The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide some data on this. As rents in supported accommodation generally exceed local housing allowance rates we would expect a significant number of those in supported accommodation receiving support for housing costs to be affected.

The Department for Work and Pensions are responsible for collecting and publishing data on housing benefit and local housing allowance (LHA). LHA rates are published at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/privaterent/tenants/Local-Housing-Allowance/figures. The Scottish Government has not made any assessment on the current shortfall between awards of LHA and rents. LHA rates currently only apply to the private sector.

No assessment has been made by the Scottish Government on the likely growth in demand for supported accommodation. The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain which we understand will shortly be published along with a consultation paper. When it is published we will consider this research carefully, and consider whether the Scottish Government needs to undertake further research or analysis.

Local authorities are required by law to prepare a local housing strategy (LHS) supported by an assessment of housing need and demand. SG guidance on the LHS http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0045/00458185.pdf notes that the strategy has to clearly set out: the current need for specialist provision (accommodation and care/support services) that will help to support people to live independently; the likely requirement for this provision over the next 5 years; how current needs are being met using a range of accommodation types and what more is planned to meet future need.

Local Authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans (SHIPs) are produced every two years by local authorities. These are the key documents which identify the strategic housing projects to assist the achievement of the 50,000 target. SHIPs will be directly informed by the councils Local Housing Strategy and developed in consultation with key stakeholders.

Funding decisions are therefore based on the priorities of local authorities as identified in their Housing Need and Demand Assessments, Local Housing Strategies and Strategic Housing Investment Plans.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The Scottish Government does not currently collect data on people in supported accommodation, however Scottish Government are currently in the process of implementing a data collection which will provide some data on this.

The supported accommodation sector is complex and encompasses a range of different forms of accommodation, with different providers and meeting different needs. The UK Government has undertaken a substantial body of research on the provision of supported accommodation across Great Britain which we understand will shortly be published along with a consultation paper. When it is published we will consider this research carefully, and consider whether the Scottish Government needs to undertake further research or analysis.

We expect the UK Government to publish research on the provision of supported accommodation and a consultation paper with more detail on their proposed approach shortly, it would be premature to make any plans without this information.

The Scottish Government intends to use devolved funding to ensure that the supported accommodation sector is put onto a secure and sustainable footing and we will work with a broad range of stakeholders to achieve this.

Data on the training of midwives and health visitors in NHS Scotland is not collated or held centrally.

We expect that mental health care and treatment will be delivered in a person-centred manner to meet each individual’s needs. This includes in circumstances where a child has experienced the death of a parent or close relative, and is subsequently experiencing mental health issues.

For more information about what general action the Scottish Government is taking to support children and young people affected by bereavement, I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-01444 on 5 August 2016.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the services, support and care available to people with hearing loss through its national strategy ‘See Hear’. The strategy was jointly endorsed by COSLA and the Scottish Government allocated £2 million of funding, over two years, to support its implementation. The strategy is being delivered through local partnerships. Local leads are in place to identify priority areas and drive progress locally. In addition, the Scottish Government allocated a further £200,000 to the Scottish Lip Reading Strategy Group, between 2012-2015, to improve access to lip reading classes for adults with hearing loss in Scotland.

On screening issues we are advised by the UK National Screening Committee (NSC), an independent expert advisory group which advises Ministers and the NHS in the four UK countries about all aspects of screening.

In January 2016, following a review of the evidence against strict criteria, the Committee concluded that a screening programme for hearing loss in older adults should not be introduced.

More information about the Committee's recommendation can be found at: http://legacy.screening.nhs.uk/hearing-adult

The UK NSC regularly reviews its recommendations on screening in light of new research evidence becoming available and we will give careful consideration to any change to the recommendation.