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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-05961

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the flu vaccination programme in (a) general and (b) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and what the latest guidance is on when eligible members of the public can book appointments.

Flu vaccinations were paused in December 2021 to allow the NHS to address the immediate challenge of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Local health boards are now offering flu vaccinations to those who are eligible, with uptake of flu vaccines among over 65s at 90.1%, which is already higher than the previous year.

Those who are aged 70 years or over will be contacted by their health board about their appointment by letter or telephone call. Those aged 65 to 69 years will be contacted by their health board by letter about their appointment.

Our focus remains on protecting people based on clinical need, medical advice, and evidence. On that basis, other healthy people aged 50 to 64 years generally will no longer receive the flu vaccine this season. Anyone unsure whether they are eligible should check with their local health board, and can find more information about flu vaccination on NHS Inform The flu vaccine (nhsinform.scot) .

Anyone who is eligible and would like to receive a flu vaccine can do so by checking How to get your flu vaccine | The flu vaccine (nhsinform.scot) . If the appointment received is not suitable, individuals can rearrange their appointment at Rearrange your flu vaccine appointment | The flu vaccine (nhsinform.scot) .

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde advise that those eligible can get vaccinated at participating NHS community pharmacies.

Question reference: S6W-05894

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available to Stirling Council for the introduction of electric vehicle charging points in each year since 2017.

The Scottish Government has provided over £3.2 million of grant funding directly to Stirling Council since 2017 to enable procurement of zero emission charging and refuelling infrastructure. The following table provides the detail of funding awarded to Stirling Council in each year from 2017.

Local Authority/FY	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
Stirling Council	£60,000.00	£689,500.00	£890,000.00	£846,000.00	£714,633.00

Question reference: S6W-05891

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what grant assistance for homeowners is available for cladding insulation.

The Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme Warmer Homes Scotland offers to install external wall insulation for eligible households, where it is appropriate and technically feasible for the property. Most local councils include projects to deliver external wall insulation as part of their Area Based Schemes targeting fuel poor households. This is typically as provided grant-in-aid but property owners may be asked for a contribution to reflect higher individual costs associated with their home (e.g. additional repairs or for a larger detached property).

Households that are not eligible for help as part of our fuel poverty programmes can apply for a Scottish Government loan via Home Energy Scotland. Help is available with the costs of purchasing and installing energy efficiency measures worth up to £10,000 (£6,000 loan plus £4,000 cashback). Full independent advice and information is available through the Home Energy Scotland website.

Question reference: S6W-05895

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to businesses in Stirling through business support schemes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our interim experimental summary of COVID-19 business support funding paid by local authority between November 2020 and June 2021 shows businesses in Stirling have received approximately £36.4m in direct business support.

Prior to November 2020, an additional £24.7m was administered by Stirling Council to businesses in Stirling through the October Circuit breaker, Newly Self-employed Hardship Fund, Bed and Breakfast hardship fund, Small Business Grant Scheme and the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Business Grant Scheme. A further £4m was provided through the Pivotal Enterprises Resilience Fund and Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Fund. This brings the total provided to £65.1m, however it is important to note this does not cover all funding to date and as such the overall figure for business in Stirling will be higher. Further detail of funding is available on the Scottish Government website:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support funding interim experimental statistics - by local authority and scheme from November 2020 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

o Coronavirus (COVID-19) - business support funding: statistics (circuit breaker) – 29 January 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

o Coronavirus (COVID-19): hardship and resilience funds statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support fund grant statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S6W-05892

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Stirling Council for road maintenance in each year since 2017.

The vast majority of funding available to councils is provided by means of a block grant from the Scottish Government. It is then the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including on road maintenance, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

It is for locally elected representatives to manage the allocation of resources and the level of services that are delivered to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-05880

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm and publish on its website the (a) application process and (b) eligibility criteria for support for close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that have been impacted by the restrictions put in place in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19, and how much support will be available per business.

We have published guidance which includes eligibility criteria for the Close Contact Fund and this information is now available on the Scottish Government website: Coronavirus (COVID-19): funding for businesses affected by Omicron control measures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and the Find Business Support website:

Close Contact Services Fund (findbusinesssupport.gov.scot) . Businesses will be able to apply for the close contact fund from Monday 14 th February. We have been working with relevant industry representatives to understand how best to target this funding as the sector includes a large number of businesses who do not have premise so cannot use non-domestic rates as a way of validating business details .

Eligible Businesses must be registered as a beauty service, hairdressing and hair removal service or a spa and wellness service and provide services listed in the guidance such as, hair trimming and cutting, laser hair removal, nail treatments etc.

The Close Contact grant is a one-off payment at the rate of £1,000 for self-employed businesses and £1,500 for NDR registered premise based business owners.

Question reference: S6W-06002

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has in relation to realigning, diversifying and scaling up the farm advisory service to advise on resource use, carbon and nature value farming and production.

We fully recognise the importance the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) provides for farmers, land managers and crofters to help them ensure their businesses are ready to meet the challenges of the future. That is why we are currently in the process of finalising a new FAS contract effective from April 2022 that will provide continuity of the service that will connect the sector to expert consultants with the goal of keeping the industry up to date with current issues with nearly all the available support and advice entirely free to the consumer.

And we will be working with the relevant industry and organisations as we look to develop future agriculture policy to help shape the future longer term evolution of the service to ensure it keeps pace with key challenges to support farmers, land managers and crofters to deliver high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration.

Question reference: S6W-05881

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with (a) East Renfrewshire Council and (b) other local authorities about (i) any financial support that will be made available and (ii) the process for delivering such funding to close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that have been impacted by the restrictions put in place in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

All local authorities, including East Renfrewshire Council, have been involved in discussions around delivery of this funding and it has been agreed funding for close contact businesses will be distributed by our delivery partner NEC.

We have published initial guidance which includes eligibility for the Close Contact Fund. This information is available on the Scottish Government website: Coronavirus (COVID-19): funding for businesses affected by Omicron control measures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and the Find Business Support website:

Close Contact Services Fund (findbusinesssupport.gov.scot) . Businesses will be able to apply for the close contact fund from Monday 14 th February.

Question reference: S6T-00500

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent National Records of Scotland report, Healthy Life Expectancy in Scotland, showing that healthy life expectancy has decreased in each of the last four years for females, and in each of the last three years for males.

Question reference: S6T-00499

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Fire Brigades Union on its plans to remove the bottom of classroom doors.