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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-33693

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to counter any misinformation regarding a COVID-19 vaccine that may reduce uptake.

The Scottish Government is working with faith based, third sector and community groups to reach out to more people from deprived communities to increase the vaccine uptake.

We have put in place financial and practical support to ensure all parts of our community have the knowledge and confidence to participate in this vaccination programme and to remove any practical barriers.

We have introduced webinars for the social care staff and continue to dispel any misinformation regarding Covid-19 through our proactive community engagement.

All Covid-19 related information is available in on NHS Inform ; in British Sign Language (BSL), audio, Easy Read and large print formats.

The translation of Covid-19 related material is available in more than 20 foreign languages.

Further work is also underway to ensure we can reach other groups including those who are homeless and those who suffer from addiction issues.

Question reference: S5W-33694

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the anticipated uptake of a COVID-19 vaccine by (a) NHS staff and (b) the public.

Question reference: S5W-34508

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 January 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS agency staff will be offered COVID-19 vaccinations on the same basis as directly-employed staff.

Question reference: S5W-35104

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether individuals will be given a choice as to which COVID-19 vaccine they will receive in circumstances where they have ethical objections to a particular vaccine.

It is not possible to offer everyone in Scotland a choice of COVID-19 vaccine at this stage. The Scottish Government has been very clear from day one that the pace and rollout of our national vaccine programme is key to tackling the pandemic and we are determined to reach as much of the population, and in order of vulnerability based on clinical advice, as fast as the vaccine supply allows us.

Individuals with ethical concerns should contact their GP practice or local Health Board to discuss the options that might be available to them.

Question reference: S5W-35192

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 1 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the Social Renewal Advisory Board's report, If not now, when? dated January 2021.

Question reference: S5W-35124

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to allow baby and toddler groups to resume, in light of the evidence it has and decision it made regarding the reopening of early years settings and schools for P1 to P3 pupils on 22 February 2021.

The evidence for schools and ELC opening up, largely focussed on transmission rates in children and adults in those environments, and appropriate mitigations to reduce risk. Parent and baby groups continue to be permitted to take place outdoors, in line with the current guidance on organised activities for children. They have a higher ratio of adults to children as part of these group activities. As such they are not likely to take place indoors until further data and evidence of the impact of transmission of the new variant in these settings is better understood.

Scottish Government recognises the importance of socialising, play and exercise for children and guidance will be kept under review and updated as necessary taking account of any further scientific or clinical advice.

Question reference: S5W-34213

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many months it will require to vaccinate the general population against COVID-19, and what modelling it has carried out to inform this estimate.

Question reference: S5W-34214

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) NHS staff and (b) care home (i) residents and (ii) staff have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in each week this has been available, broken down by NHS board area.

1,431,942 people have received the first dose of the Covid vaccination in the period 8 December to 8:30 am Sunday 21 February.

It means that we have now given a first dose to almost 1/3 of the adult population.

35,479 people have received the second dose of the Covid vaccination.

You can find a further breakdown of the vaccination statistics at Coronavirus (COVID-19): daily data for Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S5W-34979

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the question S5W-34611 by Jeane Freeman on 29 January 2021, whether it expects to publish the Junior Doctors 48-hour Expert Working Group report by the end of the current parliamentary session and, if so, by what date.

Question reference: S5W-34267

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 December 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the PPE requirements for health and care staff, in light of the transmissibility of the new variant of COVID-19.

The advice from Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) experts in Scotland and the UK IPC cell is that the evidence does not currently support a change to the type of PPE we currently use in response to this new strain.

The Scottish Government continues to review international research and data to ensure that IPC measures and facemask guidance for hospitals and other care settings are in line with the latest evidence and advice. We already have strong measures in place to protect patients, such as the extended use of face masks and coverings, physical distancing, risk-assessed patient care pathways, testing and the appropriate use of PPE, to minimise nosocomial transmission as far as possible. All staff should exercise the risk assessment process when donning PPE in line with the transmission-based precautions for COVID-19.

The extant IPC and PPE guidance can be accessed via the Scottish COVID-19 Infection Prevention and Control Addendum for Acute Settings. The guidance is continually reviewed in line with the latest evidence and advice.