Alex Cole-Hamilton

17 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider offering the COVID-19 vaccine on a 24-hours-a-day basis once stocks permit.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Current planning is for 8am - 8pm, 7 days opening but as I indicated in the chamber on 13 January 2021 we have the capacity to extend these hours including to 24/7 and we will keep this position under review.

17 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its expectations are of teachers in relation to contact tracing over the winter holidays if a positive case of COVID-19 is confirmed in their school.

Answer · John Swinney: We want teachers and school leaders to have a break over the festive period, and that’s why Public Health Scotland and the National Contact Tracing Centre are offering support to local authorities to deal with contact tracing issues to minimise the need for s…

15 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how private health and care providers who are qualified to administer injections but are currently on furlough can take part in the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We wrote to Health Boards asking that they secure sufficient capacity to deliver 400,000 doses per week in February. This will require a daily workforce of around 1,700 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) vaccinators and around 1,300 support staff. We have taken st…

15 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it is making to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to people in priority groups who are housebound.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: All Health Boards have included their housebound patients within their delivery models for each priority group. We have had confirmation that those aged 80 and over living in the community who are housebound have received their vaccination, with only small ga…

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether adult personal assistants who are employed by local authorities are eligible for the £500 "thank you" bonus for health and social care workers.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: All social care staff employed in registered adult social care services and personal assistants will be in scope of the pro rata £500 payment being made to those NHS and adult social care staff who have been employed since 17 March 2020. This includes those e…

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS and social care staff who do not wish to receive the £500 "thank you" bonus are able to nominate a charity to receive the money instead.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Scottish Government Ministers want to recognise the extraordinary effort that front line NHS and social care staff have made to our national effort during this pandemic. There is no mechanism for opting out of receiving the payment or nominating a charity to …

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33680 by Kevin Stewart on 9 December 2020, whether the interlinking of alarms can be done wirelessly, or whether hardwiring will be required.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The regulations allow for alarms to be either hardwired or sealed, tamper proof long-life lithium battery powered. Both types of alarm can be interlinked by radio frequency.

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what tax guidelines it will issue regarding the £500 "thank you" payment for NHS and social care staff, in light of this sum appearing as a bonus in pay information.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Regrettably, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that these payments made to employees are regarded as earnings and will be liable for tax, national insurance contributions and student loan repayments, where appropriate. The Scottish Govern…

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether people working in the adult day care sector will receive the £500 "thank you" bonus for NHS and social care staff.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: People working in registered adult day care services will be in scope of the pro rata £500 payment being made to those NHS and adult social care staff who have been employed since 17 March 2020.

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) when and (b) how it expects the £500 "thank you" bonus for NHS and social care staff to be issued.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 23 December 2020, the Scottish Government published full details of eligibility for the pro-rata £500 payment, including expected payment dates. Payments to health and care workers will commence in February 2021, with the majority of social care staff rece…

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the £500 "thank you" bonus for NHS and social care staff will be paid to all staff working for private and third sector care providers, including case managers, finance administration, fundraising managers and volunteer co-ordinators.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Staff working for a registered adult social care service or in a role supporting those registered services in a head office, for example finance and administrative staff, will be in scope of the pro rata £500 payment being made to those NHS and adult social c…

10 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider expanding the annual flu vaccination programme to include the routine vaccination of teachers.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Seasonal Flu Immunisation Programme helps to protect the most vulnerable and alleviate pressure on the NHS. This is more important than ever this year, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Those most at risk from the seasonal flu, who are already eligible …

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether outdoor exercise classes are included in the COVID-19 travel exemption that allows people to travel up to five miles outside their local area to carry out informal outdoor exercise.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The exemption to travel up to 5 miles from the boundary of a level 3 or 4 area under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, relates to informal exercise such as walking, cycling, golf, o…

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether individuals or families who choose not to form a festive bubble can meet another individual or family for a meal in a hospitality venue in Edinburgh and other Level 3 areas on Christmas day.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The guidance for meeting throughout the festive period is available on the Scottish Government website. If you do not form a ‘bubble’ over Christmas, you must follow the rules as set out for your local authority. In Level 3 areas, this means meeting in groups…

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it calculates the test positivity rate for COVID-19, in light of the variance between the data available on the daily dashboard and the reported positivity rate.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government calculates test positivity as the total number of positive tests reported on a particular day divided by the overall number of tests reported that day. Public Health Scotland also use this approach on their dashboard and the headline f…

