- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what financial commitment it has made to support the delivery of the refreshed Heart Disease Improvement Plan.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether unpaid carers should have access to a social security payment that is equal or similar to the real living wage.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to supporting unpaid carers in recognition of the vital role they play, and we have already improved the social security support available to unpaid carers in Scotland, through our Carer’s Allowance Supplement and Young Carer Grant.
On 17 March we issued a discussion paper to stakeholders setting out proposed aims for Scottish Carer’s Assistance, our replacement for Carer’s Allowance. The aims are based on what we have heard from carers, and the organisations who support them, about how the existing support could be improved. The paper has been designed to inform consultation with carers and stakeholders to develop final aims for this support and also sets out our intended process for making decisions on proposals for Scottish Carer’s Assistance. It recognises that some proposals may be capable of being put in place from the launch of the new assistance but others could only be taken forward over the longer term.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fast track second vaccine doses for people with cancer, following research by King's College London and the Francis Crick Institute suggesting that people with solid-cancers, and particularly people with blood cancer, have antibodies significantly lower than non-cancer patients three weeks after the first dose and that waiting 12 weeks could leave these people at a higher risk of infection.
Answer
The Scottish Government follows the advice of the Joint committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) as they continue to monitor all aspects of data and evidence of vaccine effect in different groups, and have considered this data in people with cancer. At this time, the JCVI have not recommended any change in the approach to vaccination of this group. We are continuing to monitor evidence and will adapt their advice only if this becomes necessary. The CMO letter published on 9 March advises that clinicians may propose a shorter schedule if they think it’s needed in individual cases.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 December 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what the anticipated level of wastage is for the (a) Pfizer vaccine and (b) overall COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answer
Our modelling contained within the Scottish Government’s Vaccine Deployment Plan took a deliberately cautious approach. Based on the information provided by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) we set our expectations of delivery based on our expectations of available supply, using an assumption of 5% wastage.
Some wastage is unavoidable for a variety of reasons based on the characteristics of the vaccine, logistical issues with cold chain supply, storage failure and/or specific clinical situations such as a breakout of COVID-19 in a care home.
To date, our latest management information indicates a wastage rate of around only 1.8% - well below our planning assumption of 5%, which is a precautionary approach for worst case scenarios and in line with global best practice.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 December 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine have been allocated to each NHS board for (a) December 2020 and (b) January 2021.
Answer
As of Monday 1 March 2021 the total number of doses allocated was 2,138,450. The total number of doses allocated refers to the number of doses that have been made available by Public Health England to the Scottish Government for ordering, and is the cumulative amount allocated up to 11:55 1 March 2021.
The Scottish Government has been very clear from day one that the pace of our national vaccine programme is dependent on vaccine supply and delivery timescales and we continue to work closely across the 4 nations to ensure this is as smooth as possible .
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 March 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact on Scotland-based recording artists of the Official Charts Company (OCC) ceasing to publish its Scottish Singles Chart since December 2020, and what discussions it has had or plans with (a) OCC, (b) the Musicians’ Union and (c) other stakeholders regarding whether the chart can be reinstated.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Scottish Singles Chart to Scotland’s music scene, in helping to bring artists to wider audiences and boosting their profile. The chart has played an important role in showing what the people of Scotland are listening to and buying, and often reflected different trends when compared to UK charts.
The Scottish Government has spoken to the Official Charts Company to understand why the chart has been withdrawn. We are continuing to engage with the Official Charts Company along with Creative Scotland, the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) and representatives from Scottish radio stations to explore options to bring about the return of the Scottish Singles Chart, and to consider any further opportunities to support Scottish artists in reaching wider audiences.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 12 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on designating foster carers as a priority group for COVID-19 vaccinations, in light of their role in safeguarding the welfare of vulnerable children.
Answer
All of our decisions in response to COVID-19 have been guided by the latest evidence and advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, Health Protection Scotland, our Chief Medical Officer, and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI advises all UK Health Departments on immunisation, including the efficacy and safety of vaccines.
Senior clinicians do not support the prioritisation of foster carers in cohort 2 as the JCVI prioritisation list is based on the objective of the COVID-19 immunisation programme being to protect those who are at highest risk from serious illness or death. Currently prioritisation for staff is based primarily on the vulnerability of the group that a carer is working with rather than their own role, and children and young people are not deemed to be high-risk.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates people with asthma will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
Answer
Some people with asthma will receive the vaccine as part of cohort 6 on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) prioritisation list, if they require continuous or repeated use of systemic steroids or have had previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission. Supplies permitting, we aim to have offered first doses to everyone on the JCVI priority list by mid-April.
The independent JCVI recommends continuing prioritising people for vaccinations by age, as well as certain underlying conditions, as this is assessed to be the best way to address the risk of severe illness and mortality.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
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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.
Answer
Our planning assumption was based on 80% vaccine take up as set out in the Deployment Plan published on the 14th of January 2021.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether any FFP3 masks that are branded as "Fang Tian" and marked as FT-045, and which the Department of Health has advised should be withdrawn due to safety concerns, are in use in Scotland.
Answer
Fang Tian FT-045A FFP3 masks are not used by the public health and social care sector in Scotland, and NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) has never made purchases of such masks. Likewise no such masks have been purchased under the Scottish Government’s third party supplier contract (Lyreco), and there is no record of public authorities buying these masks through Scotland Excel.
The Scottish Government does not know about all PPE purchases by private users. However we are not aware of any private purchases of FT-045A FFTP3 masks and our enquiries with NSS, Scotland Excel and Lyreco lead us to believe that there is either no use of these masks in Scotland or that any such use is very limited. The Department of Health and Social Care has published guidance on withdrawing these masks from use.
