Parliamentary questions

Rhoda Grant

2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the lifetime is of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, and whether it considers that it will still apply beyond a time when a vaccine is developed or when there are no COVID-19 cases in the country.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-32775 on 9 November 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/parliamentarybusines…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, when care at home workers will be tested weekly.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for the Pandemic, published on 23 October, sets out plans to develop the testing element of Test and Protect over the next three months which focusses on building capacity within NHS Scotland and deploying expansi…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, what set of circumstances or criteria will trigger movement between each tier.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Decisions on levels are made by Scottish Ministers taking account of all the relevant facts and circumstances available. This includes the use of five indicators used to inform decisions on what COVID-19 level applies to each local authority, details on which…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, whether the geographical allocation of tier levels will be based on NHS board, local authority area or council ward.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The First Minister announced on 29 October that the levels across Scotland from 2 November would be based initially on a local authority unit of geography. There is however discretion to apply levels in future to whichever geography is most likely to be effec…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, when action will be taken to protect businesses in the hospitality sector that have not been instructed to fully close, including pubs in the Highlands and Islands that do not sell food and/or are not required to close until 10 pm, but have …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government fully appreciates the impact the pandemic has had on the hospitality sector and we continue to support business survival as much as we can. We have been continually seeking to find a balance between action to suppress the virus and the…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, what action will be carried out under its national mission to help create new jobs, not including the Youth Guarantee.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Programme for Government was published on 1 September 2020 and within that we commit to using all the tools at our disposal working with business and the third sector in a national mission to help create new jobs, good jobs and green jobs . This will inc…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, how it will consult on extending police powers to enable officers to enter homes to enforce indoor household meeting restrictions.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Further to the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, and in keeping with the move to a levels based approach, Regulation 6 of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 provides a power of entry for …

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of restrictions in the level zero tier of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, what discussions it has had with its scientific advisers about when and if there can be a return to unrestricted living conditions on a (a) national and (b) regional basis, and what conditions will have…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Levels set out in our new Strategic Framework ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-strategic-framework/ ), are likely to be necessary until we are in a position to move into Phase 4 of our route map. To do this the virus must effectively h…

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, how it will implement testing of care home visitors, and when this programme will be rolled out.

26 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the "four harms approach" in the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, when the necessary mental health support be in place.

Answer · Clare Haughey: We know that the pandemic has had, and will continue to have, a substantial impact on the mental health of the population for a long period of time. That is why on 8 October 2020 we published Scotland’s Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan. The Plan out…

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of care-experienced young people received support from the Job Start Payment linked to qualifying benefits that was announced in the 2019-20 Programme for Government.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Official statistics on applications for, and awards, of Job Start Payment were published on 9 November 2020 and can be accessed on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/job-start-payment-high-level-statistics-to-30-september-2020

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of care-experienced 18- to 26-year-olds received support from the extension to them of eligibility for free NHS dental care that was announced in the 2019-20 Programme for Government.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Covid-19 has put us all in an unprecedented, challenging situation, and the current pandemic has had a significant impact on the delivery of dental services. As a result of the pandemic we have had to defer our work to extend free NHS dental care to care exp…

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what proportion of care-experienced young people benefited from the discretionary housing payments linked to qualifying benefits that were announced in the 2019-20 Programme for Government.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Work to better understand and support care-experienced young people with their housing costs through Discretionary Housing payments was paused as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. However, care experienced young people remain eligible for discretionary hous…

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the principal terms are of the sub-lease of the Arnish fabrication yard by Highlands and Islands Enterprise to DF Barnes/BiFab.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The terms of the lease would be a commercial matter between Highlands & Islands Enterprise and the BiFab Board of Directors. Further details of how to obtain a copy of the lease can be found on the Registers of Scotland website - https://www.ros.gov.uk/servi…

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to initiate a marketing campaign to promote the merits of Arnish fabrication yard to potential users.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational and management matter and would therefore be for the BiFab Board of Directors to consider.

