Parliamentary questions

Jackie Baillie

9,393 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many planned COVID-19 vaccination centres are in areas within each Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Vaccine doses are being allocated to local health boards on an equitable basis, recognising the different population share and geography. The list of vaccination centres within SIMD quintile is as follows: SIMD 2020 Quintile Vaccination Centres 1 65 2 10…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to support people with no recourse to public funds to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35059 on 4 March 2021. 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/2…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received their (a) first and (b) second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, broken down by (i) ethnicity and (ii) Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) quintile.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We do not have this level of detail from the current vaccination rollout at the moment. We are working closely with Public Health Scotland to evaluate the current data, including take-up of the vaccine by ethnicity and Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19 contact tracers are employed by each NHS board, also broken down by how many (a) have been hired out with the NHS, (b) are former or seconded NHS employees and (c) have been employed through a contract with an external organisation.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In management information collated on 3 March 2021, a total of 3066 staff capable of undertaking contact tracing activity, were available for deployment across NHS Scotland territorial boards and the National Contact Tracing Centre run by National Services Sc…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to communicate essential information about the COVID-19 vaccine to people with no fixed address.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are working to ensure everyone is fully informed regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. Our digital and social media campaigns began in January, alongside an outdoors advertising campaign and a TV and radio campaign. The Scottish COVID-19 Vaccination Helpline (…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to communicate essential information about the COVID-19 vaccine to people who have traditionally low engagement with the NHS.

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Details for the specific periods covered in your question would be available from individual Health Boards.

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to support people who have traditionally low engagement with the NHS to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Our top priority is to vaccinate as many people as we can as quickly as possible, starting with those at the highest clinical risk. To achieve this, the Scottish Government is working to ensure everyone is fully informed and supported on COVID-19 vaccination…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of vaccine doses have been wasted in each (i) week of its COVID-19 vaccination programme and (ii) NHS board area.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We do not hold this information and I would encourage the Member to engage with the local Health Boards for it. To date, our latest management information indicates a wastage rate of around only 1.8% - well below our planning assumption of 5%, which is a pre…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the prioritisation of further groups within its COVID-19 vaccination programme, following the vaccination of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) priority groups.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation recommendation continues to be that an age-based approach is the best way to address the risk of severe illness and mortality. This simple approach helps us to do that as quickly as possible. Calling people …

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people had been tested for COVID-19 at the end of each month since January 2020, broken down by SIMD (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) quintile.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government does not hold specific data on the number of people tested for COVID-19 on a monthly basis broken down by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation quintile, however, the following information is publicly available on the Public Health Sc…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scottish COVID-19 tests processed by (a) NHS Scotland and (b) Lighthouse Laboratories report results in (i) less than 24, (ii) between 24 and 48, (iii) between 48 and 72 and (iv) over 72 hours.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Lighthouse Laboratories are the responsibility of the UK Government with regards to operations. The Scottish Government has been working closely with Health Boards to monitor the performance of turnaround times across all channels including NHS Laborator…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has provided to each local authority for work to support its COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In 2020-21, the Scottish Government has provided £1.7 billion in additional funding for NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships to meet COVID-19 related costs, including COVID-19 vaccine delivery. The COVID-19 vaccination programme is one of the l…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is following up with people who do not take up a COVID-19 vaccination appointment.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We will be issuing a communication to people who do not attend their appointment, in the hope that they will take up a new vaccination appointment. We have also made it clear on NHS Inform and within the follow-up invite, that should people wish to receive a …

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government about the introduction of vaccine passports for (a) UK residents and (b) people entering the UK.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: It is too soon to introduce any form of certification. We need to know more about the efficacy of the vaccines, their impact on transmission and the length of immunity before it would be safe to introduce a vaccine certificate. We continue to engage in natio…

4 Feb 2021 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prescriptions have been given for (a) benzodiazepines, including clonazepam, (b) z-drugs, (c) antidepressants and (d) opioids in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, and how these figures compare with the 12-month period prior to that.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. All information on prescribed and dispensed items are published and categorised by the British National Formulary chapter, in both monthly open data files and as part of the annual Dispenser Pay…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to small businesses that are unable to apply for business rates relief due to them paying their rates as an inclusive payment alongside rent to their landlord.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Since the start of the pandemic the Scottish Government has allocated over £3 billion to help businesses through a comprehensive package of support measures. This includes among others, the Business Support Grant Scheme, the Strategic Framework Business Fund,…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the (a) frontline NHS budget and (b) total expenditure for the Health and Sport portfolio has been spent on mental health in (i) 2019-20 and (ii) 2020-21, and what the equivalent figures are projected to be in 2021-22.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Detail on mental health spending and the NHS budget is made available each year as part of the annual NHS Costs Book publication and the Scottish Budget. In tracking our achievement on shifting the balance of care in mental health, focus is on overall spendi…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the funding for mental health "in excess of" £1.1billion in its Budget for 2021-22 will be allocated, broken down by Level 3 budget categories.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Detail on mental health spending is made available each year as part of the annual NHS Costs Book publication.

1 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is giving to businesses that have had to make staff redundant as they can no longer afford the costs associated with the Job Retention Scheme.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government welcomed the Chancellor’s long overdue announcement that the Job Retention Scheme will be extended across the UK until the end of April 2021. Throughout the pandemic we have worked with the business community to ensure we understand al…

29 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of May 2021, broken down by week.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We anticipate that everyone on the JCVI priority list that has received their first dose will have received their second dose by end of March 2021, if supply allows. Based on our latest data published today on 3 March are as follows:92,550 people have receiv…

29 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the planned 400,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses to be administered each week will be (a) first and (b) second doses.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The public health Scotland provides an overview of first and second doses for each vaccines weekly. Please note that this data is dependent on the vaccine supply from the UK government. See the link here: COVID-19 statistical report 17 February 2021 - Data …

28 Jan 2021 · First Minister's Question

Question to be taken in Chamber.

27 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether older people being discharged from hospital into temporary care home accommodation are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that …

26 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the advice it received in regard to the 12-week gap between receiving the first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The decision regarding the 12 week gap between the two Covid-19 doses was made based on the clinical recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). This information was further communicated by the latest letter by the Chief Me…

26 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who it engaged to provide training for civil servants in preparation for their appearance at the Committee on the Scottish Government’s Handling of Harassment Complaints; how much the training cost, and what the content of the training was.

Answer · John Swinney: Scottish Government civil servants did not receive training in preparation for their appearances at the Committee on the Scottish Government’s Handling of Harassment Complaints. Civil servants have been providing oral evidence to the Committee under oath and …

25 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that information on appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations is available in an accessible format for blind and partially-sighted people.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is working with partners such as Health Boards and Public Health Scotland to ensure that Covid-19 information is in accessible format for blind and partially-sighted people. The vaccination material is available in multiple formats su…

25 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the deaths related to COVID-19 that occurred in hospitals were care home residents who had been admitted to hospital, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NRS published one-off analysis in June 2020 regarding deaths of care home residents involving COVID-19 which included deaths in hospital at a Scotland level. In week 20 (week ending 17 th May 2020) there were 154 COVID-19 deaths of people whose usual residenc…

25 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether student loans will be topped up beyond the current academic year for social work students whose course placements have been postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Students studying a course of Higher Education (HE) who require to repeat a full year of study are able to access an additional year of funding known as a ‘+1’. Care Experienced students studying in HE are able to access two additional years of funding. HE st…