Jackson Carlaw

20 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with (a) East Renfrewshire Council and (b) other local authorities about (i) any financial support that will be made available and (ii) the process for delivering such funding to close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that …

Answer · Kate Forbes: All local authorities, including East Renfrewshire Council, have been involved in discussions around delivery of this funding and it has been agreed funding for close contact businesses will be distributed by our delivery partner NEC. We have published initi…

20 Jan 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will confirm and publish on its website the (a) application process and (b) eligibility criteria for support for close contact service businesses, including hairdressers and beauticians, that have been impacted by the restrictions put in place in response to the Omicron variant o…

Answer · Kate Forbes: We have published guidance which includes eligibility criteria for the Close Contact Fund and this information is now available on the Scottish Government website: Coronavirus (COVID-19): funding for businesses affected by Omicron control measures - gov.scot…

8 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support funded early learning and childcare providers in the private, voluntary and childminding sectors to deliver on its aim of building a system of wraparound school-age childcare and the ambition to provide funded early learning to one-year-olds from low-income households…

Answer · Clare Haughey: We work closely with the childcare sector representative bodies and appreciate the challenges faced by settings in relation to recruitment and retention. We are already providing support to all parts of the childcare sector with regard to recruitment and rete…

8 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that local authorities adhere to the Funding Follows the Child guidance, which states that local authorities should give appropriate consideration to the potential impact of their recruitment activity on the sustainability of funded providers.

Answer · Clare Haughey: Local authorities have worked with local partners to undertake a significant workforce expansion to support delivery of the 1140 commitment and we have seen an increase in the availability of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) places across the local a…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS boards to ensure the Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review panel is given access to medical records, where women have provided consent.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03321 on ? 18 October 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commi…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Moderator and/or other panel members of the Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review have been granted access to all of the medical information required to complete the investigation.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03321 on ? 18 October 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commi…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the Transvaginal Mesh Case Record Review.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Case Record Review is underway. Introductory interviews with the participants are close to completion. More than half of the participants have received an ‘information gathering’ form from the Administrator. Following return of this form, Clinco, a commis…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each NHS board area will have been unable to attend a scheduled appointment to receive their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before 1 October 2021 due to them previously returning a positive COVID-19 test result.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The requested level of data on individuals who Do Not Attend (DNA) vaccination appointments is not currently held. While we can show the number of people who did not attend a scheduled appointment, or who have cancelled or rescheduled, we don’t know all the r…

23 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing a time-limited exemption from the COVID-19 vaccine certification scheme for people who have been unable to attend a scheduled appointment to receive their second vaccination because they tested positive for COVID-19, but, by the time the certi…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We introduced the scheme on 1 October 2021, at which point all people aged 18 or over had had the opportunity to be fully vaccinated. In addition we gave a month’s notice of the intention to bring the scheme into place. We recognise there may be a small numbe…

13 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, what consideration it has given to extending immediately the 12-month period, starting from the day a baby is born, within which new mothers are able to receive free NHS dental treatment.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02628 on14 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

13 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the accessibility of NHS dental care for mothers who have sought treatment during the first year of their child's life.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02628 on 14 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commi…

16 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the breakdown of the reported most common COVID-19 symptoms into the categories, fully-vaccinated, in receipt of one-dose of the vaccination and unvaccinated, as set out in the research-based ZOE COVID study, which was published on 23 June 2021.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We have confirmed with Public Health Scotland (PHS) that there is a sentinel surveillance scheme. The symptomatic dataset is a very small sample; consequently, any potential analysis would not be robust. However, we are assured that the ZOE app does include S…

9 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to lifting the temporary suspension of the breast screening self-referral service for women aged 70 and over where an individual has a family history of breast cancer.

Answer · Maree Todd: The option for all women aged 71 and over to self-refer for a breast screening appointment will resume once capacity in all screening centres returns to pre-Covid or close to pre-Covid levels. This is based on the recommendation of the Scottish Screening Comm…

2 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing an NHS app that will allow people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to download proof of their status.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00019 on 26 May 2021. The answer is available on the Parliament's website at: Official Report - Parliamentary Business : Scottish Parliament

1 Jul 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to publish a new workforce plan at this stage in the COVID-19 vaccination programme and whether any such document would include proposals to reduce the presence of independent contractors in delivering vaccines.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Detailed workforce planning, in partnership with NHS Scotland health boards is underway to enable delivery of the next stage of COVID-19 vaccinations, alongside the seasonal influenza vaccination programme. On 05 July 2021, we provided health boards with the …

