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-32829

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 whether its commitment to working alongside local authority partners will include consultation before moving between tiers of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework, and taking account of the specific needs of different council areas.

Question reference: S5W-33005

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2020
Current Status: Answer expected on 19 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what financial penalty it faces as a result of its plans to end its crèche services' contract early in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5W-32825

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can sustain the same level of support to businesses offered by the UK Government in England and, if not, whether it will take this into consideration before deciding to move areas into the highest tier of the COVID-19 Strategic Framework.

The Chancellor has written a blank cheque for business support in England, but is refusing to do the same for Scotland. We are being kept in the dark on future funding and denied the ability to borrow if we need to. It is utterly wrong for Scottish business to not have the same level of certainty on financial support that is available to businesses in England.

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance continues to seek the funding we require to support Scottish businesses thorough this pandemic as the £700 million announced earlier in October is clearly insufficient to mitigate the impact on our economy and public services.

In the meantime, we have announced a package of funding that accompanies implementation of the Strategic Framework providing grants of up to £3,000 for businesses that are closed by Regulation under the terms of the Strategic Framework.

The tier level for the strategic framework will rightly reflect the latest data available in order to suppress the virus to the lowest possible level and keep it there.

Question reference: S5W-32822

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 4 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact of social-isolation on long-term mental health, what consideration it has given to the rights of people who live alone regarding the rules on visiting other households.

We know that social isolation and loneliness is a public health issue and there are well documented negative impacts on mental health, that is why the Scottish Government has considered the impact of socialising rules on those who live alone.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 take progressively more restrictive steps, such as limