Alex Cole-Hamilton

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria must be met before it will end the policy of managed quarantine in hotels.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Any decision on ending the policy of managed isolation will be contingent on the epidemiological data and wider evidence about the rollout and success of our vaccination programme. Such a decision will be considered, in due course, in the context of a refresh…

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on spouses who are returning from travelling overseas to work being exempted from managed quarantine in hotels.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There will be limited exemptions from the requirement to enter managed isolation. We understand how difficult this is, but to manage the risk of importing new variants and to give vaccine deployment the best chance of bringing us closer to normality these lim…

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the SQA plan to assess National 5 candidates, in light of the cancelation of the 2021 exam diet.

Answer · John Swinney: We are committed to ensuring that learners can be fairly assessed this year following the cancellation of the 2021 exam diet. National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in 2021 have been replaced by an Alternative Certification Model based on teachers’ and …

16 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice is available to parents who are home schooling regarding preparing their children for National 5 assessments.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises that remote learning arrangements present a number of challenges for young people, parents and carers, particularly those learners working towards National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications. We have been working i…

12 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it will provide to vulnerable and low-income energy customers who may be impacted by the recent lifting of the energy price cap.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The setting of the gas and electricity price cap is a reserved issue that remains with UK Ministers under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, set the levels of this cap and consulted on the forthcoming price changes last…

11 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34775 by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2021, what the timeframe is for the publication of the (a) audit of shared optometry clinics and (b) qualitative evaluation.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I can confirm that an interim update report will be shared with key stakeholders in March, and that a qualitative evaluation will be shared at a later date. So far five Health Boards have expressed an interest in extending the shared care initiative througho…

11 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how people will be able to provide proof of their COVID-19 vaccination status should they be asked to do so.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We continue to engage in international developments in relation to Coronavirus (COVID-19), including on the issue of vaccine certification. These discussions are led by the World Health Organisation and include consideration of technical details, ethical and…

11 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has published for health visitors regarding in-person visits to see new babies under the current COVID-19 restrictions, and what its response is to reports that there is a variance across the country in the number of home visits that are being made.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: During the unprecedented situation created by Covid-19, NHS services have had to adapt, altering service provision and introducing measures to reduce spread of the virus to women, families and staff. In all cases, professional judgement will be the driver for…

11 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether private football coaches are allowed to run outdoor group training sessions for the under-12s under the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Organised sport and exercise for under-12s can continue in line with workplace and socialising guidance, and sport-specific guidance agreed between the Scottish Governing Body of Sport and sportscotland. Sports providers must ensure they operate in line with …

9 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its advice is to couples planning weddings in August 2021, in light of COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of marriage and civil partnership to couples and to society more widely. We appreciate the difficulties caused by the restrictions in place and that these may mean a couple has to make difficult decisions abou…

9 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to (a) increase opportunities for physical activity and (b) open gyms on a limited basis for people aged 18 to 25 in order to tackle mental ill health, in light of reports of this age group being disproportionately impacted by this issue during the COVID-19 lockdown res…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We continue to work closely in partnership with sportscotland and wider partners to ensure that physical activity is a key part of Scotland’s wellbeing and recovery plans from the pandemic. Scotland’s Strategic Framework Oct 2020) sets out how we are working…

9 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to provide financial support to families who have higher gas and electricity bills as a result of home-schooling.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: For families who are home-schooling there is a range of support available, details of which are provided on the Parent Club Scotland and the Parentzone Scotland websites. Most recently the Scottish Government announced a new £45 million package of support to …

9 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether car valeting businesses are able to operate within indoor business premises under the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The Coronavirus regulations set out which business premises are required to restrict access or to close at level 4. Car valeting businesses are not currently restricted by the regulations . All businesses which continue to operate in level 4 must adhere to t…

9 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include households with unpaid carers in its COVID-19 extended household policy.

Answer · Michael Russell: At all of the protection levels, people can still go into another household to provide care and support for a vulnerable person, or to avoid illness, injury or harm. This can include providing emotional support for someone whose wellbeing is at risk, includin…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it will offer to newly qualified and probationary teachers who are unable to find teaching posts, in order to ensure they are retained in the profession.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has provided local authorities with? £80 million of additional investment in education staff, sufficient for the recruitment of around 1,400 additional teachers, and 200 support staff this year. In addition, a package of £45 million o…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what additional childcare support it plans to offer to key workers who are single parents, and have no access to wraparound childcare before and after school, in order to enable them to continue working their scheduled hours.

