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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: S5W-29287

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 3 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Grant Scheme have been rejected, broken down by industry sector.

Question reference: S5W-29345

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the growth in unemployment because of the COVID-19 outbreak has had on devolved benefits, and whether it will publish the modelling it is using to reach its position.

The number of applications received, decisions made, payments and expenditure for Best Start Grant and Funeral Support Payment since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak have remained fairly consistent.

However as the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the labour market is already evidenced in the increased Universal Credit claims, we expect that there will be a corresponding increase in applications, and subsequently expenditure for the low income benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland.

Modelling is continuously developing as the COVID-19 crisis unfolds and more information becomes available. The Scottish Fiscal Commission, as Scotland's official and independent forecaster, will provide updated forecasts.

Question reference: S5W-28736

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessment was made of the likely impact of COVID-19 on care homes for older people; who carried out this assessment, and when.

Health and Social Care Partnerships developed local mobilisation plans in response to the COVID-19 emergency. These plans, which are generally aligned with emergency planning arrangements of local councils and NHS Boards, identify key risks and challenges posed by COVID, including those in the care home sector, and outline appropriate responses to ensure that vulnerable people are protected. The plans aim to minimise excess deaths from COVID-19 within communities, and typically include provisions for supporting and enhancing existing service capacity .

Locally partners are undertaking risk assessments of individual care homes to ensure that staff and residents are protected. This is being led by the Directors of Public Health who have been asked to provide enhanced clinical leadership working in partnership with the Health and Social Care Partnership and the Care Inspectorate. They have contacted every care home in Scotland to assess how they are managing infection prevention and control, staffing, training, physical distancing and testing. This is alongside enhanced clinical support for residents from primary care teams including GPs and community nurses.

From 18 May, new arrangements for ensuring appropriate clinical and professional oversight for care homes have been put in place. As part of this multi-disciplinary teams comprising key clinical leads from NHS Boards and Local Authorities including Chief Social Work Officers are providing oversight of local care homes. This approach builds on recent actions and existing local arrangements in helping to keep residents safe.

To supplement this clinical oversight, the Scottish Government has established a Care Home Rapid Action Group. This is a national group set up to monitor developments in the care home sector, reacting swiftly to developing issues and coordinating our wider package of support to the sector. A clinical and professional advisory group has also been established to provide advice and guidance on preventing and managing COVID-19 in care homes.

This work aims to support every single care home in Scotland, whether it has had an outbreak or not.

Question reference: S5W-28737

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to (a) local authorities and (b) care homes regarding the care of older people during the COVID-19 outbreak; when this was issued, and what each piece of guidance covered.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has published infection control guidance for care homes which is updated regularly, most recently on 20 May. The HPS guidance is based on the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual which includes advice on how to prevent and manage the spread of all respiratory infections including COVID-19.

To supplement HPS guidance, the Scottish Government also issued clinical and practice guidance for care homes. This was first published on 13 March and updated on 26 March and 15 May. This guidance draws on the HPS guidance but provides more detailed information on some of the practical steps that are required to protect staff and residents. Both the HPS and the Scottish Government guidance are continually reviewed to take account of the emerging picture around COVID-19.

Local authorities will determine on a local basis what additional information is required for care homes to support them in adopting national guidance

Question reference: S5T-02218

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the daily average number of COVID-19 tests carried out last week was.

Question reference: S5W-28145

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the data regarding people who have (a) tested positive for and (b) died from COVID-19 is available, broken down by local authority.

The number of laboratory confirmed positive tests of COVID-19 by Local Authority area and the total number of deaths are published daily: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/658feae0ab1d432f9fdb53aa082e4130

The total number of people who have died where COVID-19 is a contributing factor can be accessed at https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/
general-publications/weekly-and-monthly-data-on-births-and-deaths/deaths-involving-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland

Question reference: S5W-29421

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £60 million in support for meeting business water bills that it announced on 23 March 2020 will be paid for by (a) businesses and (b) licensed providers.

Question reference: S5W-29428

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the Water Industry Commission's ethical business principles referred to in the paper, COVID-19 Response and Decision on Measures in Support of Non-household Customers and to protect Household Customers.

Question reference: S5W-29429

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether licensed providers are required by the Water Industry Commission as part of their license to abide by its ethical business principles and, if so, whether imposing such a requirement is of itself consistent with these principles in securing the confidence and trust of stakeholders.

Question reference: S5W-29423

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the granting of temporary vacant status to businesses in England affected by the COVID-19 lockdown is more immediately beneficial to the cash demands on those businesses than firms similarly affected by lockdown in Scotland, and what steps it will take to ensure that businesses in Scotland can have the same financial benefits on water charges as all those in England.