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-36181

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35234 by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021, how many (a) part-time (b) full-time staff are working on the development of vaccine (i) certificates and (ii) passports.

Question reference: S5W-35617

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the experience of Victoria in Australia in tackling COVID-19 to a point where no new cases were being reported and restrictions could be lifted.

The circumstances and progress of the epidemic varies between countries and countries adapt their response to suit their particular requirements. We look at a wide range of data from countries across the world, as we develop the approach to dealing with the pandemic that best meets Scotland’s circumstances.

The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework sets out our approach to tackling the virus. Originally published in October 2020, we have updated the Framework to take account of developments in both how the virus has been spreading through new variants as well as the success so far of the vaccination programme. You can read it here: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Strategic Framework update - February 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Our aim remains to Suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there, while we strive to return to a more normal life for as many people as possible. The Framework sets out in detail how we will gradually emerge from the current lockdown restrictions.

We will use all the tools now at our disposal to restore greater normality. This doesn’t mean just the vaccine programme but restrictions where appropriate, the test and protect programme, further support for individuals and businesses with adherence to the measures in place, and continued strong and clear advice and guidance on how we should all behave.

The protective measures announced on 5 January have been effective but we must be cautious in our approach to avoid another rapid rise in cases. A gradual approach to easing restrictions will allow us to monitor the situation and take further preventative action if required.

Question reference: S5W-35234

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its staff are working (a) partly and (b) fully on the development of COVID-19 vaccine passports.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the role that a vaccination certificate/passport may have. However, this work is still ongoing and a final decision has not been reached.

A key factor in the Scottish Government’s decision will be the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, their impact on transmission and the length of time for which each vaccine provides immunity. This information is, as yet, unavailable.

We continue to monitor all developments in relation to COVID-19, including on the subject of vaccine certification and continue to contribute to the World Health Organisation Safer Vaccination Programme on vaccine certification. This includes consideration of technical details, ethical and equality issues, and privacy standards. The outcome of those discussions will guide our work in this area.

A vaccination certificate could play a valuable role but there are various issues to work through, not least the significant equalities issues with allowing freedoms only to those vaccinated. Work, on a 4 nations basis, has started to scope and develop a technical solution to allow secure, authenticated access to Covid vaccination status. This is to ensure technology is not the limiting factor should the work underway indicate it would be appropriate to introduce certification at the right time.

A small number of staff in Scottish Government teams including; Covid Ready Society, Vaccinations, Community Surveillance, Scottish Government Legal Department, and several teams across Scottish Government that manage issues relating to the digital environment, have provided input in the work already undertaken.

The Scottish Government’s main focus remains on our national vaccine programme and ensuring that this is rolled out as quickly and effectively as possible.

Question reference: S5F-04866

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 March 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that Scotland faces a penalty of up to £190 million because of irregularities in its EU structural fund spending.

Question reference: S5W-35021

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish the consultation on the spatial planning framework for sea lice.

Question reference: S5W-35020

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to implement the recommendations of the Salmon Interactions Working Group.

Question reference: S5W-34741

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33422 by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020, what plans it has to include heart valve disease in the successor 2021 Heart Disease Improvement Plan.

Through the refresh of the Heart Disease Improvement Plan we will continue to drive improvement to minimise preventable heart disease and to ensure that everyone with heart disease, including people with heart valve disease, has timely and equitable access to diagnosis, treatment and care that supports them in living well with their condition.

We have and will continue to engage with key stakeholders on the development of the refreshed plan.

Question reference: S5W-34740

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care and treatment of people with heart valve disease, and what plans it has to ensure that they can continue to receive timely access.

We know that people with a heart condition are at higher risk of becoming ill if they contract Covid-19.

Public Health Scotland Statistics on COVID-19’s impact on the health care system including cardiovascular procedures can be found at:

https://scotland.shinyapps.io/phs-covid-wider-impact/

Public Health Scotland Statistics data on COVID-19 across NHSScotland can be found at:

https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/

NHS Boards have now been asked to prepare their Remobilisation Plans for 2021-22, which are expected to reflect the principles of Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the Framework for NHS Scotland, published in May last year. This includes a commitment to maintaining that balance and to identify and act to minimise risks arising from non-COVID-19 related urgent care, including care for those with heart valve disease.

Question reference: S5F-04776

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2021

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of introducing an internationally recognised, digital COVID-19 vaccine passport.

Question reference: S5W-34644

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will extend its COVID-19 business support funding to dry cleaners, which it has categorised as essential businesses that can remain open, making them ineligible for grants or other support except the furlough scheme, in light of the financial impact they have experienced as a result of their main customers having to close during the current restrictions.

We understand the economic impact that restrictions are having on businesses. We have significantly increased our financial support for businesses to match the severity of the restrictions necessary to control the virus and since the beginning of the pandemic have allocated £3 billion for business support. Local authorities are also empowered through the Local Authority Discretionary Fund, which we recently doubled to £60 million, to direct funding to specific groups or sectors within their local economies based on specific needs of local economy. Our focus is on delivering the maximum support for business and we will continue to consider new ways to support businesses.