- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it made the decision to reduce SEPA's budget from £43.4 million to £41.4 million in its draft Budget; what aspects of SEPA's operations it anticipates may not proceed as a result of this reduction; what its position is on whether SEPA will still be able to deliver all operations and services that it is required to following this budget reduction, and what the evidential basis is for its position.
Answer
SEPA’s draft budget allocation for 2022-23 is £41.406 million. This year’s budget settlement represents the best possible outcome against the backdrop of significant pressures on public finances, including a 10% reduction in cash terms compared with 2021-22, in Scottish Government’s capital budget, and the level of resources required to deliver statutory functions and agreed Ministerial environmental priorities across 2022-23. The Scottish Government are in dialogue with SEPA on the specific priorities to be reflected in their 2022-23 Operational Plan ,which is due to be published April 2022. The Plan will include work such as developing regulation for the Deposit Return Scheme and Single Use Plastics. Delivery of Scotland’s River Basin Management Plan will continue to be a core priority as will their Flood Forecasting and Warning Service.
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reserves that would be required for an independent Scottish central bank.
Answer
The Scottish Government will bring forward a prospectus for an independent Scotland, including the arrangements for a central bank, in good time before the independence referendum to allow people to make an informed choice over their future.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of elective surgeries were cancelled in each month since March 2020, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
Public Health Scotland (PHS) publishes monthly statistics relating to the number of cancelled planned operations at health board level, a summary of which is available the following link:
https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancelled-planned-operations/
The latest statistics published cover the period up to 30 November 2021 and the percentage of planned operations that were cancelled each month from March 2020 onwards can be found within the tab ‘Publication table (%)’ in the table below
https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/media/11000/2022-01-11-cancellations.xlsx
These statistics are sourced from local theatre systems and only includes cancellations that were cancelled the day before, or on the day the patient was due to be treated. PHS does not collect information on cancellations that occur prior to this.
- Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have been built or refurbished since 2017, or are in the planning stage, in the Stirling local authority area.
Answer
Statistics on the number of schools that have been built or substantially refurbished since 2017 are available in tables 7.1 and 7.2 of the School Estate Statistics Supplementary Data, available here: https://www.gov.scot/collections/school-education-statistics/#schoolestatesstatistics .
Information on schools with confirmed investment plans is included in table 8 of the same publication. In 2021 there was one school in Stirling - Aberfoyle Primary School - with confirmed investment plans. Additionally, Callander Primary School is due to receive funding under phase 2 of the Scottish Government's Learning Estate Investment Programme.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress on the implementation of a Once for Scotland care model and improved care services for people who require stoma care.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people who require stoma care services are able to receive the best possible care and support wherever possible and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put the patient at the centre of their care.
A range of nurses and support workers with mixed responsibilities can support patients who have stomas across health and social care. There are many nurses within differing units and specialities within NHS Boards and social care, including in the community, who are able to support stoma patients alongside stoma clinical nurse specialists.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the current ratio is of people who need stoma care to specialist stoma nurses in NHS Scotland, and what assessment it has made of how this compares with the ratio in the NHS elsewhere in the UK.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold or collate this information.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of how NHS Education for Scotland (NES) can work with the Scottish Stoma Nurse Forum to develop a framework of post-graduate educational and clinical preparation requirements for stoma care nurses, in line with the NES Career Development Framework and the Chief Nursing Officer Directorate's Transforming Roles Programme.
Answer
We recognise and value Stoma Care Nurses as a role in the wider Clinical Nurse Specialist workforce and as such they were included under the auspices of the national work which reviewed the Clinical Nurse Specialist role, in line with the NHS Education for Scotland Career Development Framework and the Chief Nursing Officer Directorate's Transforming Roles Programme.
NES will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government and NHS Boards to develop a clear education and career pathway for Clinical Nurse Specialists to maximise the contribution of the role in line with the current and future needs of Scotland’s health and care system. The existing Education and the Career Pathway model will support Stoma Care Nurses to identify their education needs.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to tanning salon operators whose business was affected by the recent COVID-19 restrictions on the hospitality sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the impact the necessary public health restrictions has had on businesses, including tanning salon operators.
We recently announced £375m of support for businesses impacted by measures introduced to control the spread of Omicron and have provided details on how £266m of this will be allocated. This includes £19m for close contact businesses.
This £19m for close contact businesses is targeted at those who have been the most affected by the updated public health guidance introduced from 9 December 2021 to 24 January 2022. Beauty services, hairdressers and wellness services that provide spray and application tanning are eligible, however retail businesses utilising sunbeds are not in scope at this stage.
Decisions on the allocation of the remaining funds will be confirmed following further analysis and consultation with affected sectors on how it can best be targeted.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding estimates of the number of people in the Glasgow region who have been affected by an underpayment of benefits after transitioning from incapacity benefit to employment and support allowance.
Answer
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) is reserved to the UK Government. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) publishes an estimate of ESA and other income-related benefits every six months, at a UK-wide level only. The latest figures published (covering 2018-2019) show that 94% of the total amount of Income Support or Income-related ESA that could have been claimed was claimed. On 8 July 2021 the DWP published their final update on cases that were potentially affected by underpayments of Employment and Support Allowance on transition from Incapacity Benefit. This information is also at UK-wide level, and shows that the UK Government has paid £613 million to those affected by the move from Incapacity Benefit to ESA.
- Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a scheme for people to obtain a COVID-19 proof of recovery certificate for the purpose of travel to countries where such certification is required.
Answer
Proof of recovery status was added to the international page of the Covid Status app on 9 January. This is the easiest way for someone to demonstrate they have had Covid in the previous 180 days when travelling to countries where certification is required.
In the absence of the app, the text or email message the person received from test and protect when they tested positive can be used as an alternative way of demonstrating the date they tested positive for Covid.
We are currently exploring other non-digital alternatives for proof of recovery certification for those unable to use the app.
Each country has its own guidance and requirements in relation to proof of Covid-19 status and vaccinations and we would urge people to refer to the relevant countries’ guidance on gov.uk before travelling.
