Alexander Burnett

6 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, during court proceedings on (a) divorce and (b) child custody or arrangement cases, whether one party can be punished for making false accusations about the other party, and, if not, whether it will review existing legislation to enforce punishment should any accusation be found to be f…

Answer · Ash Regan: The Scottish Government is not able to provide legal advice. However, the making of a false statement on oath may involve the common law offence of perjury or a contravention of a statutory offence under section 44 of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotla…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04030 by Graeme Dey on 17 November 2021, whether it will provide the data that is illustrated in the regular feedback from Border Force that “has suggested that Scotland sees a higher number of seafarers travelling in and out of the country compared…

Answer · Michael Matheson: Detailed data on the use of exemptions at a UK level is held by the Home Office and we are therefore unable to publically share this for other parts of the UK. However, we are able to confirm that in Scotland in the period between 26 November - 13 December th…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10494 by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 August 2017, which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works are (a) under construction and (b) at the planning or other stage of development, broken down by (i) the expected completion date, i…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The 2015 - 2021 Flood Risk Management Strategies included 42 formal flood protection schemes. Local authorities are expected to start work on development of these schemes by 2021. However as flood protection schemes can have significant impacts on individuals…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10494 by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 August 2017, which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works have been completed, broken down by (a) the number of properties being protected, (b) the completion date and (c) the (i) initial fo…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The following formal flood protection schemes are complete. Scheme (a) Properties Protected (b) Completion Date (c)(i) Initial Cost (£ million) (1) (c) (ii) Estimated Final Cost (£ million) (2) Huntly 63 2017 4.9 3.8 Newmill 18 2017 1.9 1.8 …

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many inspections of care homes for adults have been carried out by the Care Inspectorate in each year since 2017, and how many of these were return inspections.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The relevant data is provided in the following table. Summary of inspections completed in Care Homes for Adults since 2014-15 up to Q2 2021-22 (April 21- Sep21)  Inspection year  2016-17 2017-18 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 (Apr 21 - Sep21) Total…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) companies and (b) sectors have taken on the largest numbers of modern apprentices in each month since April 2019.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) has operational responsibility for our Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme. Official MA statistics are published quarterly by SDS, including the number of starts, however a breakdown by month is not available. The total num…

3 Dec 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33611 by Mairi Gougeon on 4 December 2020, whether it will provide the information for (a) 2020-21 and (b) 2021-22 to date regarding the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Information on the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 is provided in the following table. Table 1. Offences of Protection of livestock from dogs, by local authority, 2012-13 to November 2021.  20…

29 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable for introducing Anne’s Law is.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to strengthening residents’ rights in adult care homes through the introduction of ‘Anne’s Law’. This will give people who live in adult care homes the right to see and spend time with those who are importa…

29 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide financial support to local groups to help maintain cemeteries.

Answer · Maree Todd: Responsibility for the routine maintenance, upkeep and management of burial grounds in Scotland rests with the relevant burial authority. A burial authority may be a local authority or a private owner. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act (as amended), own…

23 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on authorising COVID-19 antibody tests for people in high-risk groups who have received three vaccinations, to enable those with a positive result to move freely and safely during the Christmas period without being required to self-isolate.

Answer · Maree Todd: Antibody tests measure the number of antibodies in the blood when the test is taken, however immunity is more complex than antibodies alone and we still do not know what level of antibodies offer protection from COVID-19 infection or reinfection. Research is …

22 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £25 million Coronavirus (COVID-19): Business Ventilation Fund has been used to date, and to whom it has been distributed.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The First Minister announced funding to support small and medium-sized businesses to make improvements to their ventilation, would be made available. The Business Ventilation Fund opened for applications on 23 November 2022. Businesses are currently providin…

22 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03499 by Kate Forbes on 27 October 2021, whether the Short Life Working Group on Ventilation has since determined that community halls are also eligible for financial support, in light of the recent announcement of a £25 million funding package.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The list of premises that are eligible for financial support through the Business Ventilation Fund has now been published on the Scottish Government website. I can confirm that community halls are included in the list of eligible businesses. Coronavirus (COV…

19 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many smart meters have been installed; in light of some reportedly not working because there is no signal, or that people have other installation issues, what information it has regarding how many meters are fully operational, and what support it can provide to people facing difficul…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The smart meter programme is owned and led by the UK Government who have responsibility for the overall policy and the regulatory and commercial framework. Energy suppliers in turn are responsible for planning and delivering the rollout of smart meters on the…

19 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action Revenue Scotland is taking to reclaim fraudulent or incorrect furlough payments, in light of reports that HM Revenue and Customs has been asked to recover £1 billion from such payments.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Revenue Scotland is responsible for the collection and management of the fully devolved taxes. As such, it has no role in any aspect of the UK Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention scheme.  

