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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: S6O-01033

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the actions set out in its Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan will support low-income families in Stirling.

Question reference: S6O-01045

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its international offices.

Question reference: S6W-07651

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to review the impacts of Road Equivalent Tariff on the Islands of the Clyde.

Question reference: S6W-07663

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescales are for the National Conversation about ScotRail, and how it will engage with (a) trade unions and (b) the public on this.

Question reference: S6W-08278

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what consideration it has given to whether people need to continue to be on Scotland’s Highest Risk List, formerly the Shielding List, as set out in the updated Strategic Framework of February 2022.

We have considered carefully whether people need to continue to be on the Highest Risk List. A significant body of evidence has been reviewed by clinical advisers related to the impact of vaccination for the approximately 176,000 people who have, for the most part, been on Scotland’s Highest Risk List since the start of the pandemic when we initially asked people to shield.

Based on the strong evidence that the risk of hospitalisation or death from Covid has significantly reduced for the majority of people on the Highest Risk List as a result of vaccination, alongside effective new treatments now being made available to people who will benefit most, we have decided to stand down the Highest Risk List from 31 May 2022. The Chief Medical Officer (CMO) will write to everyone on the Highest Risk List to advise them of this, along with a summary of the evidence that informed this decision and information about further, ongoing guidance and support.

The CMO wrote to everyone on the Highest Risk List on 4 March and indicated that we were undertaking a review of the Highest Risk List in light of the evidence that has emerged over the past two years. This intention was also set out in the update to the Strategic Framework in February.

Since July 2021, the CMO has advised people on the Highest Risk List to follow the same guidance and take the same precautionary measures as the rest of the population, unless advised otherwise by their GP or clinician who will understand their health condition and individual circumstances best.

The CMO also said in his letter that we will share the evidence that we have used to make those decisions and we are publishing a summary of the clinical evidence today. You can read the full publication at the following link https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802017311 which will go live at 10:00. We are aware that a core of immuno-suppressed people are unable to mount a full immune response due to their condition and/or treatment. We will publish separate advice for this group. We are working with Public Health Scotland and have put an identification process in place to be able to rapidly generate an accurate and current list of individuals for vaccine prioritisation and covid treatments, and to provide additional advice in the event of any escalated threat level to those who may need it.

We are also aware from our own and Public Health Scotland research with people on the Highest Risk List of ongoing wider negative impacts, particularly in terms of mental health, and issues of isolation, for some people on the Highest Risk List. We know that some people will continue to be more cautious or anxious about what this change means for them, or need more time to reconnect with people, or to restart the things they were doing before the pandemic. To help support these people, we have funded the British Red Cross to extend their Connecting with You Service to support people to rebuild their confidence and lives. We are also engaging with partners across all sectors to find ways to support people who may need more help to adapt, and will continue to provide guidance on protecting ourselves and others, including promoting the Distance Aware Scheme.

This is a positive step as there is no longer a need for the vast majority of people who have been on the Highest Risk List to consider themselves at any significantly higher risk. Our hope is that this will enable them to adapt to living with COVID and enjoy a better quality of life.

Question reference: S6W-07891

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic value that Chinese students who come to Scotland to study bring to (a) universities and (b) the national economy.

Question reference: S6W-07827

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the technology neutral stance of Home Energy Scotland takes account of research that reportedly suggests that homeowner decision making can be delayed and often aborted in relation to renewable products where the buyer has insufficient understanding of the product and there is a lack of unbiased information support to aid the decision-making process.

Home Energy Scotland exists to provide homeowners with impartial and bespoke information about their home energy and renewables options to encourage action to reduce energy use, fuel bills and carbon emissions and increase comfort. The advice services are designed to address well-known barriers to action including costs, lack of confidence and information about options and installers, and potential disruption.

It is important that homeowners are given impartial information about all of their options, including for example, replacement of existing fossil fuel heating systems, to ensure they are as informed as possible and make the right choice for them. Home Energy Scotland also has a role to encourage the uptake of low and zero emission heating systems to meet climate change targets and this is one of the reasons as to why the specialist renewables support services exist. In this regard, Home Energy Scotland does not have a technology neutral stance with regards to which heating systems it is actively raising awareness of.

Within Home Energy Scotland there are specialist renewables advisors with training on home renewables systems, home energy efficiency and solutions for historic buildings. These specialists provide an in-depth service to Scottish homeowners, including on-site visits to assess their home and talk through recommendations in person. Reports and fact sheets are issued to homeowners explaining how best to improve the energy efficiency of their home and which renewables systems may be suitable, alongside fuel bill and carbon saving estimates.

Homeowners are given bespoke information on the next steps to take and other support services accessed via Home Energy Scotland. This includes, for example, how to find renewables installers, where they can read customer reviews of installers, and the Green Homes Network, where they can find case studies of other homeowners who have already made improvements to their home. Members on this network are also willing to speak directly to other homeowners, or host them for a visit, to further share their experiences. Homeowners are also given information about the various financial support routes which are open to them including the Scottish Government’s Home Energy Scotland loan and cashback that helps homeowners with the costs of home energy improvements and renewables systems.

Question reference: S6W-07908

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on offshore ownership of care homes.

The Scottish Government has committed to introducing a National Care Service before the end of the current Parliament. We have consulted on proposals for the National Care Service to develop and manage a National Commissioning and Procurement Structure of Standards and Processes for ethical commissioning and procuring of social care services and supports.

We propose that these standards will set principles to inform decision making, including in respect of financial transparency and commercial viability across the whole of the care home sector.

Question reference: S6W-07893

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any reported allegations that the Chinese Communist Party, through student groups on university campuses in Scotland, is seeking to deter certain events from taking place, and, if so, what action has been taken to address this.

Question reference: S6W-07892

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the level and nature of financial investment from China in universities in Scotland.