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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.

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Question reference: S6W-03960

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding ending the use of animals in research and testing.

Question reference: S6W-03733

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to engage with the work submitted to the Scottish Parliament's Non-Government Bills Unit (NGBU) on fair rents in the last parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-03735

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any work that it has carried out to date on its proposed legislation on fair rents.

The Scottish Government has committed to delivering a new deal for tenants and to consulting on the options, deliver legislation and implementing an effective national system of rent controls by the end of 2025.

Our aim is to ensure quality, affordability and fairness for everyone who rents their homes and we will set out our proposals for taking this work forward in our forthcoming rented sector strategy which we aim to publish for consultation by the end of this calendar year.

Tenant participation is at the heart of our work to develop the Strategy and we are working in partnership with the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Tenants Information Service and the Tenant Participation Advisory Service, as well as existing tenant groups, to understand tenants’ lived experiences and hear their views.

Alongside the views of tenants and stakeholders who respond to the consultation on the strategy, we will consider a wide range of information, evidence and expert views on rent controls, including examining international comparisons, to inform the policy development of this important area of work.

Question reference: S6W-03729

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take, and within what timescale, to ensure that NICE guidelines for patients with cerebral palsy are fully implemented to ensure that everyone with the condition has access to a review by a cerebral palsy specialist once a year.

We are committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with Cerebral Palsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from services that are safe, effective and put the person at the centre of their care.

Over the next five years the Scottish Government will invest £4.5 million of funding to implement the aims and commitments of the Neurological Care and Support – a National Framework for Action . These aims include improving the provision of co-ordinated health and social care and support for people with neurological conditions to live on their own terms. Through the Framework, we have supported a number of projects that provide support to patients in order to improve access to services, including cerebral palsy.

NHS Boards are expected to ensure that patients, including those who require cerebral palsy services, have access to a range of professionals to provide the appropriate management of their condition. We would further expect clinicians to have good awareness of guidance relevant to their practice area and apply these taking account of individual circumstances and discussions with the patient, including considering regular reviews for people with cerebral palsy, tailored to their needs and preferences.

We will continue to work with NHS, third sector partners and people with Cerebral Palsy to drive up standards of care.

Question reference: S6W-03566

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Electricians Working Group last met and what issues it discussed.

Question reference: S6W-03567

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the Electricians Working Group is next scheduled to meet and what issues will be on the agenda.

Question reference: S6W-03709

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is undertaking to assess levels of vitamin D deficiency in (a) general and (b) relation to levels of deprivation, in light of the most recent survey on this issue reportedly being undertaken in 2010-12.

Question reference: S6W-03999

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-00302

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase support and encourage more women into business, entrepreneurship and the labour market.

There is a clear gender gap in business participation and the Scottish Government is committed to closing that gap, unlocking the full economic potential of women in enterprise, and to supporting women into work and business. We have brought a range of measure to encourage and support employers to take action such as our Women Returners Programme which will see up to 1,500 women return to the workforce. We are also committed to developing an ambitious plan for the Women’s Business Centre, backed by an investment of up to £50m to ensure that women are fully supported to realise their business ambitions.

Question reference: S6O-00300

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people across the Scottish Borders receive their COVID-19 booster vaccinations.

The primary objective of the Autumn and Winter vaccination programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 and seasonal flu, specifically reducing the risk of hospitalisation and deaths, by protecting the most vulnerable.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) provided final advice on COVID-19 vaccination boosters on the 14 th of September with the first doses being administered from the following week. Which are being delivered alongside primary vaccinations for
‎ 12 to 15 year olds and many others.

The Member will be aware that delivery of booster vaccinations will run alongside our seasonal flu vaccination programme, which is the largest seasonal flu programme ever delivered in Scotland. Based on JCVI advice, we are working from the highest risk to lower risk groups and we are aiming, wherever possible, to offer both booster and flu jabs in a single appointment. This may mean that some lower risk groups (for example someone aged 64) may hear about their flu appointment from late October and be called to an appointment in November, which is a little later than would have been the case for a traditional flu only appointment. This is still ahead of the risk period and means that, wherever possible, people need only to come to one appointment for both vaccines.

While we have made a good start to the flu and booster vaccinations with over 686,248 flu delivered up to October 17th , 539,832 boosters and 8.2 million primary doses delivered as at October 26 th . But we continue to explore all avenues to accelerate our vaccinations activity as a matter of urgency.

For Covid-19 boosters - We are currently offering vaccination to those in older adult care homes; those who have the highest health risks (clinically extremely vulnerable); those age 70 years and over; frontline health and social are staff.

NHS Borders are utilising the National Vaccine Scheduling Service (NVSS) to schedule appointments for vaccination. NHS Borders like other health boards commenced from the week of the 20th of September, their Covid-19 boosters. From this week we are starting to send out invites for those in the next groups, which are those age 60-69 year and those 16+ years with underlying health conditions. before opening up a public portal in mid-November for everyone else who is eligible.