Parliamentary questions
Pauline McNeill
2,364 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage GP practices to work together to administer the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out, similar to the approach in Winsford, Cheshire, which reportedly administered 975 doses in three and half days.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland territorial health boards are working closely with GPs to coordinate the appropriate delivery mechanisms to meet the Vaccination targets outlined in the Scottish Government's Covid -19 Vaccines Deployment Plan. Different sized GP practices and va…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage retired health professionals to sign up to administer the COVID-19 vaccination.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34331 on? 29 January 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/parliamentarybus…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the expected COVID-19 vaccination wastage rate is, and how it is monitoring this.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34394 on 3 February 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/parliamentarybusines…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will encourage advertising in local newspapers to provide information regarding the timetable for the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are working to ensure everyone is fully informed regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. A national door drop arrived with households on the week starting January 4th, as well as our digital and social media campaigns, which went live on this date. Our outdoors …
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment is being made of the quickest ways of rolling out the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are currently working through groups one to nine of the JCVI's prioritisation list and aim to have reached the whole of the JCVI priority list by early May. Vaccination of the rest of the adult population will follow thereafter. Prioritisation decisions fo…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will encourage telephoning people regarding the COVID-19 vaccination in addition to writing to them.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Health Boards have set out in their vaccination delivery plans the services that they will provide to meet the needs of their local communities. COVID-19 vaccinations may not take place at all GP practices, however, NHS Scotland will confirm local arrangement…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what notice it has been given regarding the supply of doses required to manage the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccination.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is provided with the supply forecasts from the NHS NSS on a weekly basis which are refined each week, which can make forward operational planning challenging. These reports forecast up to 4 weeks in advance. The UK vaccines taskforce p…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for identifying suitable settings for COVID-19 vaccination roll-out
Answer · Jeane Freeman: As part of the Covid Vaccine Programme, National Service Scotland were commissioned to produce a comprehensive Service Delivery Manual which guides the process of identifying suitable sites, this is underpinned by analysis carried out by Scottish Government G…
4 Jan 2021 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the COVID-19 vaccination training material is fit for the current situation and easy to access.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We recognise the importance of providing vaccinators with the training and support they require to undertake their role effectively. Our approach builds on the Green Book on immunisation against infectious disease and aligns with the approach taken by Public…
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19 vaccinators it plans to recruit.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: This information is outlined in the published 'COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan 2021’: Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine deployment plan 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Availability of vaccine supply is a key factor in determining the size of the vaccination …
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19 vaccine doses it estimates will be available by the end of each of the next five months.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: This information is outlined in the published 'COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Plan 2021’: Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine deployment plan 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) We are working to get vaccines to everyone as quickly as we can, and hope to have vaccinat…
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it has carried on the roll-out of each of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has published its COVID-19 vaccination policy in its Deployment Plan which gives background to the decisions made, and different models. It also sets out how we will work as fast as supplies allow to vaccinate everyone over the age o…
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19 vaccine drive-through centres it plans to have in each local authority area.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Local authorities in Scotland can choose the type of vaccination location that is on offer to the local community. The Scottish Government holds information on location (for example whether a GP practice or a mass vaccination centre) but does not have a break…
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its (a) weekly and (b) daily target number is for the issuing of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34055 on? 26 February 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/parliamentarybusin…
15 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34055 on? 26 February 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/parliamentarybusin…
14 Dec 2020 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to help students who will lose out financially on their accommodation costs as a result of the staggered return to universities.
9 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates the end of the Brexit transition period could have on delays to the delivery of vaccines.
4 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of people with inflammatory bowel disease being at greater risk of hospitalisation from flu, whether all people with this condition will be included as a priority group in the roll-out of the 2020-21 and future flu vaccination programmes.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33792 on 18 December 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/parliamentarybusine…
4 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, as part of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, antibody tests will be offered to people who are taking immunosuppressant medication for conditions such as Crohn’s and colitis in order to confirm the efficacy of the vaccine in such cases.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: At present there are no plans to roll out mass antibody testing, pre or post vaccination, to people who are taking immunosuppressant medication for conditions such as Crohn’s Disease and Colitis, in order to confirm the efficacy of the vaccine. Although the i…
4 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the advice in the Green Book that underpins advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to ensure that clear and unambiguous advice is given to GPs in relation to the eligibility for the flu vaccine of people with Crohn’s and colitis.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government policy on all vaccination programmes are an formed by advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), an independent scientific advisory committee that advises all administrations in the UK. The JCVI currently …
4 Dec 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether people with inflammatory bowel disease will be among the early groups to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: People who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBS) encompass a wide range of individuals with degrees of severity, so it’s important that the vaccine priority list focuses in on the specific groups who are at the highest risk. Some of those with IBS will fall i…
30 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect tenants from unlawful evictions.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government continues to take action to protect tenants from unlawful evictions. The private residential tenancy, introduced in December 2017, provides additional security of tenure and protections for tenants including in relation to wrongful ter…
30 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the statutory formula for calculating the damages to be awarded to victims of unlawful evictions, which is set out in section 37 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, provides adequate compensation to victims and deterrence to perpetrators.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government take the issue of unlawful evictions seriously . The awarding of damages to victims of unlawful evictions, as set out in section 37 of the Housing (Scotland), is one of the sanctions available and provides a route for victims to be di…
30 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the guidance that has been provided to prosecutors in cases of alleged unlawful evictions.
Answer · James Wolffe QC: The provision of guidance to prosecutors, if so advised, is a matter for the Lord Advocate as head of the system for the prosecution of crime, a function which he exercises independently of any other person. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, for…
24 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the significance of exercise, including group exercise, to the wellbeing of people during the COVID-19 pandemic and, in light of this, whether it will it consider relaxing the restrictions regarding such activity.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government fully recognise the importance of being physically active during COVID, both for physical and mental health. Group exercise is clearly part of this and we appreciate the social interaction which such classes provide. However, our prior…
24 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what scientific evidence it received to support the closure of indoor group exercise in areas under Level 3 COVID-19 restrictions, while gyms remain open.
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Decisions on what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown are guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making. Proposals are technically assessed using the best available evidence and analysis of their potential be…
23 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what level of accuracy it would require to allow airports to operate COVID-19 testing as a measure to replace mandatory quarantining.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: At the moment we know the virus has an incubation period of up to 14 days and the quarantining of travellers remains the safest way to reduce the risk of imported cases and transmission of the virus in Scotland. However, we are currently considering whether …
16 Nov 2020 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report, Caught in a (Covid) Trap, by the Resolution Foundation, which says that almost a third of families who have experienced a reduction in income due to the pandemic are struggling to afford to heat their homes or buy fresh vegetables.
11 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason schools data is not kept in the records of COVID-19 transmission settings.
Answer · John Swinney: The test and protect content management system only records events/venues that the case tells the person conducting the interview they have been to. Attending a particular event/venue does not mean that an individual case acquired their infection in that sett…
11 Nov 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that many foodbanks do not provide baby milk formula because of UNICEF guidelines, and whether it will issue separate guidance to foodbanks regarding how they can help mothers who are unable to feed their babies naturally and cannot afford to buy milk form…
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Scottish Government advice has always been that where infant formula milk is needed, the preferred approach is a referral to a health worker who will be able to provide families with young infants longer term support which guarantees consistency, quality and …