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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-35729

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the devolution of employment injuries assistance will help advance gender equality and non-discrimination.

In line with the Scottish Government’s duty to advance equality of opportunity and eliminate unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act (2010), an Equalities Impact Assessment will be undertaken specifically for Employment Injury Assistance (EIA). The Scottish Government plans to carry out a public consultation on the Equalities Impact Assessment alongside the draft regulations. Responses to the consultation will inform detailed policy proposals regarding the rules, administration and promotion of EIA.

Question reference: S5W-35728

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the reasons behind the take-up rate by women of claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit, in light of figures suggesting that, since the publication of the Equality Impact Assessment for the Social Security (Scotland) Bill in June 2016, this stands at 16%.

Question reference: S5W-35093

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the holding answer to question S5W-34507 by Jeane Freeman on 26 January 2021, when it will provide a substantive answer, and for what reason it has not provided this to date.

Question reference: S5W-35457

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 5 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to restore face-to-face GP services to the same level as before the COVID-19 restrictions.

Question reference: S5W-35458

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34866 by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2021, what involvement ministers had in agreeing and publishing the guidance to GPs that advises practices should make every effort to triage all patients by telephone to avoid patients presenting at the practice unnecessarily, and what involvement ministers will have in reviewing this guidance.

Scottish Ministers have accepted Public Health Scotland’s clinical advice that practices should make every effort to triage all patients by telephone to avoid patients presenting at the practice unnecessarily. The published guidance is consistent with Scottish Government policy that practices should remain open whilst reducing opportunities for infection where possible.

Scottish Ministers will be advised by Public Health Scotland on when it is safe to relax these measures.

Question reference: S5W-34507

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give retail workers priority access to the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Those who are entitled to a vaccine will be contacted by their Health Board letting them know where they will receive the vaccine and how to book their appointment. We are adhering to the priority list devised by the Joint Committee of Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) who have advised an age-based programme will capture those with clinical risk factors as the risk of death is very strongly linked with age, more so than any other factor. A number of retail workers may fall into the priority risk groups set out by the JCVI; these individuals will receive an invitation to their vaccine appointment.

Question reference: S5W-35096

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much the operator of last resort for the ScotRail franchise has cost to date, also broken down by budget line.

Question reference: S5W-35095

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) contractors and (b) suppliers it has engaged to support the development of the operator of last resort for the ScotRail franchise, and who those suppliers are.

Question reference: S5O-05077

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Child Payment claims it has received for individual children and households, and how many have now been accepted and paid.

Question reference: S5W-34867

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has given to NHS boards in relation to administering COVID-19 vaccinations to (a) (i) short- and (ii) long-term hospital in-patients and (b) hospital in-patients who have multiple conditions and are considered to be within a high-risk group.

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr Gregor Smith wrote a letter to all Health Boards on 5 February in which he advised all Health boards should seek to vaccinate those within eligible JCVI priority cohorts who are in hospital prior to discharge, where that cohort is currently receiving vaccination in the community.

Care should be taken to check records for previous history of COVID-19 vaccination, confirmation of vaccine should be provided and steps taken to enable a second dose as appropriate.