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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-34201

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the COVID-19 vaccination priority group, “adults with Downs Syndrome”, to include adults with other severe and complex learning disabilities.

All of our decision making in the approach to responding to Covid-19 is guided by the latest scientific evidence from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) , advice from Health Protection Scotland and our Interim Chief Medical Officer. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provides advice on immunisation to all UK Health Departments, including on the efficacy and safety of vaccines.

Those with severe learning difficulty are considered clinically vulnerable by the JVCI, and are part of cohort 6. This includes all those with severe and complexes learning difficulty and not only those with downs syndrome. The JCVIs full list of those who are considered clinically vulnerable includes,

•Chronic respiratory disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis and severe asthma

• Chronic heart disease (and vascular disease)

• Chronic kidney disease 8

• Chronic liver disease

• Chronic neurological disease including epilepsy

• Down’s syndrome

• Severe and profound learning disability

• Diabetes

• Solid organ, bone marrow and stem cell transplant recipients

• People with specific cancers

• Immunosuppression due to disease or treatment

• Asplenia and splenic dysfunction

• Morbid obesity

• Severe mental illness

Question reference: S5W-35121

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 23 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to meet with employers and trade unions within the whisky sector to agree an industrial strategy for whisky, in light of the ongoing tariffs in relation to Scottish Single Malt whisky.

Question reference: S5F-04834

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-35220

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 22 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being given to help people who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic pay their energy bills.

We recognise that due to Covid-19, there will be increased financial pressures on many households. Since the beginning of the pandemic the Scottish Government has made available support for households struggling with their energy bills through a variety of channels. We increased the budget for the Scottish Welfare Fund to meet additional demand arising as a consequence of Covid-19, as well as providing £15 million further funding for Local Authorities to be used flexibly to provide support to those facing financial insecurity, including support for fuel costs.

Most recently we have distributed £7 million via the Help with Fuel element of the Winter Support Programme. This includes £4 million for a Home Heating Support Fund administered by Advice Direct Scotland, £2 million to the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations for grants to Registered Social Landlords for practical initiatives to help tenants struggling to meet their fuel costs this winter and £445,000 for the Fuel Bank Foundation to help households on prepayment meters, or who rely on unregulated fuels like heating oil, who are at risk of self-disconnection.

Furthermore, Home Energy Scotland (HES) is funded by the Scottish Government to provide a range of energy related advice services and support to householders in Scotland. HES can make referrals for benefit checks, manage energy supplier switching, help with accessing the Warm Home Discount and other financial assistance, as well as providing advice on how to use energy in the home more efficiently. They can also assess eligibility for the Scottish Government’s energy efficiency schemes, which could help make long lasting improvements to home heating systems and insulation.

Question reference: S5W-35085

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Mobile Close Contact Services Support Fund will be open for applications.

Question reference: S5W-35122

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34615 by Kate Forbes on 29 January 2021, whether it will provide a breakdown of Financial Transactions money allocated in the budget for 2021-22 by portfolio.

The breakdown of Financial Transactions allocated in the Scottish Budget 2021-22 by portfolio is available in table A.05 (page 146) of the Scottish Budget 2021-22 document published on 28 January 2021. The Scottish Budget 2021-22 is still subject to Parliamentary process.

The Budget document is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2021-22/

It should be noted that the figures for the deployment of Financial Transactions provided in answer S5W-34615 on 29 January 2021 were year-end figures showing actual disbursements whereas the Budget document is showing intended allocations which may be subject to in-year adjustments.

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

Question reference: S5W-34417

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide alternative methods of protection from COVID-19, other than a needle vaccination, for individuals with severe and complex learning disabilities who are unable to receive injections.

Individuals that require adjustments in order to receive vaccinations should contact their Health board and GP, so that specialists who are aware of their specific needs may make adjustments best suited to the patient. Appointments may be moved to a clinic if this would be a more comfortable setting, and the individual may be accompanied by their carer. Information on how to facilitate these conversations are available on at NHS inform, in accessible formats.

Question reference: S5W-35049

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scottish COVID-19 tests processed by (a) NHS Scotland and (b) Lighthouse Laboratories report results in (i) less than 24, (ii) between 24 and 48, (iii) between 48 and 72 and (iv) over 72 hours.

The Lighthouse Laboratories are the responsibility of the UK Government with regards to operations.

The Scottish Government has been working closely with Health Boards to monitor the performance of turnaround times across all channels including NHS Laboratories and Regional Hubs. Performance is good, with a high percentage of results being returned within 24 hours. The opening of our three regional hub laboratories are an enormous step in our response to the pandemic and will reduce our reliance on the UK Government Lighthouse Lab Network.

Turnaround Times are management information and is not in the position to be published.

Question reference: S5W-34327

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether international travel is allowed under Level 4 of the COVID-19 restrictions, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

As of Boxing Day all non-essential travel abroad has been prohibited by law to and from all areas of Scotland, including those that are currently under the Level 4 Stay At Home order.

The reason this decision was taken was to guard against further avoidable import of new strains of the corona virus (covid-19) in light of published evidence of the significant role that international travel played in re-seeding the infection in Scotland in the second half of 2020.

Question reference: S5W-34880

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 16 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to businesses that have had to make staff redundant as they can no longer afford the costs associated with the Job Retention Scheme.

The Scottish Government welcomed the Chancellor’s long overdue announcement that the Job Retention Scheme will be extended across the UK until the end of April 2021. Throughout the pandemic we have worked with the business community to ensure we understand all the impacts and how best to support affected businesses, however there is no existing plans to introduce a specific fund of this type due to shortages in funding. We will invest £1.1 billion in employability and skills support. This includes an initial additional investment of £125 million for the Young Person’s Guarantee, the National Transition Training Fund and broader skills and employability support.