Tuesday 13 January 2015 SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT Communities Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government how it will use its proposed new power regarding funeral payment benefit to help support people who experience difficulties in meeting funeral costs. (S4W-23698) Margaret Burgess: Under the Smith Commission’s proposals, the Scottish Government would have full autonomy to deliver assistance with funeral costs to help those in need. We plan to consult widely with stakeholders and service users in the coming months on how we can use these proposed new powers to best effect, building on the appetite for engagement and dialogue amongst civic Scotland. Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what further work it is undertaking on its discussion paper on financial capability, Achieving Better Co-ordination in Scotland, published in July 2010. (S4W-23701) Margaret Burgess: As described in the answer to S4W-23603 on 6 January 2015, the Scottish Government’s approach to financial capability is set out in the revised Child Poverty Strategy for Scotland published in March 2014. This recognises the importance of having access to appropriate financial services, information and advice and that financial capability can make a significant difference to the lives of the people of Scotland. Achieving Better Co-ordination in Scotland focussed on a number of key areas, including genuine partnership working – which we have demonstrated through tri-partite working with the Scottish Legal Aid Board and the Money Advice Service to fund collaborative projects, most recently through the Tackling Money Worries funding announced in October 2014. It also highlights the importance of building awareness of financial capability services and supporting practice. The Financial Health Service website, developed during 2014, acts as a hub of information and advice bringing together different strands including debt advice, employability, access to ethical and affordable lending. In addition the answer to S4W-23604 on 6 January 2015 describes actions we are taking to increase the financial capability for young people, another area highlighted in the paper. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers to people who experience difficulties in meeting funeral costs. (S4W-23705) Margaret Burgess: Funeral costs payments are currently reserved to the UK Government, and are awarded by the Department for Work and Pensions through its Regulated Social Fund scheme. Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-23268 by Alex Neil on 5 December 2014, how many of the listed public authorities with more than 150 employees have not published an equal pay statement since the public sector equality duty was established. (S4W-23758) Alex Neil: The Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 came into force on 27 May 2012. Listed authorities with more than 150 employees were required to publish statements on equal pay etc. by 30 April 2013 and every fourth year after that. The Equality and Human Rights Commission is the enforcement body for the public sector equality duties. During 2013 it undertook monitoring of the regulations including the requirement to publish equal pay statements. Its reports can be accessed at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/about-us/devolved-authorities/commission-scotland/public- sector-equality-duty-scotland/monitoring-and-enforcement Reports published in November 2013 by the commission indicate that, overall, 95 per cent of relevant listed authorities published an equal pay policy. Eight out of 160 listed authorities with more than 150 employees did not publish an equal pay statement. Enterprise and Environment Tavish Scott (Shetland Islands) (Scottish Liberal Democrats): To ask the Scottish Government what issues were discussed at the December 2014 meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change. (S4W-23777) Aileen McLeod: The second meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on climate change was held on 8 January 2015, and discussed the collective action required across government to ensure Scotland remains on track to meet our world leading target of a 42 per cent reduction in emissions by 2020. Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the country is on track to meet its annual target to tackle climate change and whether it plans to introduce additional measures. (S4W-23778) Aileen McLeod: As I indicated to Parliament during portfolio questions on 7 January 2015, we are taking a number of steps to ensure that Scotland is on track to meet its climate change ambitions. We intend that the second report on proposals and policies will be delivered in full. Where policies and proposals are not being delivered, we will seek to bring forward new policies to achieve the same, if not a greater, level of emissions abatement. Preparatory work for producing the next report on proposals and policies (RPP), which is due for publication in 2016, has already commenced, and we aim to lay RPP3 as soon as reasonably practicable. In addition, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy has agreed to fund new modelling capability to help in preparing RPP3 and procurement of the model is underway. We are also exploring how the UK Committee on Climate Change can help us address the challenges we face in delivering on our annual as well as longer term targets. Health and Social Care Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to review the provision of inpatient services for young people with autism and other learning disabilities. (S4W-23733) Jamie Hepburn: We made a commitment in the Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015 to work with clinicians in Scotland to identify good models of Learning Disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (LD CAMHS) service delivery in use in different areas of Scotland or other parts of the UK which could become, or lead to, prototypes for future testing and evaluation. In support of the commitment we have commissioned Glasgow University and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to undertake a project to identify good models of LD CAMHS service delivery. Further details can be found at the following link: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/Services/Mental-Health/Strategy/Child-Adolescent- Services/C10 Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of children admitted to adult wards rose in 2013-14 from 177 to 202 and how this relates to its commitment to reduce this number. (S4W-23761) Jamie Hepburn: Data from the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland Young person monitoring 2013-14 document published in October 2014 shows that there were 202 admissions to non-specialist inpatient facilities involving 179 young people. The increase may be due to an increase in demand for specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), through better identification of children and young people with problems, better diagnosis and more people being prepared to come forward. Data collected from the Information Services Division shows that numbers of children and young people seen by specialist CAMHS has increased from 807 in September 2012 to 1,318 in September 2014, which may have resulted in an increase in demand for access to inpatient beds. There are occasions when it may be clinically judged to be more appropriate to admit young people to adult wards or the young person and their family have a preference for an admission to a local adult ward. Most of these admissions will be young people aged 16 or 17. Since 2008, we have increased the CAMHS workforce by 45% and specialist adolescent inpatient beds will increase from the current 42 to 48 beds by spring 2015. This will ensure young people in need in Scotland can have quicker access to high quality treatment and support. Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Government when the "appropriate specialist capability in respect of developmental disorders" will be available for patients. (S4W-23766) Jamie Hepburn: In this context, developmental disorders refers to autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD services for children are already provided by specialist child and adolescent health services in partnership with social work and education authorities. As part of commitment 33 of the Mental Health Strategy for Scotland: 2012-2015, a consultant psychiatrist completed a six month project funded by the Scottish Government. This project included raising awareness and providing training on adult ADHD through practical workshops delivered to mental health, primary care, criminal justice and education authorities. Good practice clinical guidelines are in development with the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Work is also underway with Addressing the Balance, a charity set up by adults with ADHD and their relatives/carers. The Scottish Strategy for Autism (SSA) highlighted the need for capacity