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to ensure that any potential user capable of bringing work to the Arnish fabrication yard will have access to it.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We would encourage the landlord Highlands & Islands Enterprise to discuss this proactively with BiFab Board of Directors and management, who are the current leaseholders of the yard.

22 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action was taken to provide school meal vouchers during the October 2020 school holidays, and what plans it has for the Christmas holidays.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is making a £30 million package available to local authorities to support people facing financial insecurity as a result of COVID-19. £10 million from this funding package will be used to enable local authorities to provide free schoo…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to (a) Loganair (i) suspending its Inverness-Shetland and (ii) ending its Wick-Edinburgh service and (b) Eastern Airways ending its Wick-Aberdeen service; what discussions it has had with (A) the relevant chambers of commerce and (B) other stakeholder…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The aviation industry has been profoundly impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic with passenger numbers across the world far below previous levels. In order to secure their businesses for the long term airlines are making adjustments to schedules across their netw…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on Highlands and Islands air routes of the COVID-19 restrictions, and what action it is taking to protect the region’s aviation connectivity.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic we have kept in close contact with airlines, airports and other stakeholders to understand the impact of Covid-19 on air services. We have significantly increased our subsidy of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited t…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has that indicates a direct correlation between rising COVID-19 infections and traceability back to hospitality settings.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: An evidence paper on infection trends has been produced by the Chief Medical Officer, Chief Nursing Officer and National Clinical Director and was published on 7 October 2020 - www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-evidence-paper-october-2020/ .

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to allow Test and Protect to have the ability to capture data on where infections take place in order to put in place restrictions that do not impact on sectors that are COVID-secure.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Backwards contact tracing is regularly undertaken by Test and Protect’s contact tracers, going back 7 days prior to symptom onset in positive cases to establish where infections may have occurred. The evidence paper on infection trends, published on 7 Octobe…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the £40 million of support that it announced on 7 October 2020 to provide, on average, £2,000 per hospitality business for a reduction or total loss of trade for 16 days is sufficient, in light of the ongoing difficulties that many of these businesses were…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are providing support both as a result of the brake restrictions and the Strategic Framework. For between 9 October and 2 November, the COVID-19 Restrictions Fund will now provide one-off grants of up to £4,310 to businesses required to close by regulatio…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many employers have signed up to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's Working Forward campaign, and what impact this has had on employees.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The EHRC is an independent UK-wide body, not operated or funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of calls to the EHRC Scotland have related to maternity and pregnancy rights, including breaches of employment rights.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The EHRC Scotland is part of EHRC which is an independent UK-wide body, not operated or funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what employment protection will be offered to women on a placement on its proposed Job Guarantee Scheme who become pregnant.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We remain committed to tackling pregnancy and maternity discrimination in the workplace and encourage all employers to comply with relevant employment and equalities legislation as well as the Scottish Government’s Fair Work policies. We will be continuing to…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what proportion of calls to the Maternity Action helpline since March 2020 have come from Scotland, and what the main areas of concern raised in these have been.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Maternity Rights Advice Lines of Maternity Action is an independent advice service, not operated or funded by the Scottish Government.

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the findings were of the analysis by it and Skills Development Scotland regarding the number of (a) workplace and (b) student modern apprenticeships that were not completed following maternity leave.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Modern Apprenticeships (MAs) consist of on-the-job training for current or new employees that leads to an industry approved qualification. All Modern Apprentices are employees, rather than a student or on a work placement. The published minutes of the Pregna…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its Pregnancy Maternity Discrimination Working Group last met, and how the group is addressing the reported increase in discrimination against women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Pregnancy and Maternity Discrimination Working Group last met on 16 June 2020. The agenda included a presentation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission on issues in pregnancy & maternity for workers that have arisen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Thi…

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of calls made to the Family Friendly Working Scotland helpline have concerned maternity and pregnancy rights, including breaches of employment rights.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Family Friendly Working Scotland partnership ceased operations on 31 March 2020 and is no longer funded by the Scottish Government and we do not hold the information requested.

8 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the vacancy level is for environmental health officers in each local authority area, and how this compares with each the last three years.