George Adam

11 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · Michael Russell: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations legislate for the relaxation of restrictions announced by the First Minister on Tuesday,…

11 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the independent evaluation of the rapid roll-out of the Near Me video consulting service in response to COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The report of the independent evaluation of the rapid roll-out of Near Me in response to COVID-19 was published on the Scottish Government website at 09.30 today. The link to the full report is: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800048102 and to the summary rep…

11 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the names of each Special Adviser, broken down by (a) responsibility and (b) pay band, and what the total cost of employing special advisers was in 2019-20.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Special Advisers are appointed in accordance with Part 1 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 by the First Minister as a Special Adviser for the purpose of providing assistance to the Scottish Ministers. As at 31 January 2021 there were 14 Sp…

5 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether COVID-19 funding for bus operators will be extended beyond 31 March 2021.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Today I am announcing up to £61.4 million in further funding to support bus operators maintain services between 1 April and 27 June 2021. This is in addition to up to £191.3 million that the Scottish Government has made available to support bus services since…

4 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · Michael Russell: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Directions by Local Authorities) (Scotland) Regulations 202…

24 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when care home residents  will be able to see close friends and family.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We understand the distress that this pandemic has caused for people living in care homes and their loved ones. Care home staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to support continued contact between residents and their loved ones but these restric…

18 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations provide that driving lessons and tests may be provided for, or undertaken by certain limi…

11 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support has been made available to children from low-income households receiving free school meals over the winter period.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: As part of the Winter Plan for Social Protection, Scottish Ministers announced a one-off COVID Winter Hardship Payment of £100 for each child receiving Free School Meals, on the basis of low income, prior to the winter holidays. As of 5 February local author…

5 Feb 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what further financial support will be made available to health and social care services in responding to COVID-19 in 2020-21.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Following the allocation of £1.1 billion to support additional COVID-19 costs in 2020-21 that was announced on 29 September 2020, the Scottish Government is providing further funding of £491 million to NHS Boards and Integration Authorities. This takes our to…

29 Jan 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · Michael Russell: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations move Na h-Eileanan Siar from Level 3 to Level 4 as a result of the latest information. T…

28 Jan 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the coronavirus legislation in place.    

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Directions by Local Authorities) (Scotland) Regulations 202…

14 Jan 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations implement the changes that the First Minister announced on Wednesday, 13 January. In ord…

6 Jan 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations implement some of the changes that the First Minister announced on 4 January 2021. In or…

23 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 today. These Regulations implement the changes to non-essential retail that the First Minister announced on 22 Dec…

21 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations were made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 on 20 December 2020. These Regulations implement the changes that the First Minister announced on 19 December 2020…

21 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its national COVID-19 Dementia Recovery Plan.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government’s Dementia and COVID-19: National Action Plan to Continue to Support Recovery for People with Dementia and their Carers is published on 22 December 2020. The plan builds on, continues and expands on the national action we have been ta…

17 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the coronavirus legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations have today been made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. These Regulations implement the changes to the level allocations that the First Minister announced on …

17 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Phase 2 of the Learning Estate Investment Programme will be announced, and which school projects will be included within this phase.

Answer · John Swinney: I am pleased to confirm that the projects to benefit from the second phase of the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) will be announced today. Through Phase 2 of the LEIP, 25 new schools and campuses will be constructed or refurbished to provide mode…

14 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether COVID-19 funding for bus operators will be extended beyond 17 January 2021.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Today I am announcing up to £29 million in further funding to support bus operators to maintain bus services between 18 January and 31 March 2021. This is in addition to the £162.3 million in funding that the Scottish Government has been providing since June …

11 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on implementation of the expansion of funded early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours.

Answer · Maree Todd: Answer The transformational early learning and childcare (ELC) expansion was due to be delivered in August 2020. The expansion will improve educational and developmental outcomes for children, enhance family wellbeing and enable greater employment and trainin…

10 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations have today been made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, these Regulations implement the changes to the level allocations that the First Minister announced on …

3 Dec 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations have today been made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, these Regulations provide for the rules and restrictions which will be in place for the short period f…

30 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of the UK Government including a pay freeze for most public sector workers in its pay remit in the next financial year, what assurances it can provide frontline health and adult social care workers in Scotland that they will be recognised for their efforts during the…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government will, in the current 2020-21 financial year, provide all staff working within our NHS, frontline primary care, adult social care sector, hospice and palliative care sector, and residential childcare settings, with a pro-rated one off p…

30 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to further support apprenticeship recruitment in response to the recently-published Young Person’s Guarantee.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government recognises and values the important of apprenticeships and the key role they will play in our economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Apprenticeships are a way for employers to invest in their workforce and support high quality j…

26 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation that is in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations have today been made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, these Regulations allow students to return home at the end of term 1 of academic year 2020-21. The Reg…

24 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on arrangements for the Christmas period.

Answer · John Swinney: Following discussions at Four Nations level, the Scottish Government has agreed a cautious and limited relaxation of the rules on household meetings over the Christmas period. We know that isolation and loneliness can hit people especially hard over the Chris…

23 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the COVID-19 legislation that is in place.

Answer · John Swinney: Amending Regulations have today been made to the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, which will move East Lothian from Level 3 to Level 2 of the Strategic Framework with effect from 6:00 …

20 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when regulations will be brought forward to implement the further COVID-19 measures set out in the First Minister’s statement to the Parliament on 17 November 2020.

Answer · Michael Russell: Following yesterday’s debate and vote in the Scottish Parliament to support further steps to suppress the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Scottish Government has today made Regulations to come into force at 6:00pm which will put in place additional meas…

12 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the further development of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Later today the Scottish Government will announce the launch of Phase 2 of the FWDF which will adopt a test and learn approach to the delivery of the existing FWDF support for Levy payers. This new approach will see the Fund expanding to include SME’s; and ac…

6 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when funding for bus priority infrastructure will be made available to local authorities.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In the 2020 Programme for Government, the First Minister re-affirmed our commitment to the landmark investment of over £500 million in bus priority infrastructure. We had paused work on that during the pandemic for obvious reasons, but now we want to look ah…