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-32871

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 11 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10494 by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 August 2017, which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works have been completed, broken down by (a) the number of properties being protected, (b) the completion date and (c) what the (i) initial forecast and (ii) final cost was of each.

Details are as follows:

Scheme	(a) Properties Protected	(b) Completion Date	(c)(i) Initial Cost (£ million) (1)	(c) (ii) Estimated Final Cost (£ million)
Huntly	63	2017	4.9	3.8
Newmill	18	2017	1.9	1.8
Dundee	200	2018	6.2	6.9
Kirkwall	750	2018	1.8	1.8
White Cart Water Phase 3	100	2019	5.9	7.2
Camlachie Burn	410	2019	1.2	1.7
Broxburn (Liggat Syke)	Not held	2019	Not held	Not held
New Cumnock Phase 1 Complete Phase 2 Under construction	95	P1 2018 P2 July 2022	3.3	6.2

(1) Note: Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17.

Question reference: S5W-32042

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, prior to 24 September 2020, whether there has ever been a legally enforceable (a) travel ban and (b) restriction on people meeting in the west of Scotland.

The local measures introduced within seven west of Scotland Local Authorities were made with regard to the nature and extent of the public health risk, including the sources of infection Such decisions are never taken lightly and are made with due consideration of the four harms as set out in the Scottish Government's framework for decision making.

To this effect, no travel ban was introduced within the areas to which the local measures were introduced.

Scottish Government guidance (published on our website and through our social media channels) made clear that people in the affected local authority areas should not meet socially with other people out with their own or extended households in private indoor settings.

This restriction has now been extended nationally, and the underpinning legislative changes that were in the process of being developed for the local measures have now been made through the Health Protection (Coronavirus)(Restrictions and Requirements) 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31481

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 14 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the request by Aberdeenshire Council for emergency funding to replace the bridges that have been damaged by flash flooding near King Edward, Banff, and what action it will take to ensure that people and businesses living in the community are not cut off from each other and from services.

Maintenance of the local road network is the responsibility of local authorities to allocate resources on the basis of local priorities. The vast majority of funding to local authorities from the Scottish Government is provided via a block grant and we do not stipulate how local authorities should utilise their individual allocations. It is therefore the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The Scottish Government has taken exceptional measures in every area of government as we deal with the challenges of COVID-19, and that is particularly clear in our support for local services. To date, almost £330 million of additional funding has been committed to local authorities by the Scottish Government and to avoid any potential cash flow problems we agreed with COSLA to front-load our weekly grant payments to local authorities by £455 million during May, June and July.

Question reference: S5W-31330

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 31 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is currently a legal ban on the opening of non-essential offices, or whether this is simply advice, and who decides what is essential and non-essential.

There is currently no legal ban on the opening of non-essential offices. Based on the public health risks, our clear advice is that non-essential offices remain closed, and this position is regularly reviewed. The current status of the epidemic in Scotland means that changes in the route map are being introduced in stages, rather than all at once.

All business workplaces that are not specifically required to close should consider whether what they do is essential to the effort against the virus and whether the business is able to open in accordance with the current position in the Scotland's Route Map. Business workplaces should also consider whether they are able to consistently practice safe physical distancing and comply with all other standard health and safety requirements. Remote working should remain the default position for those who can do so.

To support the safe return to these types of workplaces (when the public health advice allows), the Scottish Government has published guidance for contact centres and general safer workplaces guidance.

Essential and non-essential services are determined by whether they sit within the Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors.

Question reference: S5W-31237

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 31 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Honk for Hope event that took place in Edinburgh on 6 August 2020, and the reported challenges facing the coach sector during the COVID-19 outbreak, whether it will respond to the proposal for support set out by the Confederation of Passenger Transport UK.

Question reference: S5W-31240

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the evidence on which it based its decision not to advise that secondary school students should wear face coverings in schools.

The evidence was set out in the guidance on physical distancing in schools by the Covid-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children's issues, which was published on 16 July. However, in the light of the latest scientific and public health advice, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, the Scottish Government has, after discussion with the Education Recovery Group, updated the advice on the use of face coverings in secondary schools and on school transport. Unless specific exemptions apply, face coverings should now be worn in secondary schools by adults and pupils in corridors and confined communal areas where physical distancing is difficult to maintain. Face coverings should also be worn by all children aged 5 and over on dedicated school transport, in line with the guidance for public transport. The advice from the Advisory Sub-Group, and updated guidance on school reopening were published on 25 August to reflect the latest position.

Question reference: S5W-30328

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the evidence that it has taken into consideration when deciding to maintain quarantine arrangements for international travel, including potential "air corridors".

The Scottish Government has based its decisions on evidence from Public Health England and prevalence measures from the UK Joint Biosecurity Centre.

For both the UK and Scotland this is based on an assessment of risk by Public Health England, and the relative prevalence of Covid against other nations. The evidence is shared with us but we do not own it and therefore we cannot publish it. I wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport 24 July asking the UK Government to publish the evidence.

Question reference: S5W-30329

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 26 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, since quarantine regulations came into force on 8 June 2020, how many people arriving in Scotland have been (a) quarantined, (b) contacted by NHS boards and (c) identified as bringing COVID-19 into the country.

Quarantine regulations began on 8 June 2020, data was first received from the Home Office 29 June for passengers identified as requiring to quarantine from 22 June.

The PHS COVID-19 Statistical Report from Wednesday 19 August will include data for the first time on the number of people arriving in Scotland from outside the UK, the current number of which were required to quarantine and those contacted by the National Contact Tracing Centre.

a) Latest figures received from the Home Office from the period 22 June to 15 August 36,826 people who are required to quarantine in Scotland (all countries prior to 30th June; high risk countries from 30th June), adults aged 18 and over only.

b) Individual Health Boards do not contact passengers identified as requiring to quarantine.

The Home Office shares the contact details of passengers identified as requiring to quarantine with Public Health Scotland, in accordance with an agreement between both organisations.

Public Health Scotland (PHS) select a random sample of all those required to stay in their specified premises upon arrival to be used by the National Contact Tracing Centre who contact people during their period of self-isolation for the provision of public health advice and information.

Since June 22; 2,498 successful contacts have been made with a further 430 in progress and 11,000 emails have been sent with additional public health guidance in relation to quarantine and self-isolation.

c) Information not held.

Question reference: S5W-27875

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 19 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, following the UK Government’s budget statement 2020, which announced the intention to provide £1 billion of funding to remove dangerous cladding from residential buildings over 18 metres high, what plans it has to provide an equivalent proportion of funding to carry out this fire safety work on high rise residential buildings in Scotland.

We note with interest the UK Government's further announcement on its Building Safety Fund. We are currently clarifying the consequential funding that will accrue to Scotland as a result of the commitment by the UK Government and Scottish Ministers will take a decision on the most appropriate use of any additional money in due course.

Based upon the advice already offered by the UK Government's expert panel, we will also prepare and issue further guidance to assist building owners in Scotland take appropriate action where concerns over external wall cladding systems are raised.

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT

Question reference: S5O-04299

Current Status: Withdrawn