George Adam

30 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of revised guidance on reducing the risks from COVID-19 in schools and the early learning and childcare sector.

Answer · John Swinney: Revised guidance on reducing the risks from COVID-19 in schools was published earlier today, Friday 30 October. Guidance for the early learning and childcare sector is expected to be published later today. Keeping schools, early learning and childcare settin…

23 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide more information regarding its response to the next stage of managing COVID-19.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has today published COVID-19: Scotland’s Strategic Framework. This new Strategic Framework sets out how we will work to suppress the virus and sets out our proposal to move to a strategic approach to outbreak management based on five l…

22 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the restrictions currently in place to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Answer · Michael Russell: The measures currently in place are due to expire at 6 am on 26 October. In light of the clinical evidence and advice, we have judged that these measures are required for a short additional period, until a levels-based approach can be debated in Parliament an…

9 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS dental services will be available for patients to access a full range of treatments through the NHS.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The pandemic has been an extremely challenging time for dentistry and the Government recognises NHS contractor efforts, patience and resilience throughout the period. The Government is committed to ensuring that the needs of patients to be seen for NHS dental…

28 Sep 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what further funding will be made available to support additional COVID-19 spending across health and social care services.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is making available funding of £1.1 billion to support additional COVID pressures in 2020-21. This follows our detailed review of financial implications across the sector, and ensures that frontline health and care services continue to…

10 Sep 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS will continue on the emergency footing that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport announced on 2 June 2020.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Our health and care system continues to respond magnificently to the enormous challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic. NHS Scotland has begun safely and incrementally resuming some services that have been suspended, delayed or deferred due to coronavirus…

16 Jul 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid out to public bodies through the £30 million Spaces for People fund.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As of 10 July, our delivery partner, Sustrans, has awarded a total of £29,603,681 to local authorities and statutory bodies through the Spaces for People programme. We are also considering repurposing a final amount of funding from the active travel budget fo…

2 Jul 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish an update on Scotland’s approach to physical distancing.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has today published COVID-19: Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis – Update on approach to physical distancing in light of advice from the Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group which provides an update on the approa…

10 Jun 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Restricting Foods Promotions Bill will be introduced to the Parliament.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are no longer planning to introduce the Restricting Foods Promotions Bill in this Parliament. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact, including on the food and drink and retail industries and on consumer behaviour. It is not yet clear what its…

26 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested any mutual aid for the supply of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic from other UK administrations, and, if so, what items were supplied, and by what volume.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Thanks to the significant efforts of National Services Scotland in sourcing and procuring PPE items, Scotland has been able to maintain supplies and meet demand during the COVID-19 outbreak. We, therefore, have not requested any formal mutual aid support from…

26 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has fulfilled any requests from other UK administrations for mutual aid in the supply of PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, and, if so, what items were supplied, and by what volume.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Coronavirus is a shared challenge and so it is critically important that the Scottish Government works closely with the other UK nations to slow its spread and boost our capacity to respond. This has resulted in consideration of a number of mutual aid reques…

21 May 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish further details on Scotland’s approach to reviewing the COVID-19 restrictions currently in place.

Answer · John Swinney: We have today published COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making – Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis , which sets out a phased approach to carefully and gradually changing current restrictions in place to suppress the spread of Covid-19, subje…

4 May 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its strategy for the introduction of Test, Trace, Isolate in Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: COVID-19: A Framework for Decision Making set out the approach and principles that will guide us as we make decisions about transitioning out of the current lockdown arrangements. One of the range of public health measures we will deploy in order to ensure lo…

23 Apr 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish more detail on Scotland’s approach to transition through the COVID-19 crisis.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has today published COVID-19: A Framework for decision-making . It sets out some of the challenges Scotland faces and outlines the approach and principles that will guide us as we make decisions about transitioning out of the current l…

31 Jan 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in response to the Prime Minister’s letter to the First Minister of 14 January 2020.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is committed to giving the people living in Scotland a choice over their future, as the Scottish Parliament voted for on 29 January. We will ask the Electoral Commission to test the question, ‘‘should Scotland be an independent countr…

22 Jan 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made since publication of the National Health and Social Care Integrated Workforce Plan on 16 December 2019.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is working to strengthen the approach to the strategic challenges the Plan identifies, by introducing a new unit. Building on the published guidance and scenarios for health and social care employers, the unit is already:discussing act…

6 Jan 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the proposed Glasgow Metro rail system that will connect Glasgow Airport to the rail network.

19 Dec 2019 · 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 2018-19.

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. The total cost of the 14 Special Advis…

19 Jun 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on funding for NHS employers' pension costs, and whether the cost will be fully funded by the UK Government.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The UK Government has taken decisions on pension costs and funding that result in a shortfall of £48.4 million for the NHS in Scotland. This comes on top of a reduction to health funding of £55 million applied through the UK Budget, and therefore a total futu…

28 May 2019 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the results of the European elections.

28 Mar 2019 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to publish a medium-term plan for capital investment in the NHS.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We will bring forward our medium-term NHS Capital Investment Strategy as soon as is practicable, following greater certainty on the Brexit process and its potential impact on the NHS capital budget beyond 2019-20.  

19 Dec 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing an independent review of P1 standardised assessments.

Answer · John Swinney: In my statement to Parliament on P1 standardised assessments on 25 October 2018, I announced the establishment of an independent review of these assessments. Following advice from Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, I have appointed David Reedy to lea…

28 Nov 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its response to the independent strategic review of legal aid in Scotland will be published.

Answer · Ash Denham: The report will be published on the Scottish Government website later today https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781787814264 .

13 Nov 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for taking forward the development of a Hate Crime Bill, and how people can take part in the process.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: A consultation document based on Lord Bracadale’s recommendations from his independent review of Hate Crime Legislation will be available to the public via Citizen Space from 14 November until 24 February 2019. In parallel we will be undertaking a series of c…

13 Nov 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an updated action plan on its Freedom of Information practices to the Scottish Information Commissioner, as requested in his letter of 9 October 2018.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I am pleased to record that the Commissioner’s letter noted that the 13 September draft plan was thoroughly constructed and that he was content that the majority of the proposed actions will achieve the desired outcomes. He asked for minor revisions to impro…

4 Sep 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what changes to parliamentary liaison officers have been made following the recent Ministerial reshuffle.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Following the recent Ministerial reshuffle there are currently no parliamentary liaison officers. Any PLOs appointments will be notified to Parliament as normal.  

4 Jul 2018 · 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 2017-18.

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. The total cost of the 14 Special Advis…

27 Jun 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its first report on implementation of corporate parenting in the three years since part 9 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 came into force on 1 April 2015.

Answer · Maree Todd: I am delighted to say the first report on Corporate Parenting activity in Scotland ‘Turning Legislation into Practice Together’ has been published today at www.gov.scot/ISBN/9781788519311 The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 encourages prevent…

15 Jun 2018 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that Scotland will be the location for the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I am delighted to confirm that Scotland will host the UK Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC). The Centre, which has received tripartite funding from Scottish Enterprise (£15m) Innovate UK (£13m) and industry (£14m) will not only be a highly influ…

13 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the unitary charge costs are for the 25-year private contract period for HM Prison Addiewell.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows: Based on the current rate of inflation, the estimated unitary charge cost for the total of the 25 year contract period for HMP Addiewe…