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any responsibility for the passenger locator form; if not, what discussions it has had with the UK Government and other stakeholders regarding the reasons for the form having to be completed no more than 48 hours before returning to Scotland, and what information it has on…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government works closely with the Home Office on the requirements for the Passenger Locator Form (PLF). It is a UK wide system as border controls are a reserved matter. However, as health policy is devolved, the Scottish Government ensures that t…

11 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce an £86,000 cap on care costs, in light of reported plans for such a cap to be introduced in England from 2023.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: It is understood the proposed lifetime cap on care costs to be introduced in England will apply only to personal care costs. Free personal care has been available in Scotland for adults aged 65 or over since 2002. From 1 April 2019 this was extended to adults…

9 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date evidence of having had the COVID-19 booster vaccine will be included in people’s vaccination status.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04128 on 30 November 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…

9 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that fire alarms are out of stock due to unprecedented demand, how it will ensure that they are available to purchase at affordable prices, ahead of the new regulations that come into force in February 2022.

Answer · Shona Robison: We are aware that, following our successful public awareness campaign, there is significant public interest in carrying out work to comply with the new standard for fire alarms in all Scottish homes. It is, therefore, possible, that some retailers will have s…

9 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date children between the ages of 12 and 17 will be offered a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has advised that all children and young people aged 12 to 17 years will be offered a second dose of the vaccine from 8 to 12 weeks after their first dose. As of 30 November, those aged 16 and 17 are …

9 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is putting in place to monitor the (a) safety, (b) efficacy and (c) quality of cannabis-based products for medicinal use, following reports of cannabidiol (CBD) being of inconsistent quality and having poor safety labelling.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The regulation of medicines and medicinal products, including Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal Use (CBPMs) is reserved to the UK Government, and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The Scottish Govern…

9 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the phone number provided on the COVID-19 passport exemption form will be live, so that disabled people who are unable to have a COVID-19 vaccine can request an exemption certificate.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Vaccination is the best way to keep you, your friends, family, and community safe and we encourage everyone to consider getting the vaccine. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advice changed on 15 November 2021. In the vast majority o…

8 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the increase to social care workers' wages to £10.02 an hour will be reflected in the National Care Home Contract rate, and by what date providers will receive all necessary information, ahead of the new rate starting on 1 December 2021.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Government officials are currently working with COSLA, Scotland Excel, Scottish Care, the Coalition of Care and Support Providers (CCPS) and the Fair Work in Social Care Group on the implementation of the uplift for adult social care workers providin…

8 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether differentials in salary bands will be maintained between care staff and senior care staff, within the cost of care model.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Cost of Care model will be updated and the uplift will be applied to both care staff and senior care staff.

8 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether some of the reported £1million of funding to NHS boards to support international recruitment will be directed to social care providers to enable them to recruit from overseas.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: I am most grateful to my colleague, Mr Burnett, for raising the important matter of overseas recruitment for social care providers. Regarding the recent funding for NHS boards; this funding cannot be routed to social care providers, who sit outwith the NHS. H…

5 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how many smoke alarms will be disposed of as a result of the new interlinking fire alarm legislation, and what guidance it is giving to local authorities on how to advise people on the best way to dispose of old smoke alarms safely once the law comes into f…

Answer · Shona Robison: We have not made a formal assessment of how many fire and smoke alarms will be disposed of as a result of the new regulations coming into force in February next year. Fire and smoke alarms are classed as small electrical equipment items and most are suitable …

5 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where old smoke alarms should be safely disposed of, in light of reports that local authority recycling centres are not accepting them.

Answer · Shona Robison: All alarms have a limited lifespan of around ten years due to deterioration of the sensors over time. Where alarms are expired, or no longer fit for purpose, it is recommended they are disposed of appropriately either by returning to the retailer or taken to …

1 Nov 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether COVID-19 booster vaccinations will be registered on the NHS Scotland Covid Status App; what the reasons are for its position on this matter, and, if they will be registered, by what date this will happen.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Yes, work is currently in progress to ensure people can access their COVID-19 booster vaccination information in the app and on the paper and PDF versions through the NHS Portal. It is expected this will be available from December 2021, following the recent a…

26 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider allowing exemptions from travel restrictions for seafarers resident in Scotland who arrive back into Scotland for a period of leave; for what reason it has reportedly not allowed such an exemption in Scotland to date, in light of an exemption reportedly being in …

Answer · Graeme Dey: We continue to review our international travel restrictions and associated exemptions and health measures and will consider appropriate changes where clinical and scientific advice allow it. We expect the vast majority of seafarers to be covered under the inb…

22 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allow people to obtain a paper copy of their vaccine status from their GP if they do not have access to online services or a smartphone.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Our Freephone COVID-19 Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565 can provide a free and secure paper copy of the vaccination status record for patients who do not have access to online services or a smartphone. There is no need for patients to approach their GP practi…

22 Oct 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how people who do not have access to online services can obtain their vaccine passport when the COVID status helpline is busy, meaning they are unable to speak to someone who can provide assistance.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: People can show their COVID-19 vaccine status either via: 1. NHS Scotland COVID Status App via Google Play or the App Store; 2. Download a PDF of the vaccination status record via NHS Inform website; or 3. Request a paper copy of the vaccination status…