Jackie Baillie

24 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ambulances have been single-crewed in each year since 2017.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Ambulances are not single-crewed other than in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice unplanned staff absences, and every effort is made to double crew ambulances through rostered and relief staff, overtime or our bank staff. Unfortunately as a resu…

24 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many paramedics have been in post in each year since 2017.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ambulance Service staffing is up 63.5% under this Government, by 2,346.1 WTE between Sept 2006 and June 2021, and now stands at 6,040.4 WTE. In terms of specific numbers of paramedics in post since 2017, this is detailed in the following table:  Ma…

24 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date a learning disability, autism and neurodiversity commissioner will be appointed.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government aims to carry out scoping work on the remit and powers of a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Commissioner in this Parliamentary year. Following the successful passage of a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity B…

24 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date a learning disability, autism and neurodiversity bill will be introduced.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The First Minister announced in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government on 7 September that this Government will carry out scoping work on the remit and powers of a Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill, in this Parliamentary year. A…

23 Aug 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent, and plans to spend over the next four years, on the mitigation of landslips at the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83.

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all of the women who were identified in December 2020 as having been wrongfully excluded from the cervical screening programme and who subsequently developed cervical cancer, or their families, have been informed about the error and if (a) so, by what date they were told and (b) …

Answer · Maree Todd: As I noted in my statement to Parliament on 24 June, a single NHS Board first discovered in December 2020 that a small number of women who had subtotal hysterectomies had been wrongly excluded from the cervical screening programme and subsequently developed c…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing direct additional funding to carer centres seeking to provide grants to support their service users in purchasing services that will support their caring role, improve their health and wellbeing and assist them with meeting their everyday requirements, i…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Local authorities and integration authorities have legal duties to provide carer support under the Carers Act. In practice they commission third sector organisations, including carers centres, to provide much of that support on their behalf. The 2021-22 budge…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported pressures faced by (a) health and social care partnerships and (b) the third and independent sectors, what plans it has to introduce additional measures to ensure that the needs of (i) people who require care and (ii) unpaid carers are met.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: We are in daily contact with Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) facing the greatest challenges and are monitoring the situation closely. Health Boards and HSCPs have provided assurances that people in need of the most urgent care will continue receiv…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing (a) disabled and (b) older people to employ family members if they receive self-directed support.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Self-directed Support (Direct Payments) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 set out that people in receipt of a direct payment, Option 1 of Self-directed Support, may employ family members where this is deemed appropriate in certain prescribed circumstances. Ho…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide immediate additional funding to support health and social care partnerships in meeting the needs of their service users, including with the (a) hiring of additional temporary staff and (b) commissioning of additional third, independent and community sector care pr…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: On the 5 October, the Health Secretary announced our £300 million NHS and care winter package. We announced funding of:£40m for ‘step-down’ care, so that hospital patients can temporarily go into care homes, or can receive additional care at home support;£62…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on expanding flexibility in self-directed support in all health and social care partnership areas to enable carers and the people that they care for to arrange support in a way that meets their needs.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Self-Directed Support (SDS) is Scotland’s mainstream approach to social care that seeks to give unpaid carers and people receiving care and/or support flexibility, choice and control to meet their own personal outcomes, using a human rights based approach. In…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in advance of the development of a national care service, whether it will provide additional funding for health and social care partnerships' recruitment campaigns, including to fund initiatives in attracting new staff that have been deemed successful in other sectors.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: On the 5 October, the Health Secretary announced our £300 million NHS and care winter package. We announced funding of:£40m for ‘step-down’ care, so that hospital patients can temporarily go into care homes, or can receive additional care at home support;£62…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of people who have received a COVID-19 vaccination have been found subsequently to have antibodies for the virus.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In Scotland, it is estimated that over 9 in 10 adults, or 93.6% of the adult community population (95% credible interval: 92.3% to 94.7%) would have tested positive for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 from a blood sample in the week beginning 9 August 2021, suggesti…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been carried out regarding the presence of antibodies following a COVID-19 vaccination.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is supporting vital research into the immune response to COVID-19 after infection and vaccination, which is being undertaken by the SIREN (Sars-CoV-2 Immunity & Reinfection Evaluation) research study. The primary aim of the study is to…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide COVID-19 antibody tests for people who are immunosuppressed, particularly those who are shielding.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government is not currently introducing on-demand antibody testing. Immune responses are more complex than the measure of an antibody test. The Chief Medical Officer's advice urges caution around the interpretation of antibody test results, and …

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the job description is of the post of Strategic Policy and Political Adviser to the First Minister.

