Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-28167

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise public awareness about the issue of forced marriage.

We are currently refreshing the Scottish Government’s Forced Marriage Statutory Guidance. To support the launch of the refreshed guidance, we are producing resources for professionals and the general public to raise awareness about forced marriage. We are working with key partners and sector experts to ensure these resources are effective and widely disseminated across public bodies.

Forced marriage disproportionally impacts minority ethnic communities, which is why we continue to work with our newly established network of experts to inform our work to address violence against BME women and girls, including work to tackle forced marriage.

It is vital that survivors have access to support services which is why we fund Scotland’s Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline. Additionally, through our Delivering Equally Safe fund, we support organisations such as Shakti Women’s Aid, AMINA, Saheliya, Hemat Gryffe Women’s Aid and the Multi-Cultural Family Base to undertake vital work to tackle forced marriage.

Question reference: S6W-28121

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to organisations and charities that support people with epilepsy, in each financial year since 2019-20.

Question reference: S6W-28053

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward an updated homelessness action plan.

There are no plans to develop an updated homelessness action plan. There is widespread support for Scotland’s long term plan for housing set out in Housing to 2040, and collective agreement that the Ending Homelessness Together action plan is the right long term strategy to tackle homelessness in Scotland. An annual report on progress towards ending homelessness is shared with the Scottish Parliament each autumn.

The Scottish Government recognises these are exceptionally challenging times, which is why we declared a national housing emergency on 15 May 2024. I will make a statement to parliament on the Scottish Government’s response to the housing emergency on Thursday 20 June. This is the starting point of the work that we see is needed to agree priorities and identify actions we can take that will have the greatest impact and help those most in need.

Partnership working at all levels – UK Government, Scottish Government and local government – as well as with our housing sector partners is needed to deliver a housing system that meets the needs of the people of Scotland. We will build on the solid foundations of the work already underway and continue taking forward action in response to the recommendations made by the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group's task and finish groups on key homelessness issues. We will continue to do everything we can within devolved powers to address levels of homelessness and improve the supply of social and affordable housing.

Question reference: S6W-28054

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many students currently enrolled in higher education institutions identify as homeless.

Question reference: S6W-28055

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of computer science teachers in secondary schools.

While local authorities are responsible for the recruitment and deployment of teachers, the Scottish Government is committed to maximising the number of jobs available in a range of subjects, including computing science.

The Teaching Bursary Scheme offers a £20,000 payment to career changers who are looking to undertake graduate teacher training in hard-to-fill STEM subjects, including computing science.

In addition, the Strategic Board for Teacher Education is considering issues around the recruitment and retention of teachers in Scotland in detail, together with work to improving the promotion of teaching as a valued career.

We are also offering local authorities £145.5 million in this year’s budget to protect teacher numbers more widely.

Question reference: S6O-03611

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle poverty in black and minority ethnic households.

Question reference: S6W-27801

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27376 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete its work on ensuring that prosecutors have sufficiently detailed information on the risk to victims that can be passed on to the court when required.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27775

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27345 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service expects to complete its work to (a) review the take-up of mandatory and other training, and identify and address the reasons for low take-up, (b) ensure that all staff managing and prosecuting domestic abuse cases and engaging with domestic abuse victims have appropriate training and (c) review the domestic abuse e-learning module for VIA officers and make it mandatory.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27798

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27449 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete its work with justice partners, particularly the police and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, to ensure that victims are informed of the outcome of the accused's first appearance on the same day, and update all guidance protocols accordingly.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27793

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27444 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete the work to ensure that statutory aggravations are applied where appropriate.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Financial Year	Total
2019-2020	£100,000
2020-2021	£225,574
2021-2022	£64,172.83
2022-2023	£127,191.57
2023-2024	£162,688

��˿��

Chamber and committees