Neil Findlay

21 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional care home places were purchased by (a) it, (b) local authorities and (c) integration joint boards in each month since January 2020, also broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not directly purchase care home places, this is the responsibility of individual Integration Authorities. As part of their mobilisation planning during the pandemic, 32 Integration Authorities planned for up to 1,090 additional ca…

21 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28382 by Jeane Freeman on 20 May 2020, whether it will publish the correspondence from the Chief Medical Officer on 26 March 2020 to those people considered most at risk from COVID-19. 

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The letter from the Chief Medical Officer to those people considered most at risk from COVID-19 is published as part of an update to GPs and can be found at the following link https://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/cmo/DC20200413Shielding.pdf

19 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the health secretary's comments in the Parliament on 20 May 2020 (Official Report, c.4) that she did not have information relating to the deep cleaning of the Nike store in The Centre, Livingston in early March, but that "it is something that Health Protection Scotland’s (HPS…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I can confirm that Health Protection Scotland have advised that, further to a risk assessment, no deep clean was required for public health purposes. This is based on the time interval between detection of the case and their contact with the store exceeding 7…

19 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whose decision it was not to continue with its test, trace and isolate policy in mid-March 2020.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: At all times, the Scottish Government’s actions in response to COVID-19 have been guided by the best and most up to date expert scientific and medical advice from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Public Health Scotland and our Interim Chi…

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28658 by Jeane Freeman on 18 May 2020, on what date it was advised by (a) its and (b) the UK advisory group on COVID-19 that there should be a lockdown in response to the outbreak.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) met and advised all Governments in the UK via a COBR(M) meeting to enter lockdown on the 23 March 2020. There was no recommendation to enter lockdown earlier. The Scottish Government Covid-19 Advisory Grou…

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28698 by Jeane Freeman on 18 May 2020, in which it confirmed that it does not hold information on the number of people who may have died after being discharged from hospital, whether it is able to obtain such information from other sources, and, if …

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is working with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to produce data on the number of patients who have died after discharge. To collect this data PHS will be required to bring together the discharge database with National Records for Scotlan…

18 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local government services during the COVID-19 outbreak.

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28643 by Clare Haughey on 14 May 2020, whether it plans to gather this information.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government does not plan to gather this information for all hospitalisations. It may be available on request from individual health boards. The recent Scottish Intensive Care Society Audit Group report (published 13 May 2020) includes the number…

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly taking up to eight weeks for it to provide a substantive reply to some written parliamentary questions.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Government remains committed to answering all parliamentary questions as quickly as possible and within the deadlines agreed with Parliament. The vast majority of questions continue to be answered on time. It is clear however that the impact of responding…

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that staff at further education colleges, including West Lothian College, are being asked to go through a redundancy procedure, which includes online interviews, during the COVID-19 lockdown; whether it considers this a fair process, and what impact it bel…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Staffing matters are the responsibility of individual colleges and, whilst it is for the institutions themselves to make decisions on future staffing levels, I urge them to be sensitive to such negotiations during the coronavirus pandemic. Decisions on staffi…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Gartnavel COVID-19 testing centre was closed at a time when concerns were reportedly being raised by care home staff that they were passing on the virus to residents, some of whom subsequently died.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Gartnavel centre has been closed temporarily as the number of health and social care staff who are self-isolating and referred for testing has reduced. The testing staff have been moved into an additional mobile testing team as there are a number of staff…

15 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport was advised of the closure of the Gartnavel COVID-19 testing centre before it happened, and what her position on its closure was.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government was not advised of the closure of Gartnavel testing centre. However, on inquiry we understand the situation at the Gartnavel centre is reviewed on a daily basis and it can be stood up quickly if the number of symptomatic health or soci…

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many COVID-19 outbreaks/cases it has not made public due to patient confidentiality or for any other reason.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We report the number of all cases for people testing positive for COVID-19 through our daily briefings. In any outbreak, an independent, multi-disciplinary, multi-agency group Incident Management Team (IMT) is established. The IMT provides a framework, respo…

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it did not support the testing of asymptomatic NHS, care home and home care staff, given that this policy was adopted prior to the establishment of its COVID-19 advisory committee, and on whose advice its policy was based.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Since 1 May, Scottish Government policy has been to test residents and staff in care homes with a confirmed case of Covid-19, and in linked homes where staff work between homes run by the same operator following an outbreak in one. Sample testing should also …

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each week since 1 February 2020 have been discharged from hospital to care homes; of those, how many were (a) tested and (b) not tested for COVID-19, also broken down by how many tested (i) positive and (ii) negative.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: At present we do not hold information on the specific number of patients tested before discharge. However, officials are working with Public Health Scotland to produce this data.

