Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing a dual carriageway between Inverness and Aberdeen.

All Major trunk road projects are subject to detailed review and assessment work to ensure we deliver the right schemes and keep impacts on the environment to the absolute minimum and the A96 Dualling is no exception to that.

Details of the outcome of each stage in the design and assessment process which have been progressed to date for each section in preparation are available from the Transport Scotland website at https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a96-dualling-inverness-to-aberdeen/ .

Delivery of each section of the programme can only commence if approved under the relevant statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for progress can be set.

Where it is possible to do so, our consultants continue to advance design work during the COVID-19 pandemic, whilst complying with current restrictions. While we continue to progress as much as we can during this time, there have been some delays to progressing some preparatory work due to the pandemic, for example essential site surveys.

As such it is likely that there will be some impact on each of the sections comprising the A96 Dualling however it is too early to say what that full impact will be.

Following conclusion of route option assessment work, a preferred option for the East of Huntly to Aberdeen section was announced in December 2020. A copy of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Stage 2 Scheme Assessment Report, which reports on the outcome of the route option assessment process, is available on the Transport Scotland website https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/dmrb-stage-2-assessment-report
-east-of-huntly-to-aberdeen-a96-dualling/ .

The next stage in the design process is to progress the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option and during this stage the estimate cost of the scheme will continue to be refined and updated as the design becomes more developed. Further consultations will also be undertaken as part of this process and the vital feedback received will be taken into account as we further develop the proposed scheme.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34138 on 22 February 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Incident management team recommended on August 18 2020, that a staged opening of hospitality venues in Aberdeen should be considered, subject to risk based site specific reviews. They suggested lower risk settings could be lifted on August 22, with higher risk settings opening on August 26. At the review of the Aberdeen restrictions on 19 August there was still concern as the number of cases not related to original cluster was still high in comparison to the rest of Scotland which may suggest community transmission was taking place. It is therefore the government's view that it was not yet safe to lift these restrictions immediately, however in view of the progress that had been made in Aberdeen and the finely balanced decision a further review was scheduled for 23 August. Following that review the First Minister announced that from Monday 24th August 2020 most Aberdeen restrictions were lifted including the five-mile travel limit, restrictions on gatherings and limitations on hospital and care home visits. This brought Aberdeen broadly in line with the rest of Scotland. On Wednesday 26 August cafes, restaurants, pubs, casinos or any hospitality element premises were able to open, once an environmental health check had been completed.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34138 on 22 February 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Since 2016 The Scottish Government has had a joint policy with COSLA to ensure that all adult social care workers are paid at least the real living wage. During 2018-19, this commitment was extended to include those undertaking overnight social care support. It covers adult social care workers providing direct care and support to adults in care homes, care at home, day care and housing support.

Social care workers have a range of employers who, as in other sectors, determine their terms and conditions. The commissioning of social care services is carried out by local authorities and Health and Social Care Partnerships. Last year, the Scottish Government provided additional funding of £8.8 million to Integration Authorities to deliver the real living wage commitment to ensure at least £9.30 per hour for social care staff.

Scottish Government does not hold the level of data requested. Employment law is a reserved matter, therefore the Scottish Government does not have the power to enforce employers to pay the real living wage, although we strongly encourage them to do so.

Scottish Government launched the Social Care Staff Support Fund on 25 June 2020 to ensure that social care workers receive their expected income should they be off ill or self-isolating due to coronavirus.

Longer term, one of the initial priorities for the Fair Work in Social Care Group has been to examine ways to enhance fair work for the social care workforce, using the recommendations of the Fair Work Convention report on social care as a starting point. Work is underway with the group to develop and implement proposals to embed fair work principles that will lead to better terms and conditions and more rewarding roles for the social care workforce. The report published by the Independent Review of Adult Social Care also provides a number of recommendations to improve pay, terms and conditions and support for the social care workforce. These recommendations are being carefully considered by Ministers and a Parliamentary Debate took place on 16 February to discuss the Review and its recommendations.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34138 on 22 February 2021. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

In line with Health Protection Scotland guidance, individuals in custody are not routinely tested for COVID-19 prior to transfer to another establishment.

Any individual who is confirmed as having COVID-19 would not be transferred until their isolation period has ended at the earliest. In addition, if an individual presents as symptomatic for COVID-19, they also would not be transferred until a test was conducted that produced a negative result, or their isolation period concluded. These measures have been put in place to mitigate risk of infection between establishments.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Any individual in custody who displays symptoms of Covid-19 is isolated and tested by NHS.

Any SPS member of staff who displays symptoms of Covid-19 is also required to self-isolate and advised to get a COVID test. SPS staff may be tested by local NHS Health Boards or, as keyworkers, staff can access National Testing Centres through the Key Staff portal.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Since 25 May 2020 all NHS Health Boards have tested those in custody who are showing signs of Covid-19. SPS does not hold information on the number of COVID-19 tests that have been carried out as local NHS Health Boards are responsible for testing anyone in custody who has symptoms of COVID-19. Any data relating to the testing of those in custody may be held by individual boards.

Since April 2020 there have been 223 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within Scottish prisons. This has been across 12 establishments.