Jamie Greene

29 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when people who receive and are entitled to the flu vaccination annually will receive a communication enabling them to receive it, and where these will be carried out.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Responsibility for delivering the Seasonal Flu Vaccine in 2020-21 rests with Health Boards and Integration Authorities. Those who are entitled to a free seasonal flu vaccine will be contacted by their Health Board letting them know where they will receive the…

23 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it is allocating to support the aviation sector to recover from the impact of COVID-19.

21 Sep 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for the 2021 exam diet.

8 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to stimulate greater investment in Scotland’s economy in the wake of COVID-19.

3 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects to achieve the target set out in the Programme for Government of recruiting an additional (a) 1,400 teachers and (b) 200 teaching support staff.

Answer · John Swinney: Local authority recruitment of additional teachers and support staff is underway, informed by ongoing assessment by schools and local authorities of the needs of children and young people during the first few weeks of their return to school. Once this process…

3 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to enforce the use of face coverings in secondary schools.

Answer · John Swinney: Updated guidance, published on 25 August 2020, states that face coverings should - unless exemptions apply - be worn by pupils and staff in secondary schools in corridors and communal areas, where distancing is particularly difficult to maintain. Education Sc…

3 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) primary and (b) secondary school attendance rate has been since August 2020.

Answer · John Swinney: The percentage attendance in primary schools was 95.8% on 17 August, before dropping to 84.1% on 28 August and rising to 95.0% on 10 September. The percentage attendance in secondary schools was 95.0% on 17 August, before dropping to 83.5% on 1 September and…

3 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plan to appoint an additional 250 school nurses by 2022.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government remains on track to meet the Programme for Government 2018-19 commitment to have an additional 250 qualified school nurses in place by the end of 2022. We are in discussion with Health Boards and Higher Education Institutions for the 2…

3 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plan to (a) establish 350 school counsellor posts and (b) ensure that every secondary school has a counselling service.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31513 on 10 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/parliamentarybusin…

31 Aug 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils have tested positive for COVID-19 since schools reopened.

20 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is considering to allow communion services to resume, and whether it is planning to issue any updated guidelines to churches to ensure that this can be carried out safely.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I recognise the difficulty in having been unable to fully come together within places of worship since the start of lockdown in March. Over the recent months the Scottish Government has worked closely with faith communities to produce guidance to support plac…

20 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it is considering relaxing the restrictions on the maximum number of people allowed to attend church.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: On the 20 August, we reviewed the current restrictions limiting the number of people allowed to attend a place of worship. Giving consideration to Scotland’s broader position regarding virus suppression and to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of …

8 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what childcare and nursery provision it is offering to teachers who require this to assist with their preparations ahead of the reopening of schools.

Answer · John Swinney: As set out in the Strategic Framework for the reopening of schools, early learning and childcare provision published on 21 May, critical childcare provision for key worker and vulnerable children will continue throughout June and the summer break. Local autho…

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with operators to ensure that ferry services during the COVID-19 outbreak are “island-proofed” and take account of island residents’ requirements regarding traveling for work, health, education and other urgent matters, including by offering them priority acce…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Transport Scotland officials on behalf of Scottish Ministers have engaged with ferry operators and key stakeholders as we consider the options for ferry services through the different phases of the Scottish Government’s Route Map and the Transport Transition …

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact social distancing on ferry services during the COVID-19 outbreak has had on (a) capacity and (b) island residents’ ability to access and book services.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Throughout the transition from lockdown, ferry capacity was significantly restricted to ensure physical distancing. During Phase 2 travel to and from the islands for leisure and recreation by ferry was not encouraged therefore passenger demand was less than …

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the economic impact on island communities of the reduction in ferry services and capacity during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Essential Lifeline Timetables were implemented on 27 March to reflect the Scottish Government guidance around essential travel and the resultant demand. Timetables have now been scaled up and alongside the move to 1 metre distancing there is a significant inc…

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve access to ferry services for island residents during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Ministers have provided significant financial support to CalMac and NorthLlink In order to ensure that lifeline services are sustained. Both operators have now opened their booking windows for a longer period, giving islanders the ability to book ah…

26 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when amusement arcades will be allowed to reopen.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The reopening of amusement arcades will be considered with other indoor entertainment venues for later in Phase 3. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of businesses reopening, however public health is paramount. We will move to reopen Scotland’s…

24 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the NHS will recommence operations that were cancelled or delayed due to COVID-19 for patients (a) for whom an operation is required to help relieve them of severe pain caused by their condition and (b) generally.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5O-04437 on 25 June 2020. All answers to Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12720 In addition throughout the pandemic…

22 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what percentage of children in each local authority area are attending education hubs.

Answer · John Swinney: Data on the percentage of children in each local authority area attending education hubs is publicly available from the following link: https://public.tableau.com/profile/sg.eas.learninganalysis#!/vizhome/Covid19ELCandHubs/Introduction

22 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, since being offered the option to do so, how much each local authority has transferred from its early year childcare to its schools' budget.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government and COSLA jointly wrote to local authorities on 15 May 2020. This letter offered local authorities flexibility to use the £508 million of ELC expansion funding for 2020-21, underspends against specific ELC revenue grant funding in prev…

19 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many digital or technical devices have been distributed to households since March 2020 to assist with home schooling, blended learning or virtual classes and teaching, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on the number of devices issued to households to support home learning, blended learning or virtual classes across all local authorities. We do know that a number of authorities have pre-existing devi…

15 Jun 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further clarity to comments by the Deputy First Minister that schools could adopt a part-time learning model for the whole of the next academic year.

9 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether members of the merchant navy returning from oversees are expected to undertake a 14-day isolation period.

Answer · John Swinney: Under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 introduced to the Scottish Parliament on Monday 8 June, anyone returning from overseas to the UK must undertake a 14-day quarantine period unless they are classed as …

8 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that older people who are resident on islands, and who are isolated from their friends and family because of the COVID-19 pandemic, can access any necessary support that they require.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: We know that island families are acutely feeling the pain of being separated during the pandemic. The National Islands Plan, which was published on 27 December 2019, recognises that every member of society has a right to live with dignity and to enjoy high qu…

8 Jun 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what analysis the Scottish Government has undertaken of the under-representation of BAME people in teaching, and how it plans to address this.

1 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support companies that are facing (a) financial and (b) other difficulties because of the COVID-19 pandemic to help them maintain a presence in the country when the crisis ends.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We continue to support Scotland’s businesses by passing on every penny we receive from the UK Government for this purpose, and more directly to businesses, as well as continuing to press the UK Government to ensure that key sectors, where it is clear that dif…

26 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its climate change targets could be supported by the recommendations in SSE's report, A Greenprint for Building a Cleaner More Resilient Economy.

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers are continuing to work in schools or nurseries during the lockdown, also broken down by local authority.

Answer · John Swinney: On average, over the past week (Mon 18 – Fri 22 May), 4,948 teachers, ELC practitioners, ELC lead practitioners, ELC managers and support staff attended local authority educational hubs. Not all local authorities provided a breakdown of teaching and non-teach…

18 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children are still attending educational outlets during the lockdown, also broken down by local authority.

Answer · John Swinney: On average, over the past week (Mon 18 – Fri 22 May) 8,216 children and young people attended local authority educational hubs, which is around 1.1% of all children and young people. A breakdown of these figures by local authority can be found in the followin…