Answer · George Adam: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02466 on 28 September 2021. 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-commi…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many special advisers there are, broken down by salary scale, and how this compares with each year since 1999.

Answer · George Adam: The number of Special Advisers as at 26 May 2021, broken down by pay band, is set out in the answer to S6W-00255 on 23 August 2021. One further Special Adviser was appointed on 27 September 2021 taking the current total to 16. For the period 1999-2000 to 200…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ministerial cars are available for use; how this compares with each year since 1999, and what plans it has to increase the size of the fleet.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Government Car Service currently has 28 operational vehicles. This comprises 24 vehicles that are allocated to drivers and 4 spare vehicles, which are used during periods of maintenance. There are currently no plans to increase the fleet size. The follo…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) cabinet secretaries and (b) junior ministers there are, broken down by salary scale, and how this compares with each year since 1999.

Answer · George Adam: Since August 2021, there have been nine Cabinet Secretaries (including the Deputy First Minister), and 17 junior Ministers. The following table sets out the numbers of (a) Cabinet Secretaries (Ministers appointed under section 47 of the Scotland Act 1998) an…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recently-appointed Strategic Policy and Political Adviser to the First Minister is receiving the same salary as she did in her role as Chief of Staff, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · George Adam: Following the election, the First Minister chose to appoint a special adviser to work on behalf of her and the Deputy First Minister across government, and with stakeholders, to ensure delivery at pace of the key transformational aspects of the Scottish Gover…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the hire of ministerial cars from private companies in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The following table details yearly expenditure on private chauffeur hire for the last 5 years. Year Expenditure 2016 -17 £183,416 2017 -18 £198,328 2018 -19 £286,216 2019 -20 £274,441 2020 -21 £22,016

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the First Minister has not previously required the services of a Strategic Policy and Political Adviser.

Answer · George Adam: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02466 on? 28 September 2021. 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-comm…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recently-appointed Strategic Policy and Political Adviser to the First Minister was paid any salary during her four-month absence from May 2021 as Chief of Staff and, if so, what the (a) reasons were for its position on this matter and (b) source was of this income.

Answer · George Adam: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02466 on 28 September 2021. 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-commi…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the recently-appointed Strategic Policy and Political Adviser to the First Minister was appointed following an interview process, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · George Adam: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02466 on 28 September 2021. 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-commi…

23 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on fuel for ministerial cars in each of the last five years.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Jackie Ballie MSP (Scottish Labour- Dumbarton): To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on fuel for ministerial cars in each of the last five years. The following table provides a breakdown of fuel expenditure for the Government Car Service si…

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time has been since January 2019 for multiple sclerosis (MS) patients from diagnosis to receiving disease modifying therapy, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Maree Todd: Waiting time statistics for patients requiring treatment related to MS is not held centrally by the Scottish Government or Public Health Scotland (PHS). Patients’ specific condition or diagnosis is not collected by the PHS Waiting Times Team. In regards to i…

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve the early diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02419 on 21 September 2021. 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-commi…

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done to better understand the early symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02419 on 21 September 2021. 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-commi…

20 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address any workforce issues within NHS podiatry care.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is aware of the potential for workforce issues to arise within NHS podiatry services. The Government is currently gathering data to support information from a range of sources. Early findings suggest the possible requirement to increas…

19 Aug 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the latest advice is for immunosuppressed people who have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and whether this group has the same level of immunity to COVID-19 as non-immunosuppressed people who have received two vaccine doses.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: All the UK governments receive their expert clinical advice from the JCVI and the Committee has been closely monitoring the situation, in regard to this cohort of people. The Scottish Government are waiting for formal advice on this issue from the JCVI and a…