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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: S6W-04731

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has about the efficacy of lateral flow tests in detecting the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

Lateral Flow Devices (LFDs) used in the National Testing Programme are routinely evaluated and reviewed to detect early signals of changes in performance with emerging variants to ensure they can detect new variants of concern as soon as possible after they are identified.

LFDs that have passed validation at UKHSA Porton Down are currently being assessed against the Omicron variant, with priority being given to the LFDs currently deployed in the UK National Testing Programme.

LFDs used in the National Testing Programme have been evaluated against, and successfully detect the Delta variant, which is currently the dominant variant in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00518

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the actions underway to tackle the reported inequalities experienced by ethnic minority communities in the north east.

Question reference: S6W-04517

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to ensure that there is a coordinated, fair and equitable planning system for the marine environment.

The Scottish Government published the National Marine Plan in 2015, which sets out the marine planning and policy framework for Scottish inshore waters (out to 12 nautical miles) and offshore waters (12 to 200 nautical miles). This plan was delivered in accordance with the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, an Act of the Scottish Parliament, and by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, an Act of the UK Parliament, respectively.

The Scottish Government undertakes regular reviews of the National Marine Plan. The most recent review was published in March 2021. Additionally, the Scottish Government carries out sectoral marine planning and supports Marine Planning Partnerships to undertake marine planning at a regional level, allowing more local ownership and decision making about specific issues within their area. All of these planning processes are subject to plan-level strategic assessments to ensure impacts are fairly measured and assessed.

Question reference: S6W-04292

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported outbreak of avian influenza in Angus, for what reason there is not routine vaccination against this virus in Scotland.

The vaccination of poultry and captive birds against avian influenza is not currently permitted. Vaccination is not a routine preventative measure and is a practice prohibited by legislation. There is limited experimental evidence available on the effectiveness of vaccination of poultry and other captive birds against avian influenza, and its varying strains, and there are no vaccines currently available that would guarantee the immune responses required.

If vaccinations were to be applied, there is a danger that they could ‘mask’ the occurrence of disease in a farm, delaying its detection. A poorly applied vaccination programme could even lead to the persistence of disease, whilst vaccinated birds may still be capable of transmitting the virus. Further concerns are that a vaccination programme could have trading implications with EU/third countries.

New developments in avian influenza vaccinations and their potential use are continually being considered and appraised, however, currently the proven effective preventative measure against avian influenza remains the application of on-site biosecurity, which is of fundamental importance to the avian influenza prevention and control strategy for Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-00500

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Rape Crisis Scotland's Survivor Reference Group: Police Responses in Scotland Report.

Question reference: S6T-00268

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported use of kettling during recent protests in Glasgow.

Question reference: S6O-00335

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 4 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the University of Dundee about Unite the Union's industrial action over its position that proposed pension changes will disproportionately affect workers on lower pay grades.

Question reference: S6O-00350

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the support available for cooperatives for the transition to a new economy.

Question reference: S6O-00272

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies and actions across government will take account of the key findings and recommendations of the Royal Society of Edinburgh's Post-Covid-19 Futures Commission published earlier this week.

Question reference: S6W-03324

Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 14 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People on 19 May 2020 regarding the provision of additional support to young carers.

We have invested around £1.3 million since October 2019 through our Young Carer Grant, the first support of its kind in the UK, and have heard from young carers how this has helped make a difference to their lives and helped them access more opportunities.

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, we have implemented a range of additional measures to respond to the needs of young carers. As well as making alternative arrangements for the Young Carer Festival and providing extra funding for young carer services during the pandemic, we have invested an additional £100,000 into the Time to Live Fund to enable young carers to take a break from their caring role, and an extra £300,000 to expand the Young Scot young carers package for 11-18 year olds which provides access to non-cash benefits like free subscriptions and e-vouchers to leisure activities and rewards. Many of these are designed to support good mental health. We continue to target promotion of mental health resources for young people such as #AyeFeel, and have been working with young carers to create a young carer specific page for the National Wellbeing Hub. Young Scot ran a social media campaign to raise awareness of young carer issues among trusted adults who may work with or encounter young carers, focused in areas with the lowest sign up to the package.

We continue to work with a wide range of stakeholders including the National Care Organisations, Young Scot, Education Scotland and COSLA to help us collectively identify and address the needs of young carers. Young carers can find out about Young Carer Grant through many of these mechanisms. And, in line with our Benefit Take-up Strategy, we have promoted Young Carer Grant through regular social media posts and dedicated promotion on key dates like the first anniversary since the launch.