Alexander Stewart

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) marquees, (b) tents, (c) undercover shelters, (d) canvas coverings and (d) pods are classed as indoor areas in relation to its (i) current COVID-19 guidance and (ii) route map for exiting COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, as amended, give legal effect to the COVID-19 restrictions set out in the Route Map. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 6) Regulations 2…

17 Aug 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to Police Scotland’s reported budget overspend during the COVID-19 crisis.

5 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the additional UK Government funding to support Scotland’s people and businesses through the COVID-19 outbreak.

31 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the definition of "indoor" in the Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 includes temporary coverings or structures outside a business's main building such as marquees, tents, undercover shelters and canvas coverings.

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the patient experience and potential accuracy of COVID-19 tests conducted at self-testing stations.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 17 August we published our revised/updated Testing Strategy: https://www.gov.scot/news/scotlands-covid-19-testing-strategy/ . The Strategy sets out the circumstances in which people who are asymptomatic would be tested. This includes those identified (v…

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of an increased number of pedestrians and cyclists, what plans it has to work with Police Scotland to introduce an online reporting tool for road traffic incidents and offences, similar to the one used by the Metropolitan Police in London, in order to improve safety.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving our ultimate road safety vision of zero fatalities and a significant reduction in the number of serious injuries on our roads. We are continuing to liaise with a range of key stakeholders, including Polic…

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland’s stroke improvement plan compares with the leading examples of stroke strategies and plans in other UK and European nations, and what plans it has to refresh Scotland's stroke improvement plan to ensure that the care received by patients in Scotland who survive a stroke is …

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Over the past 10 years, the number of people in Scotland dying from stroke has decreased by 35%. This is significant progress but we want to strive for even better outcomes, which is why we continue to implement the Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) and our Prog…

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what indicators it uses to ensure that the national governance process for stroke care is performing to standard, and what its response is to reported concerns regarding the national guidelines for stroke expiring after 10 years.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31010 on 27 August 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/parliamentarybusiness…

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have not yet embedded the 2016 Royal College of Physicians stroke guidelines, or their equivalent, into the care they provide to patients who survive a stroke, and for what reason.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31010 on 27 August 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/parliamentarybusiness…

30 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to report on how stroke care has performed against the Scottish Stroke Improvement Plan over the last year, and whether there will be any changes to the (a) format of this year’s report and (b) scope or quality of the data collected that enables stakeholders to assess w…

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31010 on 27 August 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/parliamentarybusiness…

28 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, provided appropriate social distancing rules are followed, what plans it has to review to 50-person limit on the number of people permitted to attend places of worship as part of the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown measures to allow more people to attend in (a) rural communities that ar…

Answer · Aileen Campbell: I recognise how difficult it has been for Scotland’s faith communities to be unable to come together in places of worship at this challenging time, and understand the important role of congregational worship in supporting spiritual wellbeing. We do not want a…

16 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is no specific guidance for niche businesses regarding the lifting of lockdown restrictions, and what its position is on whether the categorisation of businesses in its route map for exiting lockdown should mirror the classification for business rates, and not anoth…

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We are making changes at a pace and at a level that we think is right and safe for our current circumstances in Scotland. As we have taken decisions about what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown, we have been guided by the principl…

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out since July 2019 to prioritise locations to improve the connectivity, accessibility and safety on the trunk route network for (a) cyclists and (b) other road users; when this work (i) was and (ii) will be completed, and how it is being taken forward.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of a safe, accessible and connected trunk road network for (a) cyclists and (b) other road users throughout Scotland. Therefore, as part of the wider management and maintenance of the trunk road network, when …

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it is providing during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that the trunk road network is made safer for (a) cyclists and (b) other road users.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has provided financial support through allocating £30 million to the Spaces for People (SfP) fund. This fund helps local authorities to put in place temporary measures which support physical distancing whilst keeping people who are wal…

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with cycling organisations to provide parallel routes, safe access and crossing points on the trunk road network.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland grant funds a variety of third sector organisations, including Sustrans, Cycling Scotland and Cycling UK to deliver projects and programmes which help towards meeting its outcomes as stated in the Active Travel Outcomes Framework. Transport…

