- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how death, dying and bereavement education will be supported in schools, in light of it not being included in the report on the review of personal and social education in Scotland.
Answer
In Scotland's curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence, learning about health and wellbeing is a specific curriculum area and is one of the three core areas that are the responsibility of all school staff. Schools are encouraged to develop the curriculum to suit their local context and meet the needs of children and young people, which can include delivering learning on bereavement. It is good practice for schools to consult with children and young people and respond to their views appropriately, to ensure this meets the needs of all children and young people in the school or educational setting.
Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes make clear that, in addition to the Health and Wellbeing Experiences and Outcomes, children and young people will also experience certain aspects of health and wellbeing through focused programmes such as Personal and Social Education (PSE) programmes. Learning on bereavement is supported through resources on Education Scotland’s national improvement hub which can be accessed at https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/resources-for-school-staff-to-support-positive-mental-wellbeing-of-children-and-young-people/ and https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/additional-support/specific-support-needs/social-and-emotional-factors/bereavement/ .
The PSE Review report recognised that secondary schools are using an increasing range of approaches to support mental health and build resilience, including dealing with bereavement. The report also recognised the use of targeted support in special schools where pupils benefit from a range of proven programmes to alleviate bereavement and loss or to promote mindfulness.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether children in all schools will have access to a counsellor to talk about death, dying and grief, and whether this will extend to children under the age of 10.
Answer
We know that schools play a key role in supporting children and young people’s mental health. We continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that every secondary school across Scotland has access to counselling services, which our local authority partners have confirmed is now in place across Scotland. Counselling can help children and young people explore, understand and overcome issues in their lives and improve resilience, including responding to loss and grief.
During the planning of the counsellors in schools provision, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland advised that the requirements for working with children under the age of 10 is very different to that for older children. This is why our commitment is only for children aged 10 and over. Schools and education authorities have the capacity to identify specific measures to support children under the age of 10. For example, some local authorities may have staff trained to deliver ‘Seasons for Growth’, a programme widely used in primary, secondary and special sectors across Scotland to support children and young people suffering from loss and grief.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to allow new applications for the Scottish Carer's Assistance payment.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03374 on 25 October 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to adding the free flu vaccination distribution list to the COVID-19 booster vaccination list.
Answer
Flu and COVID-19 are completely different diseases caused by different viruses and is why there are different recommendations for those who are eligible for flu vaccination and those who should be offered both COVID-19 and flu vaccination.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation (JCVI) is a scientific committee and they give advice based on scientific evidence, with a number of in-depth considerations and recommendations made on COVID-19 published recently.
The evidence is clear that people with asthma are at a higher risk of flu related complications but this is not true for COVID-19 unless they are on repeated courses of oral steroid medication. This means that the vast majority of asthmatics are not at a higher risk of COVID-19 disease or its complications.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a consultation on restricting the advertising and promotion of alcohol.
Answer
The advertising and promotion of alcohol entails a range of activity which is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage children and young people to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol. This is why the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people, as announced in A Fairer, Greener Scotland: Programme for Government 2021-22 , published on 7 September 2021.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 29 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether proof of vaccination will be required at sporting venues with crowds over 10,000 for all (a) officials and (b) players in attendance.
Answer
The Scottish Government have produced updated guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): vaccine certification update - 23 September 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot), which states that an exemption will be in place for those working and performing at venues requiring proof of vaccination from attendees/spectators. This exemption will therefore cover officials and players.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 29 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that football clubs enforce the wearing of face coverings inside their grounds, and what action will be taken if clubs fail to enforce the regulations.
Answer
Face coverings are required in indoor spaces. As stadiums are a mixture of both inside and outside, face coverings are required in internal areas such as entering and exiting as well as accessing kiosks or toilet facilities. Local Authorities engage with the Football Clubs through the event capacity limit exemption and Sports Advisory Group process to ensure Covid baseline measures are in in place in football stadiums.
We expect football clubs to use stewards and messaging to fans to encourage supporters to wear facemasks while inside at grounds. While police officers may be present at matches, their primary role is public safety, and while they have the powers to enforce the wearing of face coverings, as in any other setting, Officers would engage, explain and encourage before enforcing.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps will be taken over the current parliamentary session to deliver crofting reform.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported increase in the attainment gap between pupils from the most and least deprived backgrounds, following the most recent SQA results.
Answer
Closing the poverty-related attainment gap, and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential, remains central to this Government’s work.
While the 2021 results show a slight change from 2020, the results saw a narrower poverty-related attainment gap compared with 2019, and the number of university acceptances from the 20% most deprived areas in Scotland reached a record high for SQA Results Day.
However, our ambition is a long-term one and we know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever. That’s why we’re investing a further £1 billion over the course of this Parliament to help to close the poverty related attainment gap and support education recovery.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date the COVID-19 digital vaccine certificate will be (a) be fully developed and (b) made available to the general public, and whether it will be recognised by IATA Travel Pass.
Answer
The NHS Scotland COVID Status app is being developed for release to the public by the end of September with vaccination information initially. We are developing our app to meet the EU requirements so we expect this to be compatible with the IATA Travel Pass. We are engaging with international stakeholders and UK Government to ensure the app is compatible with the other countries requirements of entry.
We are making PDF downloads of vaccination status and 2D barcodes (known as QR codes) available for international travel from early September to facilitate international travel.
