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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-07554

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether free COVID-19 lateral flow tests will be retained for (a) unpaid carers, (b) caregivers and (c) visitors entering (i) care homes and (ii) other healthcare settings.

We published our Test and Protect Transition Plan on 15 March 2022. This states that from mid-April in place of a population wide approach, we will use asymptomatic testing for COVID-19 on a targeted basis. This includes testing to support patient care and protect higher risk settings.

Regular asymptomatic testing will continue for parts of the health and care workforce primarily in settings which are still considered high risk and/or where those using services are deemed to be at a higher risk of hospitalisation from COVID-19.

In social care, the priority will continue to be testing in long stay settings and services for elderly people such as residential care homes, care at home and adult day care. There will also be a continuing priority to support testing for hospital based staff to reduce the risk of infection spread in our hospitals.

LFD tests will continue to be made available for eligible unpaid carers, personal assistants and anyone visiting a care home or hospital, this will be kept under regular clinical review.

For any purpose for which COVID-19 testing (PCR or LFD) continues to be advised we will ensure that these tests remain available free of charge.

Question reference: S6W-07519

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the introduction of industry regulation and a price cap on heating oil, in order to address cost-of-living increases for off-gas-grid consumers in rural and island areas in Scotland.

I am deeply concerned by the impacts that price rises are having for off-gas-grid customers and we are determined to address the higher levels of fuel poverty found in many of Scotland’s remote rural and island areas.

That is why the new fuel poverty definition takes account of the additional costs associated with living in remote and island communities. We are committed to continuing to spend more per head on energy efficiency in remote rural areas, to bring down energy costs and we are providing support through the £10 million Fuel Insecurity Fund, including for households reliant on solid and liquid fuels such as heating oil.

Following on from recent discussions with the heating oil trade body, UKIFDA, officials have engaged with the UK Government to raise concerns about the recent unprecedented rises in heating fuel costs for off-gas-grid customers in parts of Scotland, however the UK Government has indicated that there are no plans to regulate the sector.

Question reference: S6W-07878

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its seafood strategy.

Question reference: S6W-07638

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the pay increase for NHS Scotland staff will take account of the increases in pension contributions and the changes in National Insurance.

Question reference: S6W-07543

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many strip searches carried out by Police Scotland on under 18-year-olds in each of the last three years have resulted in officers finding an item of concern.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of strip searches carried out by Police Scotland. This information is held by Police Scotland.

Data Publication - Police Scotland .

The Stop and Search Code of Practice stipulates that a record must be made of any search in the exercise of any power to which the Code applies. The Code also sets out what information must be recorded, including whether a search was a standard search, a strip search within a police station, a strip search outwith a police station, or an intimate search. Police Scotland publish this data quarterly on their website:

Additionally, section 7 of the Code of Practice outlines additional considerations that should be taken when a search involves a child or a young person, requiring Police Officers to ensure that their actions are fully compatible with the young person’s human rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Question reference: S6W-07577

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many new healthcare support workers have been recruited as a result of its £300 million investment in winter planning and preparedness.

The Scottish Government continues to work hard to bring in new workforce capacity across NHS services. This is why we announced our commitment to recruit an additional 1,000 health and care support staff by 31 March and provided up to £15 million in funding to take forward that recruitment.

I am delighted to announce that following a period of intense recruitment activity by our health boards, we have welcomed over a thousand additional Agenda for Change bands 2 to 4 staff.

This additional influx of staff will provide longer term improvement in service capacity across our health and social care systems as we continue to recover from the pandemic and provides them with an opportunity to develop a career in health and social care.

Question reference: S6W-07542

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many inadmissible items have been found during strip searches at (a) young offenders institutions and (b) secure units, in each of the last three years.

As detailed in the response to Parliamentary Question S6W-07540 on 21 April 2022, the Scottish Prison Service does not undertake strip searches. It does not collate centrally any items recovered during body searches.

The Scottish Government does not collate information on inadmissible items found during strip searches carried out in secure units.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-07815

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of Scotland-produced malting barley have been used in the production of whisky in Scotland in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S6O-01017

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that anyone living with MS has access to a specialist nurse in their NHS board area.

Question reference: S6O-01021

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan have arrived in Scotland since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021.