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-29452

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is aware of regarding whether air conditioning systems that are used in hospitals, care homes and domestic properties can spread COVID-19, and whether it plans to undertake any research on this subject.

In May 2020, Health Protection Scotland carried out a Rapid Review of Literature: 'Assessing the infection prevention and control measures for the prevention and management of COVID-19 in health and care settings', which identified that, currently there is no clear evidence of airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19).

This is published on the HPS web site, https://hpspubsrepo.blob.core.windows.net/
hps-website/nss/2985/documents/1_covid-19-rapid-review-ipc-for-covid-19.pdf .

The current view of the UK experts considering such matters is that air conditioning may reduce potential risk through dilution of contaminants, rather than contribute to the spread of COVID-19. Ventilation (air conditioning) has very limited effects on short-range aerosol/droplet and contact transmission, which are believed to be the main transmission routes. No specific research is planned on the contribution of air conditioning to the spread, however, emerging literature is being monitored.

Question reference: S5W-29404

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it had with professional representational organisations regarding the guidelines for DNR (do not resuscitate) forms put in place for individual patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

There has been no change to the guidance on the use of Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary (DNACPR) forms during the Covid 19 outbreak. As such, the Scottish Government has not formally consulted with professional representational organisations on the existing DNACPR guidance during the Covid 19 outbreak.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with a wide variety of professional groups and organisations in responding to the challenges posed by the Covid 19 outbreak.

Question reference: S5W-29135

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it took over 15 months for action to be taken by the Care Inspectorate regarding Home Farm Care Home on Skye.

Question reference: S5W-29402

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has provided on DNR (do not resuscitate) forms put in place for individual patients during the COVID-19 outbreak.

On the 10 April, the Chief Medical Officer, Chair of the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA and Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) wrote to GPs to provide advice and support on having anticipatory care planning conversations and to make clear that there is no requirement for health professionals to have a DNACPR discussion as part of this conversation, unless the patient wishes to discuss it or clinician feels strongly it is necessary to raise in conversation for the patient’s wellbeing. On the 17 April, a further joint letter from the Scottish Government’s Chief Medical Officer, BMA and RCGP was sent to GPs to reinforce the advice already provided.

Question reference: S5W-29403

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many DNR (do not resuscitate) forms have been signed in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S5W-29408

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many retired medics have expressed an interest in returning to support the NHS during the COVID-19 outbreak.

There have been 441 retired medics who have expressed an interest in returning to support the NHS as a doctor during the COVID-19 outbreak through the Accelerated Recruitment Portal.

This information is based on self-declarations and may be subject to revision as formal pre-employment checks are carried out.

This figure does not include retired medics who may have expressed their interest directly with an NHS Board, as these figures are not held centrally. This also does not include retired medics who expressed an interest in non patient clinical roles.

Question reference: S5W-28773

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported concerns regarding the accuracy of some of the COVID-19 testing kits that it has procured from overseas, and how it ensures that all such kits fully comply with safety standards.

The type of tests being used in Scotland (real time PCR assays) ar e widely used for the detection of respiratory viruses, as well as a range of other viral pathogens, owing to their speed and versatility.

Scottish laboratories are working in collaboration with the Scottish Microbiology & Virology Network (SMVN), National Laboratories Programme (NLP) and Health Protection Scotland, as well as linking in with Public Health England, to ensure that all tests are quality checked and validated for use.

Based on work by NHS Lothian on symptomatic cases the accuracy of tests for clinical diagnosis is 98%. This was presented in a Royal College of Pathologists webinar - available online .

Question reference: S5W-28302

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 1,000 ventilators that have been ordered in response to the COVID-19 outbreak have been delivered.

Question reference: S5W-29590

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when property valuers and surveyors will be able to resume work, and what assessment it has made of whether plans to reopen the housing market are being held back by property valuers and surveyors not yet being able to do so.

A relaxation of restrictions on home moves is anticipated in phase 2 of the recovery plan, as set out in Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis , published on 21 May. Restrictions will only be relaxed if the virus remains suppressed and the evidence allows us to do so. During phase 1, surveyors should continue to follow the Scottish Government guidance published on 31 March: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19
-guidance-moving-home/ .

We are working with a wide range of stakeholders through our Home Moves in Scotland Working Group, including the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, to develop revised guidance for phase 2.

Question reference: S5T-02243

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it did not immediately publish details of the number of patients who have contracted COVID-19 in hospital.