Parliamentary questions

Lewis Macdonald

2,224 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, how it will ensure that vulnerable people contacted by the NHS regarding serious medical conditions are able to access additional support while shielding at home

Answer · John Swinney: An SMS system and local phonelines have been put in place to identify and respond to the needs of people who have been advised to ‘shield’. People in this group have been sent letters recommending that they register for the SMS system or call their local auth…

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, what financial support is available for people who have been self-employed for less than a full financial year and have yet to submit an annual tax return.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Cabinet Secretary for Finance announced on 15 April that funding of around £220 million of further grants are being made available for businesses - including the recently self-employed. This new package of measures includes £120 million to extend the Sma…

7 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to lower the threshold for the £25,000 COVID-19 business grant for ratepayers of businesses in hospitality, leisure and retail to a rateable value of £15,000, in line with the approach in England.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has no plans to lower thresholds for the grants schemes because in so doing businesses currently eligible for a £10,000 grant would become ineligible. The threshold reflects the Small Business Bonus Scheme in Scotland which is the most…

7 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative arrangements it is putting in place during the COVID-19 pandemic for people who rely on access to public library computers for a range of tasks, including making purchases and claiming benefits.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has established a national digital emergency response team to find, equip, train and support households who currently lack access to the internet at home and who are in one of the most vulnerable population groups. We are working colla…

6 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications of the COVID-19 outbreak are for public rights of access to farmland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-28236 on 6 May 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/parliamentarybusiness/288…

6 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether full-time students from the EU with private-sector leases are covered by the no-evictions policy that it has announced in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020, which came into force on 7 April 2020, further protects people living in the mainstream private rented sector, including any students. The temporary measures introduced by the emergency legislation supports tenants to be …

2 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, what guidance it has provided regarding the financial support that is available to operators of self-catering accommodation that is let for at least 140 days a year and who have income from other sources, resulting in them being ineligible for retail, …

Answer · Kate Forbes: Self-catering accommodation and caravans may be eligible for grant funding if they were let out for 140 days or more in financial year 2019-20 and receipts represent a primary source of income for the ratepayer (for example, one third or more). There are man…

2 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice or support is being offered to workers who started their most recent employment after 28 February 2020 but who have been made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is working to ensure that people who are not eligible for support through the UK Government’s interventions, including workers who have been made redundant and who cannot access the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), are aware of…

2 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason operators of self-catering accommodation are eligible for financial support in response to the COVID-19 outbreak only if they provide evidence that this provides their primary source of earned income and that the property is let for at least 140 days a year, given that se…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has introduced a scheme that delivers for the needs of Scottish businesses and offers better value for money for the Scottish taxpayer. The Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates identified that some second homes may be listed as self-ca…

2 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice or support is being offered to workers who have been made redundant as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and who are ineligible for universal credit as a result of their level of savings or other reasons.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Workers are encouraged to check whether they are eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). If the employee and employer both agree, the employer may be able to retain or rehire the employee even if they have no work for them to do because of C…

1 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that medical practices are seeking donors or suppliers of hand sanitiser or disinfecting wipes via social media, as a result of being unable to obtain these from the NHS.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is committed to keeping staff across the health and social care system safe, which includes ensuring continued access to appropriate PPE for all staff involved in the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Health Protection Scotland have iss…

1 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific assistance it is providing to vets, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Veterinary practices have not been instructed to close and the Scottish Government has issued advice concerning ongoing veterinary surveillance activities and statutory testing of livestock to the effect that such work should continue provided all public heal…

30 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to address reports of double-charging for childcare places for key workers during the COVID-19 outbreak, where they are asked to pay a retainer fee by their usual provider and full fees by a designated childcare provider.

Answer · Maree Todd: Local authorities have been asked to put in place critical childcare provision for keyworkers and vulnerable families, and are working at pace to develop local approaches that reflect local circumstances. We understand that local authorities are taking a vari…

30 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether key worker childcare during the COVID-19 outbreak will be fully-funded, or whether these workers should expect to be charged full fees by the designated provider.

30 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on childcare facilities charging full or part fees to parents as a retainer fee for childcare places while these facilities are either closed or open only to key workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Maree Todd: It is up to individual businesses to set their own charging policies. The Scottish Government is, however, encouraging all childcare providers to be reasonable and balanced in their dealings with parents, recognising the incredibly challenging situation in wh…