Emma Harper

30 Oct 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to add new conditions to the shielding list as new evidence arises.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: At the outset of the pandemic, the four Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) published a list of six groups where people would be considered to be at the highest clinical risk from COVID-19. The initial approach was based on best evidence at the time. We are commit…

28 Oct 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scotland Loves Local campaign will support and encourage community shopping.

15 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of some people waiting up to five days for COVID-19 test results from the Lighthouse Labs Network, what plans it has to provide access to faster test results, including through NHS Scotland laboratories, for (a) NHS and (b) other frontline staff in order to reduce th…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government is aware that in recent weeks people have experienced a number of problems with the testing system, including being unable to book tests/obtain home testing kits; being offered testing slots far from their homes and/or experiencing del…

13 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on trades people’s ability to enter private homes, combined with loss of earnings, whether it will consider a one-year delay to the implementation of the amendment to the Housing (Scotland) Act (1987) that requires home owners to pay an a…

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Yes. Improving fire safety remains a key priority for the Scottish Government, and our intention is that everyone should benefit from the same level of protection, whether you own your home or rent from a social or private landlord. However, the Scottish Gove…

30 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding changes to infrastructure and consequent improvements to the region's arterial routes that will be required for the Port of Cairnryan after the Brexit transition period ends.

28 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with Dumfries and Galloway Council with regard to the redevelopment of the East Pier in Stranraer.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: We continue to have regular discussions with Dumfries & Galloway Council regarding plans for the Stranraer Waterfront but have not yet received a detailed proposal and business case for the redevelopment of the East Pier, as anticipated.

28 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason, and based on what evidence, it changed its tourism guidance on 23 September 2020 to disallow two households with less than six adults from staying in self-catering accommodation.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The nation currently risks exponential growth of the coronavirus. This grave situation has necessitated tough decisions, including the single household restrictions being applied to self-catering premises in line with other private settings such as within hom…

24 Aug 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on delayed discharge into care homes.

12 Aug 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation and use of the Safety Huddle Template in care homes across Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I can confirm that from 14 August 2020, the automated, web based Turas Care Management safety huddle tool will go live across Scotland. Data collection from the tool will commence from the week beginning 17 August 2020. I expect all care homes to be registere…

10 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the South West Scotland Transport Study.

5 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to tourism businesses involved in the organising, planning and hosting of weddings in Dumfries and Galloway and other rural economies that are reliant on the wedding industry.

3 Jul 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on publishing validated statistics regarding hospital-onset COVID-19 cases in Scotland.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Public Health Scotland (PHS) this week, 1 July, published validated statistics on the number of nosocomial Covid-19 infections in Scotland, based on the agreed definitions of the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). Scotland is the only country in the…

22 Jun 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what guidance the Scottish Government has provided to meat processing facilities to ensure the health and safety of their workforce, in light of recent closures of such facilities across the UK due to large numbers of staff being diagnosed with COVID-19.

19 Jun 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on NHS boards’ plans to resume services that were paused during the initial phase of the COVID-19 emergency.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 31 May we published Re-mobilise, Recover, Re-design: the framework for NHS Scotland ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/re-mobilise-recover-re-design-framework-nhs-scotland/ ). The Framework sets out how NHS Boards will follow national and local clinica…

9 Jun 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support it is providing to young people and parents across Dumfries and Galloway to assist with education at home during the COVID-19 lockdown.

8 Jun 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the advice given to people who are shielding.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: People who are on the shielding list have been sent a letter today confirming that the shielding period will continue until at least the end of July and that support which is in place will remain in place for at least that period. The letter contains updated …

3 Jun 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to minimise the risk of COVID-19 being transmitted in hospitals, and what reports it has received regarding such incidents.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Evidence from the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic highlights that there is a risk of the virus spreading where people are grouped together in enclosed spaces, like hospitals. The NHS has been alive to this risk and has taken steps to minimise risks of tran…

3 Jun 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the process through which people with complex medical conditions are treated when they are taken into police or prison custody.

1 Jun 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update its advice for people who are shielding from COVID-19.

27 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, how it is working to tackle social isolation and loneliness across the country.

26 May 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the test, trace, isolate, support strategy.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Test and Protect, Scotland's approach to implementing the test, trace, isolate, support strategy, will launch nationwide on Thursday 28 May following successful pilots in NHS Fife, NHS Highland and NHS Lanarkshire. The Scottish Government will this afternoon …

20 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to maintain the delivery of drug and alcohol recovery services, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In these unprecedented circumstances we expect Alcohol and Drug Partnerships to do all they can to keep the people who rely on their services as safe as is possible. Options for online and phone support for people in recovery have been developed during the c…

30 Apr 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Marine Scotland’s scientific trial of electrofishing for razor clams.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As a result of coronavirus and advice relating to physical distancing, the scientific trial of electrofishing for razor clams was suspended until 30 April 2020. I am not in a position to recommence the trial at this stage as all Marine Scotland survey program…

31 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport on 24 March 2020 (Official Report, c. 28), whether it will provide an update on what work is being carried out (a) nationally and (b) by each NHS board to support the health and wellbeing of health and social care sta…

Answer · Clare Haughey: I am leading national work on support or the health and wellbeing of the health and social care workforce at this time. In relation to work being carried out (a) nationally: I have written to NHS Chief Executives, Local Authority Executives and Integration …

25 Mar 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether South of Scotland Enterprise will be launched on 1 April 2020.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: South of Scotland Enterprise will take up its legal powers and begin its work with businesses and communities across the south on 1 April 2020 as planned. There has been some speculation around a potential delay to the launch date as a result of legislation …

26 Feb 2020 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting fishermen and women across Dumfries and Galloway in helping to mitigate the climate crisis.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government will continue to help the Scottish sea and freshwater fishing industries to identify appropriate responses and adaptations to the climate emergency. For sea fisheries, this may include reducing greenhouse gas emissions from fishing ve…

19 Feb 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to boost tourist numbers across Dumfries and Galloway, and how South of Scotland Enterprise will assist with this.

17 Feb 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to help the beef livestock sector meet its contribution to the Scottish Government's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has committed to take action on climate change with legally binding targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also has committed to contributing towards biodiversity targets. It is important that agricultural businesses are suppor…

31 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board spent on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in 2018-19, and how this compared with 2006-07, also (a) broken down by the percentage change in expenditure that this represents and (b) expressed in real terms.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The following table provides the information requested. The data are sourced from the Costs Book which is the national data collection covering annual expenditure by NHS Boards in Scotland. The figures shown cover expenditure that Boards have identified as re…

29 Jan 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on Dumfries and Galloway Council of the UK Government’s decision to publish its Budget on the same day that local authorities in Scotland must legally set their rates of council tax.