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-33567

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the new £30 million fund to support taxi drivers and other people previously missed by other support packages will open for applications.

The £30 million discretionary fund is specifically designed to target small businesses and the self-employed who have not received direct financial support through other Scottish Government financial support schemes since October. We have been working closely with local authorities to develop the discretionary fund to ensure that this additional financial support quickly reaches businesses that need it. Following agreement on allocations with CoSLA, we will shortly transfer funds to local authorities, it will then be for councils to undertake their own assessment of need and develop their applications processes according to this.

Question reference: S5W-33444

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether travelling to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in an area within a different COVID-19 protection level would be allowed under the current travel regulations.

Question reference: S5W-33344

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 3 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there appears to be a distinction in its COVID-19 guidance regarding the use of buses to transport children to schools and nurseries.

Scottish Government guidance sets out the requirements that apply to arrangements used to transport children and young people to school. Typically, local authorities provide dedicated school transport services primarily for the use of school pupils. Following scientific advice from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub Group on Education and Children’s Issues, the guidance provides that dedicated school transport can be regarded as an extension of the school estate and it is not necessary to maintain physical distance between children and young people travelling on such services.

Where either young children travelling with their parents to nursery or school children are using public transport, these services are subject to the requirement to physically distance due to the range of ages of the passengers they are used by.

Question reference: S5W-33360

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether higher education students returning home at the end of the current term will be considered as essential travel and therefore exempt from travel restrictions.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33579 on 26 November 2020, in which the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills outlined the amending Regulations made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus)(Restrictions and Requirements)(Local Levels)(Scotland) Regulations 2020 to allow students to return home at the end of term.

From 27 November 2020, there is an exemption to the travel restrictions for students travelling to or from any local authority area in Scotland, if the purpose is to facilitate the formation of an "end of term household".

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

Question reference: S5O-04840

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it is preparing to facilitate tourism activity and events in Edinburgh over the course of 2021.

Question reference: S5W-33512

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) pupils and (b) teachers have contracted COVID-19 in schools in each month since August 2020.

We do not hold information on pupils and teachers who have contracted Covid-19 in schools.

Information on the number and percentage of positive cases among people who report working in education/childcare, by week, is reported in the PHS weekly statistical report - https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/ (see table 9).

Information on the number of positive cases among children of educational age, by week is reported here: https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/covid-19-statistical-report/25-november-2020/dashboard/ (see ‘trend charts’ and select ‘cases and testing among children and young people’).

Information on the number of pupils who have been identified as Covid-19 cases in Term 1, by week can be found here: https://publichealthscotland.scot/downloads/covid-19-infections-among-school-pupils-in-scotland/

Question reference: S5W-33401

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether dentists, hygienists and dental nurses who are qualified in administering injections will support the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Question reference: S5W-33364

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether travel is allowed between areas subject to different COVID-19 restriction levels if it is for the purpose of viewing a property for sale.

Under the provisions of the Health Protection (Coronavirus)(Restrictions and Requirements)(Local Levels)(Scotland) Amendment (No.3) Regulations 2020, there are exemptions around travel to or from Level 3 and 4 areas for activities in relation to the purchase, sale, letting, or rental of residential property that a person owns or is otherwise responsible for. This includes viewing a residential property for sale, as set out in the accompanying guidance (https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/#exceptions).

Question reference: S5W-33403

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 2 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the travel exemptions regarding education only apply to schools, universities and colleges, or whether other forms of training courses are included.

There is an exception to the travel restrictions for work purposes, and also for accessing, providing or receiving education or training. This means education or training both in formal education establishments and elsewhere. The Scottish Government recognises the need for people to undertake essential travel for the purposes of training (both work-related and other training) where this cannot be undertaken at home. When local authority areas have entered into protection levels 3 or 4, we would ask that online approaches are considered in the first instance when providing services or training. We would urge anyone who is required to travel for essential purposes to take all necessary precautions and avoid car sharing where possible.

Question reference: S5W-33332

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to people who are not able to access education in person due to being clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19, including people with cystic fibrosis.

Schools and local authorities retain the main responsibility for arranging remote learning for those at highest clinical risk, including people with cystic fibrosis.

In order to broaden the options available to schools the national e-learning offer provides access to live lessons, recorded lessons and online learning and teaching materials across the Broad General Education and the Senior Phase. https://education.gov.scot/improvement/national-e-learning-offer/

Similarly, schools and authorities are responsible for providing direct advice and support to parents and carers on how to support their child’s learning. In order to complement and support the advice from schools and authorities, the Scottish Government’s Parent Club website provides advice on working from home whilst caring for children, advice on helping children with remote and blended learning as well as links to additional learning resources from third sector organisations which can help to complement the learning activities and advice provided by schools. https://www.parentclub.scot/topics/coronavirus/learning-at-home?age=0. Parent Club also includes tailored advice to parents who are supporting children and young people with additional support needs

https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/supporting-children-and-young-people-with-additional-support-needs

Education Scotland’s Scotland Learns website also provides learning resources and advice and support to parents and carers via online newsletters.

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/scotland-learns/ In addition, the National Parent Forum of Scotland have developed “Nutshell” advice pamphlets on “Learning at Home During Lockdown” and Online Safety. https://www.npfs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/edd/2020/05/NPFS_learning-at-home_E.pdf and

https://www.npfs.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/edd/2020/05/NPFS_online_safety_E.pdf

The Scottish Government guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on reducing the risks in schools takes into account the arrangements for children and young people who may be asked to shield at protection level 4.