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: S5W-35970

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given further consideration to ensuring that the fitness and exercise industry will re-open at the earliest opportunity as lockdown restrictions ease.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of being physically active and we want to see the sector to open when deemed safe to do so.

From Friday 12 March, outdoor exercise classes can take place of groups up to 15 people, so a fitness coach can lead a class of 14 others.

On 16 March the First Minister outlined some indicative dates for the resumption of sport and physical activity in Scotland. From 26 April indoor facilities including leisure centres, gyms, and swimming pools can reopen. When they reopen, children and young people under 18 can return to group classes and contact sport, and adults can resume activity in line with the rules around meeting other households. From Monday 17 May, adults can resume indoor group activity including non-contact sport. Indoor contact sport for adults is expected to resume in late June.

The indicative dates above are dependent on continued progress in suppressing the virus and rolling out vaccines.

Question reference: S5O-05151

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to reduce hospital waiting times.

Question reference: S5W-35594

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to target COVID-19 vaccinations in deprived areas following the completion of vaccination roll-out for medically-vulnerable groups.

The JCVI group has considered evidence and all factors including age, ethnicity, occupation and additional vulnerabilities and concluded that rapid vaccine deployment is the most important means to maximise public health benefits against severe outcomes from COVID-19.

The JCVI also recommends a particular focus through communications and outreach on promoting uptake of the vaccination in Phase 2 by men, those who are in particular minority ethnic communities, those who are obese/morbidly obese, and those experiencing socio-economic deprivation.

The Scottish Government is working with faith based, third sector and community groups to reach out to more people from deprived communities to increase the vaccine uptake.

Details of this work will be provided to members shortly.

Question reference: S5W-35697

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether social housing staff will be considered as a priority group for the COVID-19 vaccine, given their frequent interaction with older and vulnerable people.

Question reference: S5W-35595

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the recovery of deprived areas from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fairness is at the heart of the Scottish Governments approach to the recovery from Covid-19. The impact on our economy and labour market has been significant and we are committed to work towards a better future for our communities and businesses. We must ensure that Scotland’s economy continues to attract investment and that we continue to nurture talent and opportunity for all including access to Fair Work.

Since March 2020 we have committed more than £1.2bn to support economic recovery. This is helping us build a stronger, more resilient and sustainable economy with a focus on creating new, high quality, green jobs. This includes support to protect people and communities impacted by Covid-19 and provided assistance to local authorities in consequential funding incorporating:

£40 million of flexible funding for local authorities to tackle financial insecurity.
£30 million to support people impacted by Covid-19 restrictions and guidance, helping ensure access to essentials like food and medicine.
A Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme, now backed by £40 million, supporting our third sector to continue to support people and communities in responding to the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

We know that employability support is pivotal in ensuring Scotland’s economic recovery - providing support to those most at risk to the adverse economic, health and social impacts of the Covid-19 crisis and delivering on our ambitions for Scotland to flourish through increased wellbeing and sustainable and inclusive economic growth. We recognise that existing inequalities in the Labour Market may be exacerbated by Covid-19 and have committed a further £125m in 2021-22 to: support delivery of the Young Persons Guarantee, ensuring every 16-24 year old has the opportunity of work, education or training, giving them the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of Covid-19; measures to recruit and retain apprentices, helping modern and graduate apprentices who are facing redundancy as a result of Covid-19 get back into work; the National Transition Training Fund to fund skills training to allow redundant workers or those seeking to retrain and develop skills in new or emerging sectors to access funding and courses; and, £20m to provide all-age support to individuals facing long-term unemployment.

Question reference: S5W-35597

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported increase in retail crime during the COVID-19 pandemic, whether it will establish a fund to support retailers seeking to improve their CCTV and security systems.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting retailers in tackling any form of retail crime. A new criminal offence of assaulting, threatening and/or abusing a retail worker is expected to commence at the end of Summer 2021.

Whilst there are currently no plans to establish a fund for improving retailer's CCTV and security equipment, the Scottish Government is working in partnership with CrimeStoppers, Fearless and the Scottish Grocers Federation on a campaign to raise awareness of the issue. The campaign will challenge people to think about how they interact with retail workers and encourage retail workers to report criminal behaviour to the Police or anonymously through CrimeStoppers or Fearless.

Question reference: S5O-05110

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when the process will commence to appoint a new operator for the ScotRail franchise.

Question reference: S5O-05065

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the needs of local government.

Question reference: S5O-05041

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote fair pay practices.

Workers must be paid – and paid fairly – for the work they do. Fair pay is fundamental to Fair Work and we are committed to promoting payment of the real Living Wage and employer accreditation. We have included payment of the real Living Wage in the criteria for our flagship Fair Work First policy - a key mechanism for driving fair pay in Scottish workplaces. There are now over 1900 Living Wage accredited employers in Scotland. At 84.8% of employees Scotland remains the best performing of all four UK countries in relation to the proportion of employees paid the Living Wage or more.

Question reference: S5W-34753

Asked by: James Kelly, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates applications will reopen for the 2021-22 First Home Fund.