22 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether indoor, close contact music lessons can take place under COVID-19 restriction level (a) 0, (b) 1 and (c) 2 provided the household and person limits are not exceeded and if music tutors are permitted to make use of instruments in another person's home for teaching purposes.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Indoor music lessons for both children and adult pupils can take place under COVID-19 restriction levels 0-3 in households or other suitable premises with relevant mitigations including appropriate hygiene measures, physical distancing, use of face coverings …

18 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many independent contractors, including GPs, dentists, optometrists and pharmacists, are fulfilling the role of vaccinator in the COVID-19 vaccination programme, and what percentage of the total vaccination workforce is comprised of independent contractors, broken down by NHS board a…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: While the Scottish Government has access to management information (MI) on the number of independent contractors participating in the Covid-19 vaccination programme. This MI has not been subject to the same level of validation and checking as National Statist…

18 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the research studies and clinical trials that have taken place in a number of countries to determine whether ivermectin could be used to treat COVID-19.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is the UK agency responsible for the approval of both clinical trials in the UK and of marketing authorisations (licences) for new medicinal products. The MHRA is aware that ivermectin, administe…

18 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the (a) UK Government and (b) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regarding the possible future use of the drug, ivermectin, to treat COVID-19 patients.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government’s office of the Chief Medical Officer is working closely with the UK Department of Health and Social Care and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to prioritise potential treatments for COVID-19. Further resul…

15 Jun 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the announcement that the UK-Australia free trade agreement will remove tariffs of up to 5% on Scotch whisky.

11 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing an equivalent provision in Scotland to paragraph 2.18 of the Department for Education's School Admissions Code, published in December 2014, regarding the allocation of school places for both the children of UK service personnel and crown servants.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is wholehearted in its commitment to supporting our Armed Forces, veterans and their families in Scotland. We want Scotland to be the destination of choice for Service Leavers and their families and that includes Scotland being the bes…

11 Jun 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities on how they should process school applications from parents returning to Scotland after spending a period overseas in the role of crown servants.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: In relation to school admissions, in Scotland, local authorities have a legal responsibility to provide education in their area and publish arrangements for admission of pupils to schools they manage. The Scottish Government has published Choosing a School: a…

1 Jun 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the research led by Newcastle University and published in The Lancet into outcomes arising from Minimum Unit Pricing.

19 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give further consideration to extending the £500 bonus for health and social care staff to all private agency workers who have supported the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: We are hugely grateful to the efforts of health and social care staff across Scotland who have risen to the challenge of responding to the pandemic. This thank you payment recognised the particular debt we all owe to NHS and social care staff who have been on…

19 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many professional private agency staff have supported the health and social care response to the COVID-19 pandemic, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of private agency staff employed by NHS Boards. Data is published annually, in June, by NHS Education for Scotland on the total medical agency spend by NHS Scotland Boards; and the total WTE hours and c…

19 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the role played by private agency workers in supporting health and social care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is deeply grateful for the role that all health and social care workers have played during the Covid-19 pandemic, whether employed directly or through agency contracts. Our health and social care systems have experienced extraordinary…

13 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to providing COVID-19 vaccinators with the same rate of remuneration, irrespective of professional background.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our desire to protect as much of Scotland’s population as quickly as possible has necessitated the deployment of all available resources, and the rate of progress we have seen would not have been possible without the mobilisation at pace of a large, capable a…

13 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average (a) hourly, (b) weekly and (c) monthly pay is of COVID-19 vaccinators, based on professional background.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Hourly rates of pay for Agenda for Change Staff are published online . Bank staff participating in the programme who do not also hold contracts of employment with the host health board are paid at the grade and pay band as specified in their bank contract, …

13 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what differences in pay there are between the different professional groups that are performing COVID-19 vaccinations, and for what reason some vaccinators delivering the same service are reportedly paid less than others.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: All staff employed to work on the programme are paid in accordance with nationally set terms and conditions and are working to agreed job roles. A substantive Band 3 vaccinator is paid £20,700 rising to £22,594 (per annum). A Band 5 immunisations nurse is pa…

13 May 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on university students arriving back in the country from studying abroad being asked to pay £1,750 for a 10-day period in a quarantine hotel, and whether it will consider reimbursing their full costs.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government has been working with the university sector to explore what measures can be put in place for students returning to Scotland after an education exchange programme, who may be subject to managed isolation arrangements. These students ca…