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-32608

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government which species of wild birds are covered under the provisions of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 regulating wildlife offences that involve the killing and injuring of wild birds.

Question reference: S5W-32587

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many school pupils (a) have tested positive for and (b) are self-isolating from COVID-19 following an outbreak at their school.

The latest information on the number of school pupils who are not in school due to a Covid-19 related sickness (this is pupils who have either been displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or have tested positive for Covid-19) can be found here:

https://public.tableau.com/profile/sg.eas.learninganalysis#!/vizhome/COVID19-SchoolsandChildcareInformation/Introduction

This link also contains information on the number of school pupils not in school because they are self isolating due to Covid-19 related reasons. It is not possible to determine whether these are as a result of an outbreak at their school or due to other contact with people who have tested positive for Covid-19.

Useful information from Public Health Scotland can also be found on the weekly Infographic, published here. This includes information on positive tests by age group.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-education-recovery-group-children-and-young-people-infographic/

Question reference: S5W-31704

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 18 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported financial problems facing the sector, whether it will provide details of what support it is offering to the coach industry.

Question reference: S5W-31409

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the Werritty Review, which examined the effects of grouse moor management on wildlife and the countryside.

Question reference: S5O-04515

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with SMEs to pursue sustainable and ethical economic growth.

Question reference: S5O-04483

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of COVID-19 has been on the availability of workers in the rural economy and tourism sectors.

Question reference: S5W-29667

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what provision there is for (a) symptomatic and (b) asymptomatic (i) staff and (ii) patients in COVID-19-free sites where cancer diagnostic tests and treatments take place to be tested for the virus.

Our testing strategy is firmly based on the advice from senior clinicians and public health experts. The testing of healthcare workers continues to be our priority, and all symptomatic NHS workers or symptomatic household members are eligible for testing.

In addition, on 23 June I announced that we are now routinely testing health care workers where the evidence tells us that it is appropriate to do so, while all health care workers connected to a nosocomial outbreak will be tested regardless of whether or not they have symptoms.

We will also test, on a weekly basis, staff working in specialist cancer units, in long-term care of the elderly, and in long-stay mental health wards. Boards are being asked to start this additional testing by 8 July.

The nosocomial expert group did not consider wholesale routine testing of asymptomatic health care workers to be an effective and proportionate method of tackling nosocomial risk.

Question reference: S5W-29666

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 26 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how regularly healthcare workers in COVID-19-free sites are being tested for the virus.

Question reference: S5O-04417

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement and discussions it has had with the UK Government in relation to the forming of new trade agreements.

Question reference: S5W-28407

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland's established life sciences sector, for what reason it is not making greater use of the expertise in university and research institute labs throughout the country to increase the testing capacity for COVID-19.

Academic partnerships have already been set up with laboratories at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Aberdeen and two further academic partnerships are expected to go live in June. Additional capacity is provided by the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

The University of Glasgow hosts one of three Lighthouse Labs established across the UK to analyse samples taken from regional testing centres, which are part of the UK Expanded Testing programme.

National Services Scotland is assessing offers of laboratory space from various sectors in Scotland. This requires ensuring the testing is done in a way that is safe and meets high quality standards for confidence in the results and complies with due diligence. National Services Scotland are working with Enterprise Scotland to engage with private laboratories that have offered assistance.