending on local priorities.

The Scottish Government recognises the very specific challenges that people with mental health conditions can face in securing sustained employment. In designing our devolved employment support programmes, we have made sure to consult with service providers and people who use services to better understand the challenges and how they can be addressed. With devolved employment support, we have an opportunity to do things differently in Scotland and we are currently exploring ways in which we are able to join up devolved employment services with other key areas including health and social care, and justice.

The Mental Health Strategy 2017 – 2027 focuses on the important role of getting a job and staying in work. In particular, action 37 commits to explore with others innovative ways of connecting mental health, disability, and employment support in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-08744

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of the Mental Health Strategy 2012-15 on the employment rate of people with mental health problems.

Question reference: S5W-08745

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 27 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the employment rate for people with mental health problems was in comparison to the general population in each year from 2010 to 2015.

Information sourced from the Annual Population Survey in Table 1 shows the employment rate for the working age population overall, and also for those reporting health problems related to mental health.

Those reporting health problems related to mental health in these data are defined as those who responded to the APS reporting:

that they had a physical or mental health condition or illness lasting or expecting to last 12 months or more; and,
that their main health problem was either ‘Depression, bad nerves or anxiety’ or ‘Mental illness or suffer from a phobia, panics or other nervous disorders’.

Data is provided for the period between 2010 and 2016, with 2016 being the most recent data available.

Table 1: Employment rate (aged 16-64) for Scotland and for people whose main health problem was related to mental health

Year	Employment rate (Scotland)	Employment rate (for those with mental health problems)
2010	71.0%	27.9%
2011	70.5%	26.9%
2012	70.5%	28.7%
2013	70.8%	30.6%
2014	72.6%	37.7%
2015	73.1%	38.8%
2016	72.9%	39.0%

Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS (January to December in each year)

Question reference: S5O-00922

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish a new anti-bullying strategy for schools.

Question reference: S5W-08355

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that no members of boards, advisory groups or other bodies for which it has appointment responsibilities is an employee or representative of a company or organisation that has admitted the practice of blacklisting, unless they have subsequently taken adequate "self-cleaning" measures.

Any practice which seeks to suppress or censor the legitimate expression of opinion, or prevents individuals from exercising rights to freedom of association or privacy is unacceptable in a modern democratic society. The Scottish Government condemns any form of blacklisting. Blacklisting is also likely to be unlawful under various provisions of anti-discrimination legislation.

The Scottish public has high expectations of those who serve on the Boards of Public Bodies and the way in which they conduct themselves in undertaking their duties. As a Board member, it is their personal responsibility to ensure that they meet these expectations by ensuring that their conduct is above reproach.

The appointing minister will take steps to confirm that the applicant is a fit and proper person for the position to which they are to be appointed.

Question reference: S5W-08739

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 25 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what role links workers play in helping people to find employability support in their local community.

Links Workers connect people to non-medical sources of support or resources in the community which are likely to help with the health problems they are experiencing.

Link workers draw on a wide range of services to increase social skills, confidence and employability and help people move forward in their lives. These include services focused on training, volunteering and life skills, in-work support (for people currently employed and experiencing problems), further education and
self-employment.

Question reference: S5O-00899

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next meet representatives of the tourism sector.

Question reference: S5W-08354

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that it only procures goods and services from organisations that pay at least the living wage.

The Scottish Government considers the payment of the Living Wage to be a significant indicator of an employer's commitment to fair work practices and that the payment of the Living Wage is one of the clearest ways that an employer can demonstrate that it takes a positive approach to its workforce. As a Government we are, and encourage others to be, a Living Wage Accredited Employer.

We issued statutory guidance Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement in October 2015. We have regard to this guidance as early as possible in all procurement processes to ensure that where relevant and proportionate we include a question on fair work practices and evaluate bidders' responses along with other relevant criteria.

Question reference: S5O-00867

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote technologies that help tackle climate change.

As set out in the draft Climate Change Plan, the Scottish Government is committed to working with business leaders and others to co-design policies and proposals which maximise commercial, export and job opportunities. For example, our Scottish Energy Efficiency Programme will support thousands of jobs across Scotland, creating a substantial Scottish market and supply chain for energy efficiency and renewable heat services and technologies and related expertise which is transferable to international markets.

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