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

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 2437 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-29852

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 25 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts are being made during the COVID-19 pandemic (a) locally and (b) nationally to provide children with highly-specialised additional support needs, and their teachers, with training and resources to enable them to use specialist digital devices and services.

Children and young people with complex additional support needs can continue, where appropriate, to attend local hubs to secure continuity in their care and support.

Children and young people with complex additional support needs who have not attended local hubs will continue to be provided with bespoke learning activities which can be adapted to meet their individual learning needs. In some cases, this is supported by home visits, and helpline support from local educational psychologists and education managers.

To ensure digital equity for all children and young people, we are investing an initial £9m which will provide devices and connectivity for 25,000 learners across Scotland to help ensure as many children and young people as possible are able to connect with their schools, continue their learning, access support and engage with their peers.

Support and advice is available children and young people and their families though the Scottish Government's Parent Club website and a range of partner organisations including CALL Scotland, Dyslexia Scotland, Reach and Enquire.

Question reference: S5W-29854

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what specialist practical support is being put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic (a) locally and (b) nationally for children with the highest, most complex needs, who might be excluded from accessing such services as provision can be considered too complicated or risky.

Local authorities are best placed to identify how to meet the needs of the children and young people in their local area during these challenging times.

Children and young people with complex additional support needs can continue, where appropriate, to attend local hubs to secure continuity in their care and support.

Children and young people with complex additional support needs who have not attended provision have been, and will continue to be, provided with bespoke learning activities. In some cases, these are supported by home visits and helplines have also been set up to access support from local educational psychologists and education managers.

Some third sector organisations have been able to sustain their local and national services, while changing their model of delivery, in order to maintain support to children and young people as part of multi-agency plans. Specific advice is also available for parents and carers of children with additional support needs though the Scottish Government's Parent Club website and a range of partner organisations.

We continue to engage with local authorities and third sector partners to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs, including those with complex needs, get the support they need during this challenging time.

Question reference: S5W-29855

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place during the COVID-19 pandemic with council education authorities to enable special school buildings and facilities to be used flexibly by non-education staff to support pupils with recreation.

Under the current educational continuity direction, issued on 10 June 2020, schools remain closed except for the specific purposes of planning and preparing for the provision of learning and teaching of children and young people on the premises or remotely from August 2020.

We continue to engage with local authorities and third sector partners to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs get the support they need during this challenging time.

In addition, children and young people with complex additional support needs can continue, where appropriate, to attend local hubs to secure continuity in their care and support.

Question reference: S5W-29856

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what proposals are in place (a) locally and (b) nationally to reintegrate children with additional support needs back to school life, in light of concerns that a number have fallen out of the habit of attending because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We recognise that children and young people with additional support needs may be finding this difficult time particularly challenging.

On 5 June, continuity in learning guidance was published, which includes advice on the provision of blended learning for children and young people who need support, including those with additional support needs, and support for families and carers.

To further support local authorities and schools, Education Scotland has developed bespoke resources to assist in planning the individual support that children and young people with additional support needs may require in their transition back to school or in their progression to another learning setting.

We are working closely with local authorities and other partners to ensure all children and young people continue to be supported with their learning and that their needs are fully considered as we look, and plan, ahead.

Question reference: S5T-02299

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of people tracked through its test and trace system, and the availability of its digital tool to the public.

Question reference: S5W-29803

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 22 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what regulations govern the operation of mobile ice-cream vans; whether it has any plans to review these, and what impact the COVID-19 outbreak has had on them.

Mobile ice-cream vans are licensed as street traders under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The legislative framework devolves most aspects of the creation and management of the licensing regime to local licensing authorities.

The Scottish Government considers that the 1982 Act works well in allowing licensing authorities sufficient flexibility to adapt their licensing regimes to their local circumstances. The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to make changes to the street traders licensing regime.

Such traders are permitted to operate under COVID-19 restrictions provided that they can do so safely in line with Scottish Government guidance.

Question reference: S5W-29608

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 17 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health suggestion that all COVID-19 contact tracers and swab takers should be trained on how to recognise and report the signs and symptoms of child abuse and neglect.

Testing in Scotland happens through the NHS or through the UK Government expanded testing programme. Staff undertaking swabbing at NHS testing sites are all health board staff. Every healthcare employee in Scotland is required to complete public protection training at a level appropriate to their role.

Testers at the expanded testing programme sites are trained in carrying out swab testing but are not necessarily health professionals. No specific child protection training is provided in recognition that interactions with the public are brief. Advice and resources are available for each site to ensure staff are equipped to respond sensitively and effectively if they are asked for help. The expanded testing programme falls under the remit of the UK Government.

Contact tracing is currently carried out by specialised health protection teams in local NHS health boards. A national contact tracing centre is also being established to support the contact tracing process and is due to go live later in June. All contact tracers and team leaders who will be employed by the national centre will be provided with training on child protection which is appropriate for their grade. Appropriate referral processes are also being developed within the programme should staff become concerned that a child is at risk.

Question reference: S5W-29446

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what level of routine COVID-19 testing takes place in hospital dormitory dementia wards.

Guidance on COVID-19 testing in hospital settings has been published by Health Protection Scotland and is available here:

https://hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-guidance
-for-secondary-care/ .

Testing is currently underway to test individuals aged over 70 for COVID-19 on admission to hospital. This is in recognition that older people may present with atypical and non-specific symptoms. Those with a negative test result should then be tested every 4 days until they are discharged.

Question reference: S5W-29692

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that private hire taxis are fitted with safety screens between the driver and passengers to ensure the safety of both during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Scottish Government published guidance on 26 May to those providing transport services including Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle operators on how they should assess risks and implement appropriate measures to ensure the safety of themselves, their staff and passengers during the Covid-19 crisis.

The decision whether or not to install protective barriers or safety screens is for licensing authorities, operators and the firm or individual operating the vehicle to make based on their own assessment of risk. Before considering installing a safety screen, operators should contact the relevant licensing authority to check that they will permit the installation and ensure that the screen and installation will meet their requirements.

Question reference: S5W-29257

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the findings of the Scottish Human Rights Commission survey of the 2017-18 budget on 29 April 2020, what plans it has to improve public participation in the budget process.