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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-34369

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 2 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce COVID-19 testing centres in North Ayrshire.

Question reference: S5W-34427

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify how the term, "five miles from the boundary of your local area", in the new lockdown rules is legally defined, and whether a person is only allowed to travel to the boundary of their local area, or is allowed to travel five miles from the boundary of their local area into an adjacent area.

The legal requirements that apply to travel and, in Level 4 areas, to leaving one’s home without a reasonable excuse are set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. They are designed to allow, amongst other things, local outdoor exercise by permitting that to start and finish at a place in the local authority area in which a person lives or is within 5 miles of that area. Guidance stresses that people should stay as close to home as possible including by travelling no further than they need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place to exercise in a socially distanced way.

Question reference: S5W-34445

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many international travellers have been tested for COVID-19 on arrival at airports in each month since March 2020, also broken down by how many tests were (a) positive, (b) negative and (c) inconclusive.

From 18 January all people arriving in Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area (UK, Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) have to self-isolate for 10 full days. They must also have a valid negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than three days before the scheduled time of departure.

During the contact tracing process, information is collected on whether a positive case has travelled outside of Scotland. This figures set out confirmed cases who, when interviewed, reported that they had travelled outside Scotland.

As published by PHS in the weekly Covid Statistical briefing:


Week Commencing	05-Oct	12-Oct	19-Oct	26-Oct	02-Nov	09-Nov	16-Nov
Cases reporting travel outside Scotland	362	362	348	353	207	133	107
	23-Nov	30-Nov	07-Dec	14-Dec	21-Dec	28-Dec	04-Jan
	91	49	69	111	218	228	183

Week Commencing	05-Oct	12-Oct	19-Oct	26-Oct	02-Nov	09-Nov	16-Nov
Cases reporting travel beyond UK	93	106	106	85	88	67	69
	23-Nov	30-Nov	07-Dec	14-Dec	21-Dec	28-Dec	04-Jan
	66	28	30	26	53	72	84

This information is collected on the contact tracing interview and is where outside of Scotland travel information is recorded. Please note Public Health Scotland are aware of an undercount for those travelled outside Scotland. Public Health Scotland is working closely with contact tracing leads to improve this recording.

This information is only available from September 2020. The latest information on cases which have reported international travel can be found here: https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/ .

Question reference: S5W-34222

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further clarification of the protocols for prioritising the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers at increased risk through direct and indirect contact with COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-34204

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the conditions under which a primary or secondary pupil is recorded as being absent from school for COVID-19-related reasons.

Statistics on pupils not in school due to Covid-19 related reasons can be found here: COVID19-SchoolsandChildcareInformation - SG Education Analytical Services: Learning Analysis | Tableau Public

Pupils are recorded as being not in school due to Covid-19 related reasons if:

The school is closed due to Covid-19

The pupil is self isolating in relation to Covid-19

The pupil is displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or have tested positive for Covid-19

The pupil's parent(s) chose to keep them away from school as a precautionary measure contrary to public health guidance

Question reference: S5W-34127

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 11 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what specific action it is taking to support travel agents during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5W-34128

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 11 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £185 million recently announced for struggling businesses is being allocated to the travel agent industry.

We recognise that travel agents have been severely hit by the Covid pandemic and it is vital that we support them through the crisis. £5.1 million of the £185 million fund will be made available to travel agents. This covers agencies, limited companies and sole traders that sell outbound travel services to customers for business and/or leisure purposes. Local authorities will contact those businesses which are eligible for the support.

In addition, the Job Retention Scheme and Self Employed Income Support Scheme are essential to protect jobs and livelihoods across all sectors in Scotland. We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to ensure this support will continue to be available to businesses and workers for as long as is required.

Question reference: S5W-34199

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting (a) ASN and (b) other pupils with learning difficulties whose mental health has been impacted through disrupted routines resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

In preparation for the return to school, the Scottish Government developed and published guidance which highlighted the need to consider the wellbeing of all pupils including those with additional support needs, this would include those with learning difficulties. The Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for continuity in learning - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) guidance set out the particular considerations required to meet a wide range of children and young people's needs, including the mental health and wellbeing of pupils.

The Scottish Government has also developed and published guidance on Positive mental wellbeing - resources to support children and young people which

is designed to provide a comprehensive package of information, resources and organisations which are freely available to support primary and secondary school staff to support the mental wellbeing of children and young people. This guidance was published prior to the return of pupils to school earlier in the year. In addition, we have continued to progress the implementation of the commitment to provision of counselling through schools.

Guidance was also issued on 21 December regarding the detailed arrangements for schools after the festive break. That guidance provides clarity for learning arrangements through to 15 January, including for those who may be vulnerable, including as a result of additional support needs and where they and/or their parents are experiencing poor physical or mental health. From 18 January onwards, our current planning assumption is that schools will be open to all pupils for in-person teaching and learning as normal. However, this will be subject to an assessment of the state of the pandemic in Scotland and any further developments with regard to the new variant in the new year.

Question reference: S5O-04905

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the finance secretary's announcement on 9 December, how many businesses have received support from the £185 million funding package.

Question reference: S5W-33744

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 17 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding allowing charities and third sector shops that are currently classified as non-essential to open in areas subject to restrictions to allow them to provide support to the communities that they serve.

We continue to do everything we can to support businesses in these unprecedented and challenging circumstances. This includes through the provision of grant funding through the Strategic Framework Business Support scheme, access to non-domestic rates relief and through UK Government supportive measures such as the Job Retention Scheme and Self-Employment Support. Non-essential retail business in Level 4 areas can continue to sell goods using on-line, click and collect and telephone ordering services.

While there has not been direct discussions on allowing non-essential charity shops to re-open the Scottish Government regularly engages with third sector partners in order to ensure the support we have in place is right and effective.

Much of that engagement and work is delivered through the Third Sector Unit, who have for instance clarified the applicability of business support measures to third sector organisations, and ensured that charities are explicitly included in the Strategic Framework grants which can be accessed if charity shops were forced to close through level four restrictions.