Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-29336

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the COVID-19 testing procedures will include a random sample of the general public in order to provide a more representative figure of prevalence.

Question reference: S5W-28122

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for increasing the capacity of both the existing COVID-19 test and the antibody test.

The target to have a total testing capacity of 15,000 by the end of May has been achieved. There is active weekday NHS lab capacity for over 6,500 tests a day (and weekend capacity of 5,350 tests a day). In addition, there is currently capacity for 10,000 tests a day from the Glasgow Lighthouse Laboratory, which analyses samples taken from regional testing centres, mobile testing units and community testing. The combination of the NHS and Lighthouse Lab capacity provides overall normal weekday capacity of over 16,500.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) are assessing a number of antibody tests in order to identify which will work best in Scotland. HPS, supported by the Inverness reference laboratory, commenced antibody prevalence testing on 6 May as part of enhanced surveillance testing and good progress is being made.

Question reference: S5W-29457

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessment it undertook of the opening of daycare centres during phase 1 of the COVID-19 route map.

The Scottish Government is maintaining a cautious approach to changing lockdown measures as outlined in the Route Map and each step taken is based on scientific evidence that it is safe to do so. The Framework for Decision Making makes clear that we are putting equality and human rights at the heart of our response to Covid-19.

We know that the measures currently in place to lower the transmission of the virus can themselves cause a wide range of harms. For children who are missing early learning and childcare, these may be wide ranging.

Our first priority is, of course, for the safety of staff, parents and children who access early learning and childcare settings. While Phase One of the Route Map allows for a limited reopening of childminding and fully outdoor childcare services, this is conditional upon the scientific and medical advice confirming that the reopening of these settings can be done in a manner that is consistent with wider efforts to control the reproduction rate and protects all those accessing these services. Settings must also have in place a comprehensive implementation of complementary public health measures, including adhering to ‘test, trace, isolate and support’ practices, the use of appropriate personal protective equipment and a range of other enhanced hygiene measures. These measures are set out in detail in section five of the ‘ Strategic Framework for Reopening of Schools and ELC Provision’ and in addition to this comprehensive guidance was issued to the childminding and fully outdoor childcare sectors on 1 June, ahead of reopening.

The full reopening of childcare services is not scheduled to begin until Phase Three of the Route Map. At this point all childcare providers will be able to reopen their services subject to public health measures. Further guidance will be issued to support that on 15 June.

Question reference: S5W-29458

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what additional requirements and advice are in place for local authorities and parents on the re-opening of daycare centres during phase 1 of the COVID-19 route map.

The Scottish Government published ‘ Strategic Framework for Reopening of Schools and ELC Provision’ alongside Scotland’s Route Map on 21 May.

This puts in place a framework to ensure that children and families can access safe, high quality ELC and childcare services as early as it is safe to do so.

The Strategic Framework will support both Local Authorities and private and third sector providers to identify the capacity available within their settings, and if necessary to prioritise access to that capacity.

The full reopening of childcare services is not scheduled to begin until Phase Three of the Route Map. At this point all childcare providers will be able to reopen their services subject to public health measures.

The Critical Childcare and ELC work stream of the Education Recovery Group, in collaboration with the newly-established sector working group, will now lead the development of a suite of clear operating guidance, supported by public health advice. This will ensure that sector specific issues relevant to reopening across the early learning and childcare and out of school care sectors are addressed in guidance ahead of reopening. Guidance was issued to the childminding and fully outdoor childcare sectors on 1 June, ahead of the reopening of this part of the sector.

Parent Club Scotland has also created an extensive digital hub to provide evidence based advice for parents and carers around coronavirus, which is regularly updated with information, advice and resources for parents. This includes a new Frequently Asked Questions section which covers for example when providers will reopen and safety issues.

Question reference: S5W-29297

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 4 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many letters have been sent by each NHS board to people who are shielding during the COVID-19 outbreak, and how many are letters are still outstanding.

Public Health Scotland issues shielding letters on behalf of the NHS Boards.

The following table provides information on the number of individuals who have been sent shielding letters by area of residence.

Letters are sent as people who should shield are identified.

Number of individuals sent Shielding letters by area of residence (as at 26th May 2020)

Scotland	189,195
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	15,974
NHS Borders	4,729
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	5,877
NHS Fife	11,963
NHS Forth Valley	11,959
NHS Grampian	19,537
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	41,643
NHS Highland	11,618
NHS Lanarkshire	23,892
NHS Lothian	25,753
NHS Orkney	873
NHS Shetland	952
NHS Tayside	13,575
NHS Western Isles	850

Source: Public Health Scotland

Notes:

1. Figures exclude individuals with an area of residence recorded as outwith Scotland.

2. Figures include individuals who have died and those flagged for removal from the shielding list.

Individuals may be flagged for removal for a number of reasons including false positive identification, having moved away or no longer requiring to shield following discussion with a clinician.

Question reference: S5O-04411

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent international events, what data it keeps on the injuries incurred by BAME people in police custody.

Question reference: S5W-29298

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason people who are currently receiving working age benefits, such as universal credit, and those who have recently applied but have not yet started receiving such a benefit, are not eligible to apply for the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund.

The Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund is aimed at providing hardship support to those who have lost work due to Covid-19 but are ineligible for support through the UK Government’s Self-Employment Income Support Scheme because they have only been trading as self-employed since 6 April 2019 or later. It is specifically aimed at those who have been unable to access other forms of business support or working age benefits.

This does exclude those in receipt of Universal Credit payments, including advances, because they are receiving support.

Similarly, anybody in receipt of our hardship grant would need to declare this to DWP in any future Universal Credit application. The management of Universal Credit is a matter for the UK Government.

However it is important to clarify that people who have applied for, but not yet received, Universal Credit (or an advance on Universal Credit) are still eligible to apply.

Question reference: S5F-04180

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2020

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that Scotland has one of the highest per capita death rates for COVID-19 in the world.

Question reference: S5W-29072

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many people who have been identified as (a) vulnerable, (b) clinically vulnerable and (c) clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and should shield from the virus have been issued with a letter informing them of this.

Individuals identified as being at the highest risk of severe illness if they become infected with coronavirus are advised to shield.

These are individuals who have a condition or disease identified by Chief Medical Officers across the UK, or, who do not have one of those conditions or diseases but are identified by hospital clinicians or GPs because their individual medical circumstances places them at the highest risk of severe illness if they become infected with coronavirus.

As at 20 May, 176,713 people have been issued with a letter advising them to shield.

Question reference: S5W-29073

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many people who have been identified as (a) vulnerable, (b) clinically vulnerable and (c) clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 and are shielding from the virus have indicated that they do not require assistance with access to food supplies and/or other essentials.

Individuals identified as being at the highest risk of severe illness if they become infected with coronavirus are advised to shield.

The letter which shielded individuals receive sets out the support which is available to those who require it, for example those who do not have an existing local support network. This support includes supplies of food and other essentials through a free grocery box delivery service, and access to priority supermarket delivery slots. This can be requested through the shielding SMS service or local authority helplines.

As at 20 May, of the 176,713 people who have been issued with a letter advising them to shield, 57,621 people have requested a free weekly grocery box. As at 20 May, the details for all 43,725 people who have requested access to the priority delivery service have been passed to supermarkets. Some people may have requested both services. We do not hold data of how many have indicated they do not require access to services.

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