Jackie Baillie

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what modelling or scientific advice it has regarding the estimated number of COVID-19-related (a) cases, (b) hospital admissions, (c) ICU admissions and (d) deaths there might be following the planned easing of restrictions on (i) 19 July and (ii) 9 August 2021.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Since May 2020 the Scottish Government has published 3-4 week projections of infections, hospital and ICU occupancy in its weekly publication Modelling the Epidemicin Scotland Coronavirus (COVID-19): modelling the epidemic - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . It is …

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the COVID-19 Test and Protect service since it was established.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Beyond the amounts spent for the United Kingdom via the national testing programme, resource spend within the Health portfolio in Scotland for 2020-21 was £152 million and capital spend was £21 million.

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many contact tracers have been working for the COVID-19 Test and Protect service in each week since 1 May 2021, also broken down by how many were (a) redeployed and (b) seconded NHS staff.

Answer · Maree Todd: Table 1 shows the average daily number of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) Contact Tracers scheduled to work on the COVID-19 Test and Protect service each week from 1 May. These are projected workforce figures taken from management information submitted by Health …

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates its COVID-19 Advisory Group has met since the 10 June 2021, and by what date the minutes and papers of each meeting will be made public.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government Covid-19 Advisory Group met on ? 5 August 2021 and is due to meet again on 9 September. Papers and minutes are published following meetings, providing time for appropriate permissions to be sought.

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it reportedly maintains a weekly stockpile of at least 740,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The majority of stock to complete second doses in this phase of the programme has now been received and is being made available to Boards, as it is required.

15 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18422 by Jeane Freeman on 13 September 2018, how many calls to the Scottish Ambulance Service have been responded to (a) within (i) under 10, (ii) 10 to 29, (iii) 30 to 59, and (iv) 60 to 120 and (b) over 120 minutes, in each year since 2018-19, bro…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Please find the requested information set out in the following table: Emergency Incidents Attended, 01-04-2018 – 31-03-2021        2018 - 2019 2019 - 2020 2020 - 2021 Purple Under 10 Minutes 8304 11074 10687 Purple 10-29 Minutes 1932 3250 4247 …

13 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been (a) fined or (b) arrested for not wearing face coverings.

Answer · Keith Brown: Enforcement of the Coronavirus Regulations is a matter for the Chief Constable and Police Scotland. The latest data available on Police Scotland’s website Enforcement and Response Data - Police Scotland shows that as of 14 July 2021, 16,993 fixed-penalty n…

12 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason earwax-removal services are no longer offered through the NHS.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Ear wax removal services are available through the NHS. How to treat ear wax is a clinical decision; ear syringing is not the current preferred procedure and is no longer routinely provided by clinicians. The NHS has continued to provide services to patient…

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) clinically vulnerable people, (b) disabled people and (c) unpaid carers regarding the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We regularly engage with people who are at highest risk from COVID-19 through surveys, in-depth interviews and testing communications. Earlier this year we spoke directly to people at highest risk who have returned to the workplace as restrictions eased, to u…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the public health guidance is regarding the change from five to two days when tracing the recent contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Answer · Maree Todd: The contact tracing system has not changed its approach regarding the time frame used to identify close contacts. Those testing positive who have attended a complex or high-risk setting during their infectious period, or who have travelled in the last 14 day…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it did of the potential impact that reducing restrictions would have on positive cases of COVID-19 and resultant demand on the Test and Protect system.

Answer · Maree Todd: Since May 2020 the Scottish Government has published projections of infections, hospitalisations and ICU admissions in its weekly publication Modelling the Epidemic in Scotland Coronavirus (COVID-19): modelling the epidemic - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . These…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide data on people affected by sepsis, broken down by (a) age, (b) gender, (c) ethnicity and (d) location.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Data on diagnosis of sepsis by age, gender and location can be found at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual-annual-year-ending-31-marc…

8 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to fund a national sepsis awareness campaign.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Following clinical advice, and in agreement with stakeholders, we will not be running a sepsis awareness campaign while the COVID-19 public awareness campaign continues. We are aiming to re-start the annual sepsis public awareness campaign in 2022. In the m…

7 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the breast cancer self-referral scheme for over-70s will resume.

