Question ref. S6W-08131
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 21 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many people who signed up to help deliver the COVID-19 vaccination programme have now taken permanent roles within the NHS in Scotland.
Current Status:
Holding Answer by Humza Yousaf on 6 May 2022
Question ref. S6W-08130
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 21 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS boards will have any future role and responsibility for vaccination and immunisation services once the deadline has passed for them to complete the Vaccination Transformation Programme (VTP).
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022
The Vaccination Transformation Programme covers all routine immunisations that are delivered in Scotland. From the 1 st of April, NHS territorial Health Boards have responsibility for the delivery of vaccination programmes, with models varying across Scotland to align with local requirements. This allows Health Boards the flexibility to arrange vaccination centres at community venues, delivering through existing health teams (such as Midwives or Community Pharmacies), or establish new clinics to meet local needs. Some Health Boards may continue to utilise GP practices to provide vaccination services by local arrangement.
Question ref. S6W-07861
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 5 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the completion rate has been to date of Scotland's Census 2022, and whether it is taking any further action to increase uptake.
Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 4 May 2022
As of 4 May, 2,108,468 households in Scotland have successfully submitted their response to Scotland's Census 2022.
It is essential we maximise participation and ensure that everyone is heard and their needs captured. That is why the census online completion site remains open and support through both the free helpline (0800 030 8308) and field teams will remain in place.
National Records of Scotland will also continue to accept paper returns for this short extension period - until end May.
Question ref. S6W-05862
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 21 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether reducing opening hours at rail ticket offices will increase or reduce services to assist (a) (i) disabled, (ii) women, (iii) visually impaired and (iv) digitally excluded passengers and (b) passengers with mobility problems.
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 February 2022
ScotRail's review, the first of its kind in over 30 years, proposes changes to contribute to the modernisation of Scotland’s stations and offer passengers a more efficient and cost effective service for the future.
The consultation has enabled rail users including (a) (i) disabled, (ii) women, (iii) visually impaired and (iv) digitally excluded passengers and (b) passengers with mobility concerns to get involved in the process where all contributions will be considered before a final decision is made.
ScotRail has commenced a Diversity Impact Assessment (DIA) regarding the ticket office opening hours consultation, the DIA process will reflect all feedback received and takes account a range of potentially impacted groups.
The purpose of the public consultation is to enable passengers and stakeholders to provide specific feedback on how the proposals impact their journey compared to ScotRail’s current ticket office opening hours. It is worth highlighting Abellio ScotRail do not plan to reduce current staffing levels and have committed to improve staff visibility and customer assistance.
Following the completion of the ticket office consultation and analysis, I will consider its recommendations, including those from the Diversity Impact Assessment.
Question ref. S6W-05867
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on strengthened fire alarm standards on 19 January 2022, what estimates it has made of the number of homes that will (a) comply and (b) not comply with the new legislation on interlinked fire alarms by 1 February 2022.
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 9 February 2022
Once the new standard comes into force, the Scottish Government will collect data on fire alarms in Scottish homes in future iterations of the Scottish House Condition Survey. Following the Scottish Government’s mass media awareness campaign in 2021, we know there are high levels of awareness and home-owners will have taken steps to fit the necessary alarms.
Information on the number of homes that have interlinked fire alarms is not currently collected as part of the Scottish House Condition Survey. This standard has already applied to private rented homes and new build homes for over a decade. Social landlords also have a programme of works underway to ensure their tenants have the necessary alarms fitted.
Question ref. S6W-05859
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 21 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether reducing 300 rail services from pre-pandemic levels will increase or decrease rail passenger numbers.
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 February 2022
ScotRail’s May 2022 timetable, benefiting from careful consideration of the consultation feedback, is significantly better than the May 2021 timetable, with 150 more services per day. The aim is to build weekday passenger capacity to more than 590,000 seats, ensuring ScotRail Trains Ltd operate a more sustainable and more robust financial footing.
Question ref. S6W-05868
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on strengthened fire alarm standards on 19 January 2022, whether it will provide further details of what it has done to alert the public to the new legislation on interlinked fire alarms.
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022
Scottish Government ran a very successful five-week, multi-media marketing campaign last autumn to raise awareness of the new standard. This was supported by over 96,000 leaflets distributed to all libraries in Scotland as well as posters, website and an online campaign toolkit shared with over 500 partners.
Independent analysis showed the campaign reached 95.2% of its target audience and follow-up analysis in December 2021 showed 88% were aware of the new standard.
Furthermore, Scottish Government has published material online through social media and a dedicated website and the Cabinet Secretary has written on several occasions to MSPs with information and FAQs to support their constituents.
Question ref. S6W-05869
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ministerial statement on strengthened fire alarm standards on 19 January 2022, whether it will provide detailed clarification of what the implications will be for homeowners who have not complied with the new legislation on interlinked fire alarms by 1 February 2022.
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022
The legislation provides flexibility for people to fit the necessary alarms in due course if they are unable to do so by the February 2022 deadline. The rules place a legal duty on local authorities, not homeowners, to ensure homes are fitted with the correct alarms. A joint SG/ COSLA statement was published on
21 January, which confirmed that local authorities will be taking a proportionate and measured approach to compliance taking individual circumstances into account as well as reflecting the evolving situation with the Covid 19 pandemic.
No one will be criminalised if they need more time and there are no penalties for non-compliance. However, we would encourage everyone to install these alarms at their earliest opportunity as they can help to save lives.
Question ref. S6W-05860
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 21 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether closing rail ticket offices will increase or decrease rail passenger numbers.
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 February 2022
The consultation phase of ScotRail’s review on ticket office opening hours closed on 2 February. Transport Focus, the independent watchdog for transport users, is in the process of collating responses in order to produce a report of the consultation outputs. It would not be prudent for Scottish Ministers to prejudge the outcomes of that process prior to the Transport Focus report being published.
Question ref. S6W-05870
Asked by: Rowley, Alex, Mid Scotland and Fife, Date lodged: 25 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has received from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding compliance with the new interlinked fire alarm legislation.
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 February 2022
We have worked very closely with partners including the SFRS throughout the legislative process and they fully welcome any measures that support fire prevention.