Answer · Maree Todd: All schools and regulated childcare providers are currently able to remain open for children of keyworkers. This means that children who are offered a place, can access their usual childcare or school setting, including for wraparound childcare services befo…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's recent announcement regarding the reopening of schools, whether it will provide further clarification regarding the phased return of special needs educational provision.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has prioritised the needs of vulnerable pupils including those with additional support needs as part of our response to COVID-19. We have asked that schools remain open to provide for vulnerable pupils and those children of key workers…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to (a) using the school summer holidays to offer educational catch-up summer schools for children who have fallen behind during the lockdown and (b) the proposal for such summer schools being staffed by retired or student teachers.

Answer · John Swinney: Schools and teachers continue to improve the provision of remote learning during current school closures. This has been confirmed through Education Scotland’s ongoing National Overview of Remote Learning Practice. Where learners are assessed as needing furth…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason private play groups that operate as an alternative option to nursery schools will not recommence on 22 February 2021.

Answer · Maree Todd: We are continuing to prioritise the safe opening of schools and Early Learning and Childcare. Unregulated activities for children under 12 can continue outdoors at this time. We will gradually open up these services, when it is safe to do so.

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the phased return to schooling will take place on a national basis, and what consideration it gave to a return based on the prevalence of the COVID-19 virus in each local authority area.

Answer · John Swinney: Decisions around the phased return to in-school learning continue to be based upon scientific data and evidence on the prevalence and transmission of the virus. This, in line with the four harms methodology, is balanced alongside wider issues of equity and we…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice will be made available to families with one member who is shielding from COVID-19 and who have children who are expected to return to school on 22 February 2021.

Answer · John Swinney: Children from families with someone who is on the shielding list can return to schools when they start to re-open. The Chief Medical Officer has not advised that those children should stay off school. A range of previously published evidence has made clear t…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the people carrying out the cleaning and maintenance of COVID-19 testing centres will be given the same priority as healthcare staff for access to vaccinations.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Staff at symptomatic test sites are now included as part of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s (JCVI) criteria cohort 2 and this is being communicated via a letter from the Chief Medical Officer which will be issued shortly. Decisions to p…

4 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to make COVID-19 testing kits available to third sector organisations that are in contact with vulnerable people, including the Grampian Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: As set out in our Clinical and Scientific review of the Testing Strategy, the consensus clinical view of the prioritisation of capacity, over and above that required to meet symptomatic demand, clinical care requirements and existing commitments, is that the …

4 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of people with cystic fibrosis have received their first COVID-19 vaccination.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We do not have this data readily available. Individuals with cystic fibrosis are at higher risk of serious disease and mortality from COVID-19, meaning they are in the priority groups for vaccination set out by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisat…

4 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on at what stage of the vaccine programme roll-out families will be permitted to visit relatives in care homes.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government published an update on the Strategic Framework which includes information about visiting relatives in care homes. More information can be found here: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Strategic Framework update - February 2021 - gov.scot (www.g…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what conditions will require to be to met under the current COVID-19 restrictions to allow domestic cleaners to return to work.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: The current regulations limit the entry of other people into homes for the purpose of the upkeep, maintenance or functioning of the house to where the work is essential for that purpose in level 4 of the Strategic Framework. These restrictions have been put i…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many polling places for the 2021 Scottish election will be (a) based in schools and (b) used as COVID-19 vaccination sites, and what assessment it has carried out or plans of the safety of these locations.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Returning Officers are responsible for delivering elections, including the operation of polling stations and assessing safety. Decisions on use of locations are being made on a case-by-case basis, informed by each Council’s Health and Safety assessments, publ…

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that doctors are being paid £80 per hour to administer COVID-19 vaccinations compared with £16 per hour for nurses carrying out the same role.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: All staff employed to work on the programme are paid in accordance with nationally set terms and conditions and are working to agreed job roles, which come with specified rates of pay. Independent contractors working on the vaccinations programme are paid a …

2 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will launch a public awareness campaign regarding the (a) law concerning and (b) potential impact on health of cars being parked with their engines idling.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Since 2004 the Scottish Government has made available funding to local authorities to support awareness raising around the potential health impacts of vehicle idling, and the associated law. 12 local authorities are currently making use of this funding, emplo…

1 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested since August 2019 on its strategy to eliminate hepatitis C, and whether it anticipates meeting its target to achieve this by 2024.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Hepatitis C treatment is provided by territorial NHS Boards in Scotland, using funding from the core grant they receive from the Scottish Government. Each board decides how to allocate the funding to deliver healthcare services in line with the needs of their…