1 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since July 2019 to improve trunk roads in (a) Fife and (b) the rest of the country to make them safer for (i) cyclists and (ii) other road users.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland’s Strategic Road Safety Plan sets out how road safety improvements are delivered on the trunk road network. The Plan supports Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020, which includes cyclists and pedestrians as a priority action area. The …

17 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many children in the (a) Perth and Kinross, (b) Stirling, (c) Clackmannanshire and (d) Fife Council area have received a laptop as a consequence of its £9 million initiative to provide 25,000 children with computers.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has committed to investing a total of £25m to support digital inclusion amongst disadvantaged children and young people. We are in close discussion with local authorities through SOLACE, ADES and Cosla about how to deliver best value a…

1 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that there is national coordination in place to set up COVID-19-free sites for cancer surgery, and what cancers these sites will be able to treat.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: We are working hard to ensure vital and urgent care remains, including the use of the Golden Jubilee and the use of private hospital capacity to treat these NHS patients. By utilising the private sector capacity we are able to provide a COVID free environment…

1 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship fund have been (a) approved and (b) rejected, and how many payments have been made.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answers to questions S5W-29499 and S5W-29501 on 11 June 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/parliam…

26 May 2020 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Police Scotland reporting that nearly 1,700 cases have been recorded under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018.

22 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has recommended delaying the reopening of businesses in the (a) housebuilding and (b) clothing and textile sector until the second phase of its route map for exiting the COVID-19 lockdown.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Our assessment of which sectors and types of working could open at this time has taken into account which sectors incur a lower risk of transmission as well as the ease of implementing physical distancing. It has also taken into account the low level of inter…

11 May 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what urgent action it will take in light of reports of COVID-19-related attacks on police officers.

26 Apr 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle fraudsters who are targeting vulnerable people during the COVID-19 outbreak.

23 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the concerns regarding the potential impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the higher education sector, what action it is taking to reassure staff and students that it has a coherent plan to retain capacity across the sector following the end of lockdown period, which will aim …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Work around the financial impact of COVID-19 on universities continues to be progressed as a priority and at pace by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council. We are working closely with our universities, other stakeholders and through the Fur…

9 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that it will allocate to charities in Scotland as soon as possible the £30 million in Barnett consequentials arising from the UK Government’s £750 million support package for England in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, and by what date it expects the …

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government announced support for charities via the Community Wellbeing Fund and Third Sector Resilience Fund on 18 March, more than 3 weeks before the UK Government announcement. These Funds provide support in excess of the consequentials resulti…

8 Apr 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of relatives visiting a Fife care home being asked to sign forms agreeing to nil resuscitation and being advised that older residents may not be taken to hospital in the event of suspected COVID-19 but would only be given antibiotics, what its policy is regarding car…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: On 10 April 2020 the Scottish Government's Chief Medical Officer, BMA and RCGP wrote to GP practices to provide advice and support on having anticipatory care planning conversations and to make clear that there is no requirement for health professionals to ha…

25 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason self-catering businesses in Scotland are reported to have been excluded from the application process in respect of the Coronavirus Business Support Fund, in light of being instructed to close along with other "non-essential" businesses.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government recognises the difficulties facing the Tourism sector, including self-caterers. The Coronavirus Business Support Grant scheme includes self-catering properties and caravans where receipts represent a primary source (for example, one th…

11 Mar 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to the independent review of the Humanitarian Emergency Fund.

4 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional funding smoking cessation services will receive under the respiratory care action plan.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In December 2019, the draft Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland was published for consultation. It sets out our commitments for driving improvement in the diagnosis, care, treatment and support for people living with respiratory conditions. Smoking ces…

4 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) decile area were prescribed the nicotine addiction medication, Champix, by a (a) GP and (b) pharmacist in 2019.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Figures are available in the following tables: a) Table 1: Number of patients prescribed the nicotine addiction medication, generic varenicline or branded Champix, in 2019 by a GP   Calendar Year Prescriber Type SIMD Scotland Decile Number of Patients …