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: S6W-03231

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that people with asthma will be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccination.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has provided final advice on a COVID-19 vaccination booster programme. The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalisation and deaths, over winter 2021-22, and is aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable and to protect our NHS.

Booster vaccines will be offered to the same groups who were prioritised at the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Winter and Spring 2020-21. Those with asthma that requires continuous or repeated use of systematic steroids or with previous exacerbations requiring hospital admission, as set out in the Green Book will be included in phase 1 of the booster programme.

More information around eligibility for COVID-19 booster vaccines can be found at: Coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccination | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-03210

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many clinical nurse specialists have been employed by the NHS in each year since 2007.

The information requested on how many clinical nurse specialists have been employed by the NHS in each year since 2007 is not centrally held.

Clinical nurse specialist data by NHS Board from 2009 to the most recent data, published September 2018, can be found at: https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/media/4ndpx4za/clinical_nurse_specialists_s2018.xlsx

A national review into the Clinical Nurse Specialist role and definition is currently underway, NES will work with NHS Boards to cleanse their CNS data once this is complete.

Due to the data quality concerns mentioned above, we advise that all historical data, whilst published, should be treated with caution. NES will continue to work with SG and NHS Boards to ensure improved recording going forward.

Question reference: S6W-03209

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many nurses have (a) joined and (b) left the NHS in each year since 2007.

The information requested on how many nurses have (a) joined and (b) left the NHS in each year since 2007 is not centrally available.

Information on how many Nursing & Midwifery staff have (a) joined and (b) left the NHS since 2011-12 can be found in the following table:

Nursing & Midwifery Staff Group - Joiners and Leavers by Financial year in Whole Time Equivalent (WTE)

Financial Year	Joiners	Leavers
2011-12	2,536.8	3,108.9
2012-13	3,677.7	3,173.7
2013-14	4,507.4	3,382.2
2014-15	4,870.5	3,774.5
2015-16	4,460.1	4,074.1
2016-17	4,913.2	4,293.0
2017-18	4,684.4	4,324.4
2018-19	4,611.5	4,133.3
2019-20	5,204.1	4,132.2
2020-21	6,862.1	3,647.2

Source: Scottish Workforce Information Standard System (SWISS)

Question reference: S6W-03956

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how people who do not have access to online services can obtain their vaccine passport when the COVID status helpline is busy, meaning they are unable to speak to someone who can provide assistance.

People can show their COVID-19 vaccine status either via:

1. NHS Scotland COVID Status App via Google Play or the App Store;

2. Download a PDF of the vaccination status record via NHS Inform website; or

3. Request a paper copy of the vaccination status record by calling the Freephone COVID Status Helpline on 0800 196 8565.

People should allow plenty of time to access their certificate; and if using paper certificate allow at least 14 days for any letter to arrive.

If the helpline is busy then they may wish to call back at later.

Question reference: S6W-03675

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that designers and planners, who should be using and following the new guidance Cycling By Design, published on 17 September 2021, receive any professional training needed to implement it.

The Steering Group, comprising Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), Sustrans and Transport Scotland, who have overseen delivery of the document are currently progressing plans for the development and delivery of training material. Transport Scotland has committed to provide training for staff and designers working on trunk road schemes, and it is a matter for local authorities to consider what training they will require.

Question reference: S6W-03676

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in view of the high level of service requirements of Cycling By Design, published on 17 September 2021, which Overseeing Organisations are responsible for reviewing and approving designs, and how it will ensure that these organisations assess designs equally and fairly.

Question reference: S6W-03957

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allow people to obtain a paper copy of their vaccine status from their GP if they do not have access to online services or a smartphone.

Question reference: S6W-03722

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the funding allocated to the East Kilbride line electrification and upgrade project will be reallocated, in light of its reported decision not to proceed with double-tracking between Busby and East Kilbride railway stations.

I am pleased to confirm that, notwithstanding the severe financial pressures caused by the Covid Pandemic, sufficient funding can be made available to complete fully the preferred option for the electrification and significant enhancement of both the East Kilbride and Barrhead routes.

This preferred option was recommended by and agreed with rail industry partners Network Rail and ScotRail following detailed consideration of a wide range of options, the business case appraisal of which has followed appropriate Scottish Government processes

Question reference: S6W-04019

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its employment action plan for disabled people 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-03839

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33434 by Kate Forbes on 7 December 2020, whether it will provide figures for (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22 to date.

The following table details how many vehicles have been in the Government Car Service (GCS) fleet since 2020/21 to date, broken down by Ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV’s

Year	Number of ULEV’s on fleet	Total number of vehicles on fleet (1)
20-21	31	41
21-22	28	28

Notes

1. During each year there are a number of purchases and disposals. While we generally keep an operational fleet of between 25 – 30 vehicles at any given point, this number grew 20/21 whilst surplus vehicles were awaiting disposal.