Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29250 on 5 June 2020. 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

Women’s position in the labour market is an issue which this Government takes very seriously, as our ambitious Gender Pay Gap Action Plan shows. We strongly encourage all employers to apply Fair Work principles to dealing with the impacts of Covid-19 on workers and workplaces. Fair Work principles, which include the commitment to tackle the Gender Pay gap, underpin our work with unions, businesses and other stakeholders, to develop guidance for the safe restart of the economy.

We will continue to give full consideration of the gendered impact and implications of COVID-19 in our wider response to the economic impacts of the current crisis. It is essential that our response to this pandemic is grounded in evidence, including gender sensitive, sex-disaggregated data. The Scottish Government continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 across the Scottish population. To this end, we recently published analysis which examined the expected labour market impacts of COVID-19 on different groups, including women.

As part of its remit, we have asked the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery to make recommendations on how we can harness the changes arising from Coronavirus to create a fairer and more inclusive economy for Scotland.

Self-catering accommodation and caravans are considered eligible for grant funding if receipts represent a primary source (for example, one third or more) of earnings for the ratepayer and the property has been let out for 140 days or more in financial year 2019-20.

This proportion of income was determined as a proxy for “primary” source of earnings in order to ensure that the Business Support Grant Fund is only available to genuine self-catering businesses.

The Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates identified that an avoidance tactic used by some property owners to avoid payment of council tax on second homes is to claim that the property has moved from domestic use (liable for council tax) to non-domestic use as a self-catering property (and liable for non-domestic rates). An application is made for the Small Business Bonus Scheme and no rates are payable so the contribution to local services becomes zero.

Health Protection Scotland (HPS) has detailed infection prevention and control guidance for COVID-19 for a wide range of healthcare settings. Guidance for hospital dormitory wards can be found within the Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for primary care and secondary care documents:

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

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

Additionally, all health and social care workers should follow infection prevention and control measures set out in the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual http://www.nipcm.scot.nhs.uk/

National Clinical Guidance for Nursing and AHP Community Health Staff during COVID-19 Pandemic has also been issued and applies to dormitory wards here

In addition, Scottish Ministers recently wrote to NHS boards, IJBs, local authorities and local mental health services leads, setting out principles for mental health services during the pandemic. This guidance is designed to support active local decision making and promote consistency to provide safe, person-centred and effective service responses for people using NHS and local authority social care services during Covid-19 mobilisation https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-principles-for-mental-health-services---letter-from-minister-for-mental-health/ .

Scottish mental health legislation is based on rights and principles as laid out within the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. These include that any function should be carried out for the maximum benefit, with minimum necessary restriction and having regard to the views of the patient. The 2003 Act clearly sets out the duty to keep a patient’s detention status under review and like all other patient safeguards remain in place

At these challenging times nothing is more important than the health and safety of all citizens of Scotland. We recognise the impact that service reductions have had and continue to have on the lives of people across the country, particularly for those who rely on public transport. The Scottish Government advice remains for people to stay at home and not to travel unnecessarily. This guidance is in place to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our communities, protect public health and save lives. It applies across all modes of transport – whether you are taking public transport or walking, cycling or driving. However, we understand that some people will have essential travel requirements and limited services continue to operate to ensure people who absolutely need to get to work or other essential travel can continue to do so. Individuals who have been refused a driving licence on medical grounds can continue to access free bus travel via the National Concessionary Travel Scheme. If eligible individuals have been unable to renew or apply for a card due to temporary production office closures, short term provisions have been put in place with the bus industry and individuals should explain their circumstances and the driver will allow them to travel.

One of our key priorities is to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs, who may be finding this difficult time particularly challenging, continue to be supported with their learning, whether at home or at a local hub.

On 20 April, we published guidance for term 4 that gives an overview of the measures in place and steps being taken, at a national and local level, to support all children and young people’s learning, including those with additional support needs.

Children and young people with additional support needs have been, and will continue to be, provided with bespoke learning activities. Support and advice is also available for their parents and carers though our Parent Club website and from a range of partner organisations.

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.

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.

On 31 March, we published guidance about the continued provision of care and support for the children of key workers and vulnerable children and young people, including those with complex additional support needs. On 21 May, I issued a joint letter with COSLA to all directors of education confirming that critical childcare will continue throughout June and the summer break to ensure ongoing provision for key workers and vulnerable children.

The Scottish Government and the C19 Education Recovery Group are committed to excellence and equity for all of Scotland’s children and young people. We published an initial Impact Assessment to supplement our ‘ Coronavirus (COVID-19): strategic framework for reopening schools, early learning and childcare provision’ and continue to engage with multiple groups, including representative disability groups, as we work to convert that to a final EQIA and CRWIA. I invite anyone who would like to contribute to these to contact the secretariat of the C19 Education Recovery Group at [email protected] .

The Scottish Government continues to work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to ensure that Scottish clients get the financial support they are entitled to, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Carer’s Allowance (CA), while contingency measures are in place due to Covid-19. This includes exploring concerns individuals or stakeholders have raised about access to PIP.

To protect access to CA and Carer’s Allowance Supplement during the coronavirus outbreak, emergency regulations were laid in the Scottish Parliament on 2 April and came into force the following day. Where people are not able to provide 35 hours of care because they, or the person they are caring for, are ill or self-isolating due to coronavirus, their CA will continue to be paid. Guidance has also been changed so a carer no longer needs to provide care in person where this is not possible due to self-isolation.