Parliamentary questions

Miles Briggs

4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

29 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the implementation plan for the Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland will be published.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are committed to continuous improvement in the diagnosis, care, treatment and support of people living with respiratory conditions which is why set out in our Programme for Government a Respiratory Action Plan to deliver these key priorities. The final Re…

26 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when frontline NHS workers will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Those who have received their first dose, will get the second within the 12 week period. This approach has been supported by the Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties as well as including immunology specialists. The JCVI and the Scottish Go…

26 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when care home residents will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Care home residents have started to received their second dose. Latest progress on second doses for care homes residents (as of 7 March) was 17,467 vaccinations (58% of residents in older adult care homes and 55% of residents in all care homes).

26 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether betting shops were included in the list of businesses eligible for the retail, hospitality and leisure support grant that was available until 10 July 2020, and what the reasons were for its decision on this matter.

Answer · Kate Forbes: To qualify for the retail, hospitality and leisure grant a business had to be operating in the retail, hospitality or leisure sectors and the premises recorded in the valuation roll as being used for one of the qualifying purposes. An outline of the qualifyin…

25 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether early learning and childcare staff, many of whom are currently working with the children of key workers and vulnerable children, should have earlier access to the COVID-19 vaccination, and what assessment it has made of this matter.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that …

15 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns regarding the closure of swimming pools under the latest COVID-19 restrictions from people who are only able to exercise through swimming, rather than walking, such as some people with arthritis.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We fully appreciate the impact the closure of swimming pools is having on people’s physical and mental health, especially those with long-term conditions such as arthritis. The Scottish Government, sport scotland, local authorities and sporting bodies are wor…

15 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32711 by Jeane Freeman on 9 November 2020, whether a timetable has been agreed for the publication of the report by the Junior Doctors' 48-hour Expert Working Group.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: No timetable for publication has been agreed at present. The ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic is the focus of our activity, and we have agreed with BMA Scotland that the final report and its important recommendations will be released when it has been…

11 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which business support funds are available for wholesale bakeries that are dependent on the hospitality and tourism supply chains.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The £30 million discretionary funding has been provided to local authorities to provide additional support for businesses where they consider that necessary or justified. The aim of this fund is to mitigate the short term financial challenges being experienc…

11 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that bakeries in the hospitality and tourism supply chains have received no business support during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We recognise that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses of all kinds across Scotland, including the hospitality and tourism supply chains. We have allocated almost £3 billion to support businesses, including those in the hospitality and tourism s…

11 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) wholesale bakeries and (b) food manufacturers have accessed support from the Scottish Food and Drink Wholesale Resilience Fund.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: To be eligible for support through the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience Fund, food and drink wholesale must be the main part of the business and was defined for the purpose of this fund as being a route to market in the consolidation and distribut…

8 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the latest COVID-19 restrictions, what new support it plans to provide to betting shops and the betting sector.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Strategic Framework Business Fund provides grants of up to £3,000 every 4 weeks for businesses that are required by law to close or alter their operations in response to regulations introduced to control the spread of COVID-19. The financial support avail…

6 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to mainland Scotland moving from Level 4 restrictions to a temporary lockdown, and in anticipation of potential measures from the UK Government to restrict international travel, whether it plans to reassess its position on providing financial support for aviation-related busines…

Answer · Michael Matheson: We recognise the scale of the global challenge affecting the aviation sector, including the wider supply chain, which continues to be impacted by Covid-19. All non-domestic properties are benefiting from a 1.6% universal Non-Domestic Rates relief in 2020-21 a…

6 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether IVF treatment services can continue under the current COVID-19 restrictions and, if so, to what extent.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The 4 NHS IVF Centres in Scotland remain open and will be guided by the Scottish Government’s Winter 2020/21 plan for Fertility Services in Scotland. Coronavirus (COVID-19): fertility services - winter 2020/2021 preparation plans - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) …

23 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33904 by Ben Macpherson on 22 December 2020, how many betting shops received support in response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the (a) small business grant and (b) 100% rates relief that was referred to.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Small Business Grants were administered by local authorities and the Scottish Government does not hold property-level data on awards. The Scottish Government does however publish statistics on the number of awards granted and the value of these awards whi…

23 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support flood prevention measures in Lothian.

15 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact any reduction in residential drug rehabilitation treatments has had on recovery rates and the level of drug-related deaths.

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33505 by Jeane Freeman on 10 December 2020, whether it has taken over responsibility for any Hospedia contracts that previously had been agreed between NHS boards and that company since May 2016 and, if so, how many and for what reason, also broken …

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has not taken over responsibility for any Hospedia contract since May 2016.

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the First Minister on 8 December 2020 (Official Report, c. 11), , whether it will provide further details and the scientific advice for its reasons to keep Edinburgh subject to Level 3 restrictions, and what its response is to reports of confusion among resid…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33923 on 3 February 2021. 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…

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it made the decision to add the imminence of Christmas as a factor in determining COVID-19 restriction levels for local authorities; what modelling it did regarding the imminence of Christmas in each area, and whether it will publish this.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33923 on 16 December 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…

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the First Minister referred to the imminence of Christmas as a factor only in relation to Edinburgh's COVID-19 restriction level during her statement on 8 December 2020 (Official Report, c. 11).

8 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that betting shops were not added to the specific categories of businesses entitled to COVID-19-related economic support, in light of other business types being specified, and for what reasons it made this decision.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses across Scotland. From the outset we have been explicit that we are passing on to support business in Scotland every penny of the UK Government’s consequential funding t…

8 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether some betting shops have been excluded from receiving COVID-19 (a) rates relief and (b) small business grants and, if so, (a) for what reason and (b) what funding support it will make available to such businesses.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33904 on 22 December 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/parliamentarybusine…

7 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on promoting Fair Trade awareness across the public sector.

7 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33520 by Michael Matheson on 4 December 2020, what correspondence it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding the issues raised in correspondence on the Spaces for People initiative.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has had no correspondence with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding those issues raised in relation to the Spaces for People programme. All correspondents are advised to raise their issues directly with the individual local authorit…

1 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason casinos are included on the list of businesses required to close in areas within Level 2 of COVID-19 restrictions, and whether it will provide the scientific advice that informed its decision.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Within the Strategic Framework approach Casinos are treated as leisure and entertainment. This is because the settings and circumstances of engagement in leisure and entertainment activities are different to those for the broader hospitality sector. The over…

1 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to upgrade the Edinburgh City Bypass.

26 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of its Programme for Government 2020-21 on 1 September 2020, and its plan to “reduce long-term reliance” on specialist treatments and reduce or stop opioids, whether it is in a position to identify the chronic pain specialist services and treatments that it co…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31667 on? 23 September 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/parliamentarybusi…

24 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32413 by Michael Matheson on 29 October 2020, what issues have been raised in correspondence regarding the Spaces for People initiative.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Issues raised in Spaces for People correspondence relating to Edinburgh schemes include: lack of consultation, monitoring of projects, the statutory powers used to implement measures, concerns around the potential for increased congestion, reduction in air qu…

24 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32165 by Michael Matheson on 20 October 2020, whether a decision has been made on the development of Hillend junction, and, if not, when a decision is expected to be made.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We are continuing to analyse a number of options around signalisation and prohibition of movements in order to understand the wider impacts of this on the surrounding local and trunk road network. This is a complex task, which aims to balance the need to redu…

24 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32418 by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020, when a decision on funding for a new Edinburgh Cancer Centre will be made.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Funding decisions for all major infrastructure projects are taken as part of the development of the Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan (IIP). Funding for this project will be considered when the IIP is next updated and after we have received…