Parliamentary questions
Katy Clark
746 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reintroduce mask mandates in (a) hospitals, (b) care homes and (c) public spaces in the near future.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government has no plans to reintroduce previous guidance on the extended use of face masks in hospitals and care homes or use in public spaces. Our guidance remains the same; if you have symptoms of a respiratory infection including COVID-19, try to…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the effects of long COVID are informing its (a) policy on mask mandates and (b) COVID-19 winter booster vaccination roll-out.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Our guidance to stay well and help others in winter can be found here Respiratory infections including Coronavirus (COVID-19): staying well and protecting others - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . We have no current plans to mandate the wearing of face coverings. …
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its present policy on mask mandates, in light of the recent reported spike in COVID-19 cases.
Answer · Michael Matheson: As part of our enhanced surveillance systems, we continue to monitor, assess and be ready to respond to COVID-19 and other health threats. Wearing of a face covering in public spaces and on public transport stopped being a legal requirement in April 2022 and…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeline for its roll-out of the COVID-19 winter booster vaccination for each (a) age and (b) health category.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Scotland’s winter COVID-19 and flu programme commenced on 4 September, with the majority of the COVID-19 programme due to start from 18 September. We originally planned to vaccinate care home residents, people aged 75 and over and people with weakened immune …
10 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to make Scotland a Fair Work Nation by 2025.
8 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £13.6 million additional resource budget allocated to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in its Budget 2024-25 includes the £4.4 million to cover the most recent pay award.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Yes. The budget for 2023-24 was set before the 2 year pay deal for firefighters was finalised. The Scottish Government provided an additional £4.4m to contribute to the cost of the pay increases and other inflationary pressures faced by SFRS. The £13.6m incre…
8 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any pay award for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service employees negotiated for 2024-25 will have to be funded from the £13.6 million additional resource funding proposed in its 2024-25 Budget, or whether any such pay award will be funded separately.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The budget for 2024-25 includes all costs including any pay increases agreed during that financial year. Firefighter pay is negotiated on a UK wide basis through the National Joint Council and SFRS support staff pay is negotiated between SFRS as the employer…
8 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been undertaken of any impact of the removal of fire appliances from stations across Scotland in 2023 on the service provided to the public.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The number and location of fire appliances is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). SFRS is assessing the impact of the service changes on an on-going basis and will conduct a full public consultation on the package of measure…
8 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects that the fire appliances that were temporarily removed from fire stations across Scotland in 2023 will be reinstated to service.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The number and location of fire appliances is an operational matter for SFRS.
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Level 4 tables in its 2024-25 Budget, whether it will outline what the potential impact will be of the 33.9% reduction to grants, loans and capital for vessels and piers on (a) its contract with Ferguson Marine for the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa ferries and (b) the business…
Answer · Neil Gray: The level of funding set out in the Scottish Budget reflects that the delivery of Glen Sannox (801) is now at an advanced stage. The costs and delivery schedules of both 801 and 802 continue to be scrutinised closely, with updates provided regularly to the Sc…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and (b) Scottish Court and Tribunals Service regarding the GEOAmey Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services contract.
Answer · Angela Constance: Given the wider impact of GEOAmey’s contract performance, all relevant partners (Scottish Prison Service, Police Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and senior Scottish Government officials) met in Septe…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether GEOAmey is effectively fulfilling its obligations in its Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services contract.
Answer · Angela Constance: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24135 on 16 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committ…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether the Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services contract with GEOAmey stipulates that a penalty for poor performance is the cancellation of the contract and nationalisation of court custody and prisoner escort services.
Answer · Angela Constance: We have been supporting the Scottish Prison Service and other partners in delivering an improvement in the GEOAmey contract that has resulted in early positive signs, with a slowdown in staff attrition and improved staff numbers. The Criminal Justice Board h…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the performance of GEOAmey in fulfilling its Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services contract; whether it has any concerns regarding this, and, if so, whether it will outline these.
Answer · Angela Constance: We have been supporting Scottish Prison Services and other partners in delivering an improvement in the contract. This has resulted in some progress, with a slowdown in staff attrition, which is down by 40%. Prisoner Custody Officer (PCO) staffing levels have…
20 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has done to assess the effectiveness of the GEOAmey Court Custody and Prisoner Escort Services contract.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) leads the management and monitoring of the contract on behalf of Scottish Ministers as well as Justice partners and is working closely with GEOAmey to resolve the performance and service delivery issues. Scheduled monitoring…
6 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations outlined in the STUC's report, Raising taxes to deliver for Scotland.
4 Dec 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will outline any plans it has for freedom of information reform in the current parliamentary session.
27 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 will be published.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022-23 were published on 5 December 2023 at 9.30am.
20 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it consulted (a) healthcare and (b) social care workers prior to it making the decision to end the mandatory wearing of face masks in healthcare and social care settings.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Throughout the pandemic, any changes to Scottish Government’s guidance on the extended use of face masks in healthcare and social care settings went through an extensive consultation process. Whilst direct engagement with NHS staff was not conducted, the Dire…
20 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it undertook a health and safety assessment before taking the decision to end the mandatory wearing of face masks in healthcare and social care settings.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and withdrawing COVID-19 guidance. The health and safety of health and social care workers continues to be at the forefront of our approach in developing policies and guidance. Howev…
20 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its position on ending the mandatory wearing of face masks in healthcare and social care settings is being kept under review in response to COVID-19 infection rates across Scotland.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has a robust process in place for creating, updating and withdrawing COVID-19 guidance. The extended use of face masks and face coverings guidance across health and social care settings was withdrawn on 16 May 2023. This followed advic…
13 Nov 2023 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a Unison survey that reportedly shows a 31% increase in the number of violent incidents against public sector workers in the last year.
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the General Teaching Council for Scotland regarding the length of waiting times for teacher registration in Scotland for those applying under the "qualified in the UK and registered with a teaching body" section.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) about registration waiting times for teachers qualified outside of Scotland (QoS) and I have raised this directly with Pauline Stephen, Chief Executive and Reg…
27 Oct 2023 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to resolve industrial action in schools.
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12681 by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022, whether the second National Marine Plan (NMP2) will require Regional Marine Plans that are produced in line with the latest scientific and economic evidence, and in consultation with all stakeholders.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The new National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) is being developed with stakeholders and regional planners. Once adopted, the new NMP2 will provide the context for future regional marine planning by setting the vision for the sustainable management of our marine space.…
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12681 by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022, whether the second National Marine Plan (NMP2) will require Regional Marine Plans to be produced by a set date.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The purpose of Scotland’s National Marine Plan is to set out the strategic policies for the sustainable development of our marine resources. Regional marine plans are currently being developed for three out of the eleven defined Scottish Marine Regions (Orkne…
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12681 by Mairi McAllan on 13 December 2022, whether the second National Marine Plan (NMP2) will require Regional Marine Plans that set specific areas, bounded by grid coordinates, for individual uses of marine space or specific combinations of such …
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Eleven Scottish Marine Regions are spatially defined under the Scottish Marine Regions Order 2015. Certain functions for marine planning for these regions can be designated to a delegate, known as Marine Planning Partnerships, through Ministerial Direction. T…
2 Oct 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of any impact of operational changes in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on response times to recent incidents, including the fires at the Ayr Station Hotel and Kitty’s nightclub in Kirkcaldy.
28 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many second-hand vessels have been considered for (a) charter and (b) purchase by (i) CMAL and (ii) CalMac since 1 June 2022 to date.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 1 June 2022, as vessel asset owner, CMAL has considered 9 vessels for charter and 67 vessels for purchase. CalMac, as operator of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service, has considered 12 vessels for charter and does not consider any vessels for purchase.…
13 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a list of the total payments made from the public purse to Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP for consultancy work on the (a) design and (b) tender of the (i) Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) 1 and (ii) CHFS2 contract.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No Transport Scotland or Scottish Government payments to Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP have been identified for consultancy work on the (a) design and (b) tender of the (i) Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) 1 and (ii) CHFS2 contract.