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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: S6W-13746

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it anticipates CalMac will publish the (a) first and (b) second phase of its 2023 summer sailing timetable.

CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL) issued communications to stakeholders on 17 January confirming it will open up all routes for the whole summer timetable period by Friday 20 January – with the exception of Mallaig-Armadale, Mallaig-Small Isles and Mallaig-Lochboisdale (which will open by 31 January).

For the Mallaig routes, CFL are still working through tidal amendments for the whole summer timetables and that work will not be complete by 20 January. CFL will engage with those communities directly and explain the reasons for the delay. However, each community are already aware of their core timetables.

Question reference: S6W-13599

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS 24 call handlers who can speak more than one language there have been in each year since 2017.

Question reference: S6W-13538

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its work with partners to establish a series of meaningful anti-racist objectives and performance measures for NHS board chairs.

The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) was commissioned to identify examples of anti-racist performance objectives with proposed performance measures that could be used by public bodies across Scotland.

To date, seven NHS Board Chairs have been set anti-racist objectives and performance measures in accordance with CRER's commission. Following feedback, these objectives and performance measures are being reviewed, to ensure they fully align with the scrutiny and assurance roles of Board Chairs.

Question reference: S6W-13954

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13474 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, what information it holds on how many social care staff (a) have and (b) have not received a "robust and supportive induction" since the launch of the National Induction Framework on 1 February 2022.

This answer is not centrally held, however, the SSSC advises that although the National Induction Framework resource is presented as open access (in order to ensure maximum accessibility), and therefore analytics are anonymous, they can advise that the number of visits to the site is 10,852 with total interactions (including visits) standing at over 30,300.

Although visits to the site are not individually identifiable, since the launch of the framework in February 2022, there have been 3,100 interactions through TURAS, the NES/Health platform.

More information can be found here:

https://sssclrs.uk/dashboards/6239f16c3f75d206d3162a42/6239f19d3f75d206d3162a72/NIF---Analytics

Question reference: S6W-13952

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13505 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, how often the Fair Work in Social Care Group meets, and when it last met.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group organised itself into four workstreams on Pay; Terms and Conditions; Effective Voice; and Sectoral Bargaining. The workstreams meet 1-2 times per month, most recently on 17 January 2023.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group is now overseen by a Joint Ministerial Group, co-chaired by myself and COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson. The Joint Ministerial Group met on 3 November 2022 and is scheduled to meet again in February 2023.

Question reference: S6W-13950

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13532 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, what the minimum standards developed are.

The Fair Work in Social Care Group has developed the following minimum standard terms and conditions:

Term/Condition	Proposed minimum Terms and Conditions
Sickness	Tenure within the sector is recognised for sick pay: < 1 Year. 5 weeks full, 5 weeks half pay 1 Year+ 9 weeks full, 9 weeks half pay 2 Years+ 18 weeks full, 18 weeks half pay 3Years+ 22 weeks full, 22 weeks half pay 5 Years+ 26 weeks full, 26 weeks half pay
Annual Leave	35 days; 27 holidays, 8 public On appointment: 35 days After five years: 37 days After ten years: 41 days (all including 8 public holidays)
Pensions	Contributions of 10% from the employer and 5% from the employee.
Professional Development Time	To include paid time for induction, mandatory training, and role specific training as required by regulatory bodies. To include ongoing professional development.
Maternity and Paternity	Maternity: 52 weeks, comprising; 8 weeks full pay, next 18 weeks half of full pay (plus Statutory Maternity Pay). Next 13 weeks, Statutory Maternity Pay, final 13 weeks no pay. Paternity: 2 weeks.
Core Pay (Contracted hours, overtime and overnight support)	Core pay should include contracted hours, any guaranteed overtime and overnight support payments.
Overnight Support	Sleepovers to be paid at a minimum Real Living Wage hourly rate. Waking hours paid at contractual rate with a minimum of Real Living Wage hourly rate.

Question reference: S6W-13951

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13505 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, what the timeline is for its project to trial the Framework in social care settings.

Question reference: S6W-13947

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13457 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, when the evaluation of the framework will be completed.

Question reference: S6W-13937

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the current number of mental health counsellors in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-13949

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13532 by Kevin Stewart on 13 January 2023, when it expects this investigatory work to be completed.