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-32692

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 16 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) staffing and (b) budget resources it has allocated to evaluating and taking forward pilot events allowing the gradual return of spectators to football matches.

Question reference: S5W-32691

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 16 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a plan outlining how it aims to achieve a gradual return of spectators to football matches.

Question reference: S5W-32689

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 16 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its evaluation of the pilot events allowing spectators to attend the football matches at Aberdeen and Ross County on 12 September 2020.

Detailed evaluations of the pilot football matches were produced by both clubs which were shared with the Scottish Government.

We are continuing to working in partnership with the football authorities, clubs and other key partners to learn from those pilots to ensure the necessary public health measures are in place to open up stadia to a limited numbers of supporters once it is safe to do so.

Learning from the pilots fed into the strategic framework which sets out how we are working to achieve this for areas with level 0 and level 1 restrictions and we have already seen supporters return to Ross County home games as the Highland Council is currently in level 1.

Question reference: S5W-32301

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessments it has (a) conducted and (b) commissioned on the impact of care home deaths in Scotland, and whether it will publish each of these.

The Scottish Government published an evidence paper to accompany the Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan 2020-21 on 3 November 2020 which included analysis of outbreaks and deaths associated with Covid-19 in Scottish care homes. This brings together key learning including from national and international evidence, including the Public Health Scotland’s report on discharges from hospital to care homes.

In addition, a Root Cause Analysis of four sample homes was commissioned to better understand the characteristics and risk factors of outbreaks in care homes.

The Adult Social Care Winter Preparedness Plan 2020-21 and associated evidence paper is available on the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/adult-social-care-winter-preparedness-plan-2020-21/

Public Health Scotland’s report can be accessed here: https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/discharges-from-nhsscotland-hospitals-to-care-homes/

The Scottish Government commissioned Root Cause Analysis can be accessed here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/root-cause-analysis-care-home-outbreaks/

Question reference: S5W-32752

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was consulted by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) prior to its decision by the Council to delay publication of the full Notice of Decision in relation to decisions to impose a sanction on a worker’s registration, and whether it was consulted prior to SSSC’s decision to revert to previous practice from 1 November 2020.

This is an operational matter. The SSSC as an independent professional regulator is responsible for any decisions on changes to operational delivery.

The Scottish Government was informed by SSSC in March of the decision to delay publication of the full Notice of Decision but would continue to publish the outcome of all hearings on their website.

In September, SSSC advised the Scottish Government that publication of the full Notice of Decision would resume beginning 1 November. All new decisions from that date will be published as normal along with full notices for the decisions made since March.

Question reference: S5W-32751

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 2 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the decision by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to delay the publication of the full Notice of Decision in relation to decisions to impose a sanction on a worker’s registration was consistent with the requirements of the SSSC Fitness to Practice Public Information Policy 2020.

SSSC have continued to publish information about the Registrant’s name, part of the Register, sanction outcome, and date when the order comes into effect. In doing so, they have continued to comply with their legal requirement to provide access to the Register as set out in regulations. These regulations require that the Register is accessible by the public and along with the name and town of employment of registered workers, it must also contain details of any removal order or suspension order

As set out in the SSSC Fitness to Practice Public Information Policy 2020 at 8.1, SSSC’s practice is to “normally publish the Notice of Decision on our website within 14 days of the hearing.” Due to the pandemic, which has not been a normal time, SSSC extended the publication timescale. Publication is due to resume on 1 November.

Question reference: S5W-32300

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many deaths of care homes residents where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate have been recorded for each (a) local authority area and (b) care home provider.

The National Records of Scotland (NRS) publishes monthly statistics on deaths registered in Scotland where COVID-19 is mentioned on the death certificate.

NRS has published these statistics broken down by local authority and location on 16 September 2020. This can be accessed on NRS’ website:

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/vital-events/general-publications/weekly-and-monthly-data-on-births-and-deaths/deaths-involving-coronavirus-covid-19-in-scotland/related-statistics

The Scottish Government publishes data each week based on the Care Inspectorate’s report on deaths of care home residents in Scotland but this is not broken down by care home provider.

Question reference: S5W-32561

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it uses track and trace technology to identify how many people are moving from areas with greater COVID-19 restrictions to those with fewer and, if not, whether it is considering doing so.

Question reference: S5W-32302

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 29 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to re-evaluate Transport Scotland’s route design proposals for a new dual carriageway to replace the existing A96 between Huntly and Kintore, in light of the Infrastructure Commission for Scotland's recommendation that it should develop “an investment hierarchy for Scotland, which prioritises a greater focus on maintenance of existing assets over new build”.

The draft Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-2022 to 2025-2026 sets out our long term vision of infrastructure supporting an inclusive, net zero carbon economy in Scotland. The Plan responds to the Infrastructure Commission’s Phase One recommendations and shows how we will implement them in consultation with industry, delivery partners and the people of Scotland.

In the draft plan, which is currently being consulted upon, the Scottish Government has accepted the Infrastructure Commission recommendation to develop an ‘investment hierarchy’ which prioritises enhancing and maintaining our existing assets over new build.

However the draft plan also recognises that investment in a safe and resilient strategic transport network is also important to our economic growth and the draft plan reaffirms our commitment to the A96 Dualling as part of that objective.

In terms of the section of the A96 Dualling between Huntly and Aberdeen, Transport Scotland is currently taking forward the route options assessment process with a view to identifying a preferred option for this section in the coming months.

Question reference: S5O-04718

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to raise public awareness of its plans to introduce new fire and smoke alarm standards.