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-28614

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much influence it considers the need to control resources had in the four nations' personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance that it has signed up to in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The development of the UK-wide 4 nations COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidance was based on current evidence for droplet transmission.

The transmission of COVID-19 is considered to occur mainly through respiratory droplets generated by coughing and sneezing, and through direct and indirect contact from hands or contaminated surfaces/environment respectively. The UK-wide 4 nations COVID-19 IPC guidance, which includes PPE guidance, is therefore based on the current evidence for both droplet and contact precautions.

Currently there is no evidence of airborne transmission of COVID-19, however Aerosol-Generating Procedures (AGPs) have been associated with an increased risk of transmission through aerosolization when AGPs are carried out. Therefore, the IPC and PPE guidance reflects this associated risk with AGPs.

Current UK IPC guidance also recommends that, during this period of sustained community transmission, health and social care staff risk assess use of appropriate PPE when delivering direct care to people not considered to be COVID-19 positive.

The guidance had input from Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) experts from across the UK, the 4 UK nations Public Health bodies, the Royal Colleges, and was ultimately agreed by the four country Chief Medical Officers and Chief Nursing Officers.

Given the Scottish Governments considerable additional PPE provision to the hospital, primary care, pharmacy and social care sectors and to unpaid carers and personal assistants, it should be clear that this action was not driven by resource constraint.

Question reference: S5W-28621

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 18 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will depart from the four nations' personal protective equipment (PPE) guidance in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and instruct that all carers wear surgical masks whenever they administer care to vulnerable people, whether in the community, supported accommodation, care homes or clinical settings.

Updated PPE guidance was published on 2 April 2020 for health and social care workers. This followed a review of the existing guidance against the latest evidence and WHO advice, on the safest way to protect health and social care staff. The guidance had input from Royal Colleges and was agreed by the Chief Medical Officers and Chief Nursing Officers in the UK. It outlines what type of PPE frontline health and social care workers should be wearing in different settings and scenarios.

Importantly, in terms of shielding the extremely vulnerable in our society, the guidance advises that secondary, primary and community care workers should wear a surgical mask when providing care to any individuals in the extremely vulnerable group.

In addition to this, the guidance also recommends that care workers providing direct care to patients or residents should risk assess sessional use of a fluid resistant face mask along with other appropriate PPE. Where staff consider there is a risk to themselves or the individuals they are caring for, they should wear a fluid repellent surgical mask with or without eye protection as determined by the individual staff member. This guidance was also outlined in the joint statement https://www.gov.scot/news/protecting-the-social-care-workforce/ , published on
‎ 9 April 2020, by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Trade Unions.

Question reference: S5T-02136

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how soon it will begin to test asymptomatic people in the community as part of its test, trace, isolate and support strategy.

Question reference: S5W-28223

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 16 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will identify and support people over 70 who are not on the shielded list during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Scottish Government has asked people over 70 outwith the shielded group, to adhere to public health guidance. We recognise that some people are unable to leave home, are without support and may need others’ help. In response, we launched a new national Helpline on 14 April which will support people to connect with their Local Authority for information, advice and signposting to a range of support and organisations. The Helpline number is 0800 111 4000 and will be accompanied by a radio and television campaign.

In addition, the Scottish Government is preparing a national leaflet drop to every household in Scotland which will reinforce ‘Stay at home’ messages and provide further information. This will build on existing systems used for health and social care and housing, which are already helping local authorities to identify people at risk, along with key third sector partners.

As part of the £350 million Communities Fund launched on 18 March, a £70 million Food Fund is also ensuring local authorities and Resilience Partnerships can get food to people who would otherwise be unable to access it.

Question reference: S5O-04319

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 25 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a role for volunteers to ease pressure on health and social care during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Volunteers are part of the fabric of the NHS in Scotland and we recognise and appreciate the enormous contribution they make to the lives of individuals and communities. Volunteers enhance service provision, helping to free up professional resources and we are working as a matter of urgency to maximise volunteering opportunities. A number of NHS Boards are considering developing a specific volunteer role to support the service in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Such a role is likely to evolve from existing volunteer roles such as mealtime assistants and ward volunteering, but may be developed further to meet local need and demand.

Question reference: S5O-04251

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much it is spending in 2020-21 to provide some stability for farmers and crofters in light of ongoing uncertainties caused by Brexit.

Since October last year over £380 million has been paid through National Basic Payment Scheme and LFASS loans. This is over £13 million more than the autumn and winter of 2018-19.

We have committed £934.5 million for the coming year, this represents the full spending power - resource and capital - for the Rural Economy portfolio in 2020-21.

It includes over £600 million through the Common Agricultural Policy which will provide financial security and certainty to Scotland's farmers and crofters who are on the front line of Brexit impacts.

Question reference: S5O-04206

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to uphold the single sex exemptions under the Equality Act 2010, what its response is to concerns that this could be undermined by allowing male hospital patients who identify as female, including those who have made no physical changes, to be placed in wards that match their gender identity.

Question reference: S5W-27261

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether accelerating the construction of new houses to certified Passivhaus standard would be a positive response to the climate crisis declared in Scotland.

The construction of new housing that has low energy use will reduce the associated carbon emissions and assist in mitigating against the impacts of climate change. A certified Passivhaus may be considered one example of such a low energy building.

As part of the global climate emergency we are further improving energy standards for all new homes for 2021 and have made a commitment that new homes should use only renewable or low carbon heat from 2024.

In response to a 2018 ‘call for evidence’ on review of energy standards set by building regulations, the Passivhaus Trust suggested that, as a proven low-energy standard, Passivhaus could be a useful tool for the Scottish Government to achieve its carbon reduction aspirations. However, they also recognised that simply setting Passivhaus as the required standard for all new construction was unrealistic. In response, we have committed to investigate how the principles of Passivhaus and similar low energy standards can be applied as part of review of energy standards for new homes from 2021.

Question reference: S5W-27260

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing financial incentives to developers to enable the accelerated construction of new homes to certified Passivhaus standard.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that, from 2024, new homes constructed must use renewable or low carbon heat. We are working with the construction sector to develop regulations to achieve this, and will consult upon our approach. In developing these regulations, we will consider what financial incentives could be offered to developers to accelerate construction of homes before 2024 to meet the low carbon and renewable heat standard.

Homes certified to Passivhaus standard have been delivered through the Scottish Government’s Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Question reference: S5W-27262

Asked by: Joan McAlpine, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 21 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what role encouraging the construction of more homes to certified Passivhaus standard could have on lifting residents out of fuel poverty.

Tackling fuel poverty is a priority for the Scottish Government and improving the energy efficiency of homes to ensure that they are both warmer and cheaper to heat will help to lift residents out of fuel poverty

The construction of homes certified to Passivhaus standard provides housing that uses very little energy and therefore makes homes cheaper to heat which could help some households out of fuel poverty. We have committed to investigate how the principles of Passivhaus and similar low energy standards can be applied as part of review of energy standards for new homes from 2021.