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its policy on the testing of asymptomatic people changed from not testing to testing.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Decisions undertaken on how best to respond to COVID-19 are continually assessed against the evidence and as this evolves, so too does our response. Whilst testing for COVID-19 is most reliable in individuals experiencing symptoms it is recognised that in som…

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings and recommendations of the independent review that it commissioned of the policing of the miners’ strike in Scotland.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has received a report from John Scott QC Solicitor Advocate, chair of the independent review group, and is considering its response. The report along with the Scottish Government's response, when published, will be made available on th…

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the Urgent Question by Jeane Freeman on 12 May 2020 regarding the identification of COVID-19 cases (Official Report, c, 14), on what date it was made aware of the outbreak at the February 2020 Nike conference in Edinburgh, and what advice or guidance it gave to …

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government was first made aware on 3 March 2020 that there had been a case testing positive for COVID-19, relating to the Nike Conference held in Edinburgh on 27 February. This case was included in the daily total case figures reported to the public …

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the Urgent Question by Jeane Freeman on 12 May 2020 regarding the identification of COVID-19 cases (Official Report, c, 14), who carried out the contact testing following the outbreak at the February 2020 Nike conference in Edinburgh; what role NHS Lothian playe…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: An independent, multi-disciplinary, multi-agency group Incident Management Team (IMT) with responsibility for investigating and managing the Nike conference incident was established. The IMT provides a framework, response and resources to enable the NHS board…

13 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the Urgent Question by Jeane Freeman on 12 May 2020 regarding the identification of COVID-19 cases (Official Report, c, 14), in light of the outbreak at the February 2020 Nike conference in Edinburgh, how many (a) hotel (i)) staff and (ii) residents who were not…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Risk of deductive disclosure leading to a breach of patient confidentiality means that data about the number of people at the hotel or nearby who tested at that time cannot be released. However, any case that tested positive, whether related to this event or …

12 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it was first informed of a case of COVID-19 in Scotland; what it did to alert the public to the case, and what public health message it put out following the case.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government was first informed of a case of COVID-19 in Scotland on Sunday 1 March 2020 by Health Protection Scotland. Ministers were informed and a SGoRR(M) chaired by the First Minister was held that evening. A news release was published on the…

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it, any of its agencies or the NHS has contracted with Amazon to deliver and/or collect COVID-19 tests.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Neither the Scottish Government, any of its agencies or the NHS in Scotland have not contracted with Amazon to deliver and/or collect Covid-19 tests. We are aware that the UK Government has contracted with Amazon in respect of the delivery of home testing kit…

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has contracted with a private laboratory in Northern Ireland to have COVID-19 tests processed.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has not contracted with a private laboratory in Northern Ireland to have Covid-19 tests processed. We are aware that the UK Government has contracted the Randox Lab in Northern Ireland to process Covid-19 tests.  

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how long it takes for the current COVID-19 testing process to process and communicate results to the testee.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Through NHS laboratories, our expectation is that test results should normally be communicated back within 24 hours, but some may take up to 48 hours. We are continuing to work with NHS National Services Scotland to secure reliable data on turnaround times to…

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will expand its COVID-19 testing to include residents in sheltered accommodation.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Advice on COVID-19 testing for residents in sheltered accommodation is provided by Health Protection Scotland . Health Protection Scotland also provide a control measure tool for the control of incidents and outbreaks in Social or Community Care and Resid…

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its message continuing to be to stay at home to save lives, for what reason Transport Scotland is advising rail companies and staff that train services will increase from 18 May 2020.

Answer · Michael Matheson: As I confirmed at the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee (RECC) on 13 May 2020, passenger numbers did not yet require an increase in ScotRail services in Scotland on 18 May 2020, and therefore none took place. Given the planning lead times involved in …

11 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government who signed off the revised guidance to care homes regarding COVID-19 testing before it was published on the Scottish Government website on the weekend of 9-10 May 2020.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The National Clinical and Practice Guidance for Adult Care Homes during COVID was first published on 13 March 2020 and updated on 26 and 15 May. It is based on Health Protection Scotland (HPS) infection control guidance for care homes but provides more detail…

10 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the First Minister made the statement in the Parliament on 24 March 2020 that "To be blunt, based on what I have been told, the UK, and Scotland within it, probably has the greatest testing capacity of any country in the world proportionately, per head of population" (Offic…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Testing capacity fluctuates on a daily basis, any comparisons on testing capacity between countries is a single point in time assessment based on information available at that time.

7 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will help private hire and taxi drivers with the provision of (a) personal protective equipment (PPE) and (b) a safety screen or shield to ensure they are protected as much as possible from COVID-19 when transporting key workers and others.

Answer · Ash Denham: COVID-19 is affecting all our daily lives including our workplaces, and the Scottish Government recognises the very challenging position that many employers and workers are now facing. The health and wellbeing of individuals, communities and the economy is ou…

7 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help protect taxi drivers and private hire drivers who are transporting key workers to and from work.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government takes the issues with taxis very seriously and is reviewing the published guidance daily to ensure that spread of the virus is contained while balancing the needs of NHS staff to get to work, many of whom use taxis. For the current pos…