Answer · Maree Todd: The option for women aged 71 and over to self-refer for a breast screening appointment will resume once capacity in all screening centres returns to pre-Covid or close to pre-Covid levels. This is based on the recommendation of the Scottish Screening Committe…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the impact of the previous lifting of COVID-19 restrictions on the number of people developing long COVID, and how a move to level 0 might impact on numbers.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The primary aim of the Scottish Government throughout the pandemic has been to protect people in Scotland against the direct and tragic harm to health which the virus causes, including against long-COVID as we know that the virus affects people’s health in di…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the NHS workforce (a) has developed long COVID and (b) is absent due to reasons related to long COVID.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is not currently available. Weekly updated data on the proportion of the NHS workforce reported absent for all COVID-19 related reasons in total is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-data-for-scotland/

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a network of specialist clinics for people who have long COVID.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the question S6W-00316 answered on ?17 June 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-committees/…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been carried out on the capacity of the existing (a) primary care and (b) rehabilitation services to support people who have long COVID.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government’s Primary care Directorate meets weekly with the Scottish General Practitioners Committee of the BMA to discuss a range of issues including Covid related issues such as long Covid. NHS Boards are developing pathways according to local…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided for research into long COVID.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-00315 on 17 June 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-committees…

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each age group have reported experiencing symptoms of long COVID, also broken down by how many were not originally hospitalised due to the virus.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The most recent long COVID statistics published by the Office for National Statistics on 1 July 2021 state that, over the four-week period ending 6 June 2021, an estimated 962,000 people living in private households in the UK reported experiencing long COVID …

6 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has regarding the effectiveness of (a) one dose and (b) two doses of the COVID-19 vaccines in preventing the development of long COVID.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: To understand the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines in preventing the development of long COVID, an individual first has to have had COVID-19 in the first place. Therefore, the question really is effectiveness of vaccines in preventing the COVID-19 viru…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there were no COVID-19-related restrictions on the sale of alcohol at the recent rugby international at Murrayfield, and what its response is to reports that no social-distancing measures were enforced in the queues to buy drinks and refreshments.

Answer · Maree Todd: The British and Irish Lions rugby match was a flagship event approved by the Scottish Government through an events gateway process. Flagship events are internationally significant events which maintain Scotland’s longer-term profile as a host of major events,…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will implement the Warm Home Discount, and when it will consult on this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The UK Government has proposed creating a separate Warm Home Discount scheme for Scotland that does not take account of current levels of need or the definition of fuel poverty as decided by the Scottish Parliament. We have urged the UK Government to reconsid…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the new Fuel Poverty Advisory Body will be established.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The recruitment of members for the new Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel will be underway imminently. The Panel will comprise a Chair and five Members, at least one of whom must have lived experience of fuel poverty. Assuming there are sufficient applicant…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the revised fuel poverty strategy will be published; what consultation will take place; with whom, and over what timescale.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In line with our Programme for Government commitment, the Fuel Poverty Strategy will be published by the end of this year. We will consult with a wide range of relevant stakeholders. The timescale for this consultation will be confirmed in due course.

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which fuel poverty organisations receive grant funding; how much they receive, and what decisions have been made regarding awards for 2021-22.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We have provided funding to Energy Action Scotland for a number of years to undertake a programme of work that supports Scottish Government fuel poverty policy development and delivery, as well as increasing stakeholder awareness of fuel poverty issues in Sco…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Public Health Scotland is required to score its publications on whether research items criticise the Scottish Government and, if so, whether any such requirement will be removed.

Answer · Maree Todd: Public Health Scotland (PHS) is not required to score its research publications on whether they criticise the Scottish Government. The process for publishing research reports is managed impartially and objectively, in line with scientific principles and recog…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations the independent reviewers appointed to undertake the Gateway Review into the go-live date of the Deposit Return Scheme have interviewed.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Gateway Review team for the recent Gateway Review into Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme interviewed representatives of the following:Circularity Scotland LtdFood and Drink Federation ScotlandLidlScottish Environment Protection AgencyScottish Environmental…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has made of the impact of the Deposit Return Scheme on small producers.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We give careful consideration to representations made by small producers regarding our proposals for Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), including most recently in relation to the impact of COVID-19. We believe that we have taken account of their concern…

5 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the independent reviewers appointed to undertake the Gateway Review into the go-live date of the Deposit Return Scheme have interviewed representatives of small producers.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government officials met with representatives of small drinks producers on 2 July 2021. We will consider their views alongside the findings of the Gateway Review into Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme.