Chamber and committees

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: S6F-00141

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6T-00101

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of female prisoners on remand, following reports that one-in-four women in custody are awaiting trial.

Question reference: S6T-00104

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Home Office regarding the reported backlog in processing applications for the EU settlement scheme.

Question reference: S6T-00090

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis it has introduced a ban on non-essential travel between Scotland and Manchester and Salford.

Question reference: S6W-00570

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that women who are pregnant, following the death of a baby, are prioritised for access to the continuity of carer model.

Our review of maternity and neonatal services, The Best Start: A Five-Year Forward Plan for Maternity and Neonatal Care in Scotland, recommended that all women receive continuity of maternity and obstetric care. The roll out of continuity of carer has started in all Boards, but further roll out was paused in many areas in light of COVID. The Best Start Programme Board has recently reconvened and is looking at remobilising continuity of carer and how that might be prioritised.

Question reference: S6W-00550

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when work will begin on a new road to bypass the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.

Development work began on a long term solution to the landslide risks at the A83 Rest and be Thankful last August and, on 18 March 2021, we announced a preferred corridor, along with potential route options within that corridor, for consultation.

As with other projects to improve the trunk road network, we will need to complete the necessary engineering and environmental assessments and statutory process to allow any land to be acquired before construction can commence.

We are also progressing work to look at a medium term resilient route through Glen Croe to include consideration of the Forestry Track, improvements to the Old Military Road and other options on land already owned by Scottish Ministers. Depending on the statutory consents required, that work will seek to develop a finalised proposal within 18 months.

We continue to explore methods to reduce the timescales to bring forward both the medium term and long term routes as soon as possible.

Question reference: S6W-00533

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment made in session 5 by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to the Education and Skills Committee on 17 February 2021, whether it is on course to update the Parliament regarding the Advance Payment Scheme before the summer recess.

Question reference: S6W-00625

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending the concessionary travel scheme to apply to asylum seekers accommodated in Glasgow under the Home Office Dispersal Programme.

There is no specific eligibility criterion for asylum seekers in either the current Concessionary Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons or the new National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons. We do not plan to extend either scheme in this way.

However, asylum seekers resident in Scotland, like all others who are aged over 60 or meet the disability criteria, are able to apply for free bus travel under the Older and Disabled Person’s Scheme. Young asylum seekers meeting the eligibility criteria for the Young Persons Scheme will also be able to apply for free bus travel when the scheme is launched later in this financial year.

Question reference: S6W-00515

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it chose not to follow the procedures used in the rest of the UK for recent large test events when planning for similar events, such as those that will take place during Euro 2020.

Scotland is not part of the UK Government’s Events Research Programme and our events therefore do not fall within its remit or procedures. We have, however, engaged with the UK Government throughout the Programme and we await the final report of Phase 1 and will consider the evidence contained in it, including the success of the procedures tested, to help inform our route ahead.

Meantime, we have adopted our own approach to supporting flagship events, putting in place a ‘Gateway process’ to ensure that selected events of international importance can take place over summer and autumn with limited numbers of attendees, outwith the Levels or any equivalent framework, subject to epidemiological conditions. Euro 2020 is the first of these flagship events, with the process enabling up to 12,000 spectators to attend games at Hampden as well as a Fan Zone accommodating up to 3000 per session.

Question reference: S6W-00603

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of claims that such a move could help the tourism sectors and might help prevent the spread of COVID-19, whether it plans to develop compatibility between the Check in Scotland app and the equivalent apps in the rest of the UK and, if so, what discussions it has had with the other UK administrations regarding this.

A significant difference with the underpinning data model makes interoperability between the Check in Scotland app and the NHS Covid19 app. challenging. However, we are exploring what enhancements can improve the overall user experience for citizens and visitors travelling between Scotland and the rest of the UK, and for contact tracing teams dealing with the visiting public.

The NHS England and Wales Covid app. cannot be used in Scotland, in any venues nor can the Test & Protect Check in Scotland app be used in England and Wales. This is due to a difference in legislation relating to the collection of contact details and the technical platform and data model of both products being used.

The data capture process that underpins both services, is completely different. The NHS Covid19 app, holds data locally on an individual’s device, contact tracing can push notifications to the device used to scan in/out and request contact information, no visitor contact details are collected at point of check-in. In Scotland, in line with regulations the Check In Scotland service (app and web service) collect contact details of visitors on check-in and hold for 21 days making contact tracing more effective in terms of timely access to contact data in the event of an outbreak.

All venues and settings in England and Wales must by law display Official NHS Covid19 posters and visitors must use the NHS Covid19 app to scan these posters. This is integrated into contact tracing systems in NHS England and Wales. This is not mandated in Scotland.

The Check In Scotland service can only be used in Scottish based venues (Scottish postcode and within a Scottish Health Board area) that have registered to participate. In Scotland, Check In Scotland is completely voluntarily voluntary for Scottish businesses to adopt, participating venues must display Official NHS Scotland posters and visitors must use the Check In Scotland app, camera function app or QR scanning app on mobile device to provide contact details. This is integrated directly into NHS Test & Protect contact tracing systems in Scotland.

Any UK or International visitors to Scotland that do not wish to download the Test & Protect Check In Scotland app. can use the camera function or QR scanning app on their mobile phone and use the Check In Scotland web service to provide contact details or provide these manually using a paper form that must be offered as an alternative by venues.

The Check In Scotland delivery team has recently been in communication with the UK Dept. of Health and Social Care, NHS Covid-19 app product team to explore what options are available and to enhance the user experience with a follow-up discussion planned week commencing the 21 June 2021.