Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S5W-33003

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Sandra White MSP (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bo on 17 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of its plans to end its crèche services' contract early in the current parliamentary session, what action it took to make all (a) staff and (b) contractors aware that the service was able to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A full risk assessment and Covid-19 operating policy were provided by the contractor and reviewed by the Facilities Management Office prior to reopening the service in September 2020. As a result of this risk assessment and in line with the Scottish Government’s ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase 3: Guidance on reopening early learning and childcare services’, a number of additional measures were put in place. These included the introduction of staff bubbles, specific booking windows to minimise interaction between children and different staff members, social distancing between creche staff and parents and the additional cleaning of all toys, equipment and surfaces throughout the day. The layout of the facility was also adapted with several soft furnishings removed to assist with cleaning the area.

The contractor also provided specific risk assessments on infection control, exclusion policy and site operating procedures prior to reopening. These were followed up by an onsite walkthrough with the Creche Manager and the contract manger from Facilities Management, with input and coordination from the cleaning services contract manager and our Health & Safety Advisor. contractor creche staff were trained on the new working procedures by the contractor’s senior management virtually and then had a full day’s training onsite led by the Creche Manager.

The reopening of the creche on business days was communicated to building users via the Covid-19 update email on Thursday 3^rd September, which highlighted the additional cleaning measures and the changes to normal booking procedures. The same information was included in the ‘Facilities and Services’ section of the coronavirus FAQs online.

Question reference: S5W-32796

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-23841 by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 July 2019, what the final cost was of the procurement exercise for its contract with Serco NorthLink Ferries for Northern Isles Ferry Services that started on 30 June 2020.

Question reference: S5O-04769

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Cuban Government.

Question reference: S5W-32919

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason ten-pin bowling centres are excluded from opening in Level 2 of the COVID-19 restrictions, in light of other leisure facilities such as cinemas, bingo halls and amusements centres being able to.

Decisions on what sectors and activities to re-open on our route out of lockdown are guided by the principles set out in our Framework for Decision Making. Proposals are technically assessed using the best available evidence and analysis of their potential benefits and harms to health, the economy, and broader society to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed.

Ten pin bowling centres are classed as indoor sport and leisure and were permitted to open under our relevant guidance. However, as with other indoor sporting venues, they must close under level 2 of the tiered structure. Facilities such as cinemas, bingo hall and amusement centres are classed as hospitality and therefore must follow that particular guidance and can currently open under tier 2 restrictions.

Question reference: S5W-32797

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Abellio ScotRail Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) includes funding for driver training that was delayed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether funding for driver training will be made available when the EMA expires in January 2021.

Question reference: S5W-32798

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the no compulsory redundancy agreement in the Abellio ScotRail franchise will be maintained when the Emergency Measures Agreement (EMA) expires in January 2021.

Question reference: S5W-32827

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 10 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the geographical areas for the application of each tier of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework will be based on full local authority areas or smaller areas.

Question reference: S5W-32826

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors people who have been asked to quarantine from COVID-19, and what information it has regarding how many people have not been following quarantine rules on returning to the country.

All travellers arriving in Scotland require to complete the passenger locator form. Passengers arriving from a country which is non-exempt from quarantine rules are required to quarantine for a period of 14 days.

Passenger arrivals into Scotland are provided by the Home Office to Public Health Scotland. Public Health Scotland contact everyone who is required to quarantine by email.

A random sample of travellers are then followed up through telephone calls, by the National Contact Tracing Centre to establish if they need any information, guidance or other support. The dedicated team have a target of 2,000 calls per week starting from 5 October – and have been exceeding that so far.

The latest published data can be found on the PHS website and is published weekly. https://beta.isdscotland.org/find-publications-and-data/population-health/covid-19/

If the National Contact Tracing Centre is unable to make contact via 3 phone calls or an email Public Health Scotland is obliged to share details with Police Scotland. Police Scotland continue to follow-up to engage, explain, encourage, and enforce the law, where necessary.

Up to 18 October, Police Scotland had received 537 referrals from PHS and issued seven Fixed Penalty Notices.

Question reference: S5W-32824

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 9 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will consult local authorities to assess the economic impact of moving between tiers of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework.

We have made a commitment to engage directly with Local Authorities in advance of any change to their level, including at a national level through COSLA and SOLACE. Such discussions will include assessments against the Four Harms, including the socio economic implications of any changes, recognising that the measures can have different impacts across different Local Authorities, based on their types and levels of employment.

Question reference: S5W-32823

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent local authorities will be (a) involved in decision-making and (b) consulted on the local impact of moving to higher tiers of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework.

As we have stated in our Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scotland’s Strategic Framework (https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-19-scotlands-strategic-framework/ ), we engage with our local authority partners prior to making decisions about which levels to apply and whether to escalate or move down, recognising that their support is vital to the success of this approach, and delivery bodies on whom we rely upon to implement and oversee the measures. Such decisions are based on an assessment against a number of factors, including the economic and social characteristics of local authority areas, in reference against all Four Harms, as set out in our COVID-19 Framework for Decision-Making towards dealing with the pandemic.