8 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what paperwork will be provided to people who are given a COVID-19 vaccine to confirm that they have received it.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: People who are given a COVID-19 vaccine are provided with a nationally produced leaflet, that tells them what to expect after the vaccine and includes a reminder about their second dose. They are not given any paperwork as a ‘record’ of the vaccine. As with o…

8 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date work with Public Health Scotland to establish the protocols that will provide more timely data on possible suicides will conclude; what data it expects this to provide and with what frequency; whether it will include data covering the period since the outbreak of the COVID-1…

Answer · Clare Haughey: The protocols for timely data on possible suicides will be ready for implementation from the Spring. The data will cover suspected suicides identified through Police Scotland databases. The data will be anonymised before it is shared with local partnerships. …

7 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the collection of a puppy or kitten is classed as travel for animal welfare and therefore exempt from COVID-19 travel regulations.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The collection of a puppy or kitten from a breeder is subject to the advice and rules on travel at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-on-travel-and-transport/ . The guidance states that travel for essential animal welfare reason…

7 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether medical and nursing students who have provided support to frontline staff while still carrying out academic studies during the pandemic will be included in the £500 "thank you" bonus.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Students who worked on temporary paid contracts during the pandemic for a period of at least one month during the qualifying period, and have since returned to university, will receive the payment. This includes Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Profession…

7 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to allow people who return from international travel access to a COVID-19 test.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Quarantine for international travellers is the most effective way for us to guard against importing new cases and strains as numbers come down in Scotland. If the traveller does not have any coronavirus symptoms after 10 days, they can stop self-isolating. I…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been published regarding the operation and use of courtesy coffee machines in public areas in each level of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33765 on 17 December 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/parliamentarybusine…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been published regarding the operation and use of vending machines in public areas in each level of the COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: We have published an extensive suite of guidance which includes general safer workplaces guidance . The guidance highlights the importance of enhanced hygiene as a key plank of measures to create a safe workplace environment. This guidance applies across a…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether occupational therapists who work in local authority health and social care departments will be eligible for the £500 "thank you" bonus.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Occupational therapists who work in local authority health and social care departments will be in the scope of the pro rata £500 payment being made to those NHS and adult social care staff who have been employed since 17 March 2020. Full details of the catego…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason churchgoers must wear face coverings throughout the duration of their act of worship, in light of people in hospitality settings not being required to do so while they are seated.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: There is scientific evidence that face coverings are effective in reducing the transmission of Covid-19 and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends the use of face coverings as a non-pharmaceutical intervention. It is widely agreed by the scientific an…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the COVID-19 restrictions, whether children under the age of 12 count towards the limits set for congregation in places of worship.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Current restrictions allow a maximum number of 50 people to attend a place of worship within local authorities having protection levels 0 – 3 and no more than 20 people in level 4. These capacity numbers are inclusive of all children under the age of 12. The…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether people living with someone who is on the COVID-19 shielding list will be included in the second wave of vaccine administration along with those who are shielding.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The prioritisation is based on the greatest impact on those at greatest risk of mortality and morbidity from Covid-19. That is what guides the GCVI conclusions to priorities on an age basis.

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has published on undertaking international travel in the period 23 to 27 December 2020.

Answer · Michael Matheson: All Scottish Government COVID-19 guidance is published on the website, at: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/ . As noted on the website, travel restrictions will be relaxed from 23 – 27 December (inclusive) to allow people to travel between local a…

3 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported shortage of qualified anaesthetists, and how an increased demand for their services will be met, in light of postponed operations arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: NHS Scotland's staffing levels are up by over 19,500 whole time equivalent staff members working in our NHS under this Government. This is a 15.4% increase (from 127,061.9 WTE at September 2006 to 146,630.9 WTE at September 2020). Under this Government, the …

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) NHS, (b) social care and (c) emergency workers who will be working over Christmas will be permitted to form an equivalent of the five-day festive bubble following the holiday period.

Answer · John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer the First Minister provided at First Minister’s Questions on 3 December 2020. The transcript is available on the Parliament's website, and can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12988&…

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether day carers who support foster carers and families will be eligible for the £500 one-off "thank you" bonus.

Answer · Maree Todd: Day carers who support foster carers and families will not be eligible for the £500 one-off "thank you" bonus. Further detail on the pro rata £500 bonus scheme, which will be funded from the Scottish Government's COVID-19 support package, is available at htt…