Parliamentary questions
Daniel Johnson
1,103 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the timeline is for increasing the capacity of both the existing COVID-19 test and the antibody test.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The target to have a total testing capacity of 15,000 by the end of May has been achieved. There is active weekday NHS lab capacity for over 6,500 tests a day (and weekend capacity of 5,350 tests a day). In addition, there is currently capacity for 10,000 tes…
26 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional guidance it is providing to key workers who are delivering essential services to students who remain (a) in student accommodation and (b) carrying out research throughout the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s key workers categorisation, published at the end of March, is designed to support local authorities make decisions regarding access to critical childcare provision. It sits within broader guidance on the closure of schools and non-es…
26 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances are in place for the fee status of EU undergraduates who are due to start at Scotland's universities in 2021-22, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has continued to progress work on the fee status of EU undergraduates who will be starting at Scotland’s universities in 2021-22. This work has been continued as we work to support the further and higher education sectors through the c…
26 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the potential seriousness of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the sustainably of universities across all of their activities, including the financial risk, and what additional support it will offer the sector in light of this.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Work around the financial impact of COVID-19 on universities is being progressed as a priority and at pace by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council. We are working closely with our universities and other stakeholders, including through the …
26 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to enlist NHS volunteers to help the service during the COVID-19 outbreak, similar to that being rolled out by NHS England.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: On 30 March 2020 the Scottish Government launched a campaign “Scotland Cares” to encourage people to sign up to make themselves available to volunteer as part of the response to the Coronavirus epidemic. Members of the public offering support are directed to…
25 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance and support it is providing to people moving house during the COVID-19 outbreak due to the temporary closure of the Registers of Scotland, and what the legal position is of those who had already changed missives before the closure was announced.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: Registers of Scotland, Law Society Scotland and UK Finance have agreed a process to enable transactions to be completed where an advance notice is in place. The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 also contains provisions which will allow property transactions al…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to freelancers and others who have lost work or jobs in the creative and cultural industries because of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Creative Scotland is providing an expected total budget of £11 million of support in response to the COVID-19 situation. This is available to support those – including freelance creative practitioners - whose work in the arts, screen and creative industries h…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place and what advice it has provided to pharmacies regarding social-distancing in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Most if not all, community pharmacies have introduced measures to reduce risks to pharmacy staff, including restricting the number of people in the premises at any one time and ensuring safe distancing guidelines are followed. Health Protection Scotland (HPS…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to ensure that safe-distancing measures are followed on public transport in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland continues to engage with service providers during the COVID-19 situation to ensure that the appropriate measures are in place. ScotRail are providing additional carriages on their services to enable maximum space and they are reminding pass…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can offer to people on zero-hour contracts who are unable to receive assistance from the 80% wage guarantee announced by the UK Government in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Families and individuals in Scotland who require financial help can apply to their local authority for a grant from the Scottish Welfare Fund. We are providing an extra £45 million for the Fund to meet additional demand arising as a consequence of COVID-19. T…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to parents with children in private nurseries who are unable to attend due to the COVID-19 outbreak, but are expected to pay a proportion of or all of the fees.
Answer · Maree Todd: Charging policies are a matter for individual businesses, however we encourage all childcare providers to be reasonable and balanced in their dealings with parents, recognising the unprecedented situation in which we all find ourselves. We fully recognise th…
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any decisions have been made to reduce clinical face-to-face contact unless absolutely necessary, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: Health Protection Scotland have produced guidance for clinicians on managing suspected cases of COVID-19, this can be accessed here: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/covid-19/ We are accelerating the role out of the NHS Near Me provision in GP …
24 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether a trial of the drug, hydroxychloroquine, has been instigated by the NHS to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Randomised Evaluation of COVID-19 Therapy (or “RECOVERY” trial) is a Covid-19 related Clinical Trial currently recruiting patients in NHS Scotland. It is a multi-arm adaptive study, looking at a number of potential treatments, one of which is the compound…
23 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that more doctors and clinicians are employed by NHS boards to respond to COVID-19.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Education for Scotland has created a new Health and Social Care Covid-19 Accelerated Recruitment Portal. The Portal is accessible through the NHS Careers website at: https://careers.nhs.scot/coronavirus-covid-19-recruitment/ The portal is the gateway t…
20 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations are underway for the testing of all NHS workers for COVID-19.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government provided guidance on how to prioritise available testing capacity to enable key workers in health and social care to return to work on 24 March 2020. The guidance recommends that testing should prioritised for health and social care s…
10 Mar 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of any impact on the 2020 exam diet arising from potential restrictions being introduced in response to COVID-19, what discussions it is having with the SQA regarding the development of contingencies for the exams, including to mitigate any associated impact on students studyin…
Answer · John Swinney: In response to the current challenging set of circumstances, I have had extensive discussions with the Chief Examiner. This culminated in my announcement on 19 March that the exam diet will not go ahead this year. SQA are now working to deliver a credible cer…
2 Mar 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that there are adequate climate change risk assessments in place in all policy areas.
19 Feb 2020 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what discussions it has had regarding the increase in the MSP staffing budget.
17 Feb 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the coronavirus outbreak, what advice (a) the NHS and (b) Education Scotland is providing to schools regarding pupils returning from visits to south east Asia.
Answer · John Swinney: General information on where to find up to date advice on COVID-19 has already been circulated to all Directors of Education for dissemination to schools in Scotland. Health Protection Scotland’s guidance cell have provided input into Public Health England’s…
12 Feb 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed its transport procurement processes and criteria, in light of recent issues relating to ferry contracts.
3 Feb 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider establishing an independent inquiry into the organisation of NHS boards, in light of more than half of them currently being subject to special measures.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The NHS Board Performance Escalation Framework provides an effective and transparent process for identifying and addressing concerns which may arise in relation to a health board’s organisation or performance. It provides a proportionate response to specific …
29 Jan 2020 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what the planning application status is for the Old Royal High School in Edinburgh.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) are currently considering planning and listed building consent appeals in respect of the change of use, alteration and restoration of the former Royal High School Building at New Parliament House, Edinbur…
29 Jan 2020 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Police Scotland has a policy of routinely fingerprinting dual nationals or British citizens born abroad.
27 Jan 2020 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations and provisions it is making in response to the coronavirus outbreak in China.
14 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider bringing forward to the Parliamentary Bureau a proposal for a debate on neurodiversity.
18 Dec 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum backdating period is for the Scottish Child Payment.
9 Dec 2019 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the Royal Hospital for Sick Children is fit for purpose, in light of reports that the existing building needs over £700,000 of significant maintenance work.
9 Dec 2019 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to research suggesting that children in poorer areas have almost 10% fewer choices of subjects in secondary schools than those in better-off areas.
20 Nov 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider including disability as a criterion for widening access to university and contextualised admission and, if so, what work it will undertake to give effect to this.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Commission on Widening Access concluded that access thresholds had the potential to increase participation in higher education for those from socio-economically deprived backgrounds and those with experience of care. Not all disabled students will face th…
20 Nov 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many "design and build" construction projects are currently in progress but not yet complete across the NHS estate, broken down by projects financed through (a) traditional procurement, (b) NPD and (c) other forms of private finance.
Answer · Jeane Freeman: The current "design and build" construction projects not completed across the NHS estate, broken down by projects financed: (a) traditional capital - none (b) NPD - Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh (c) HUB scheme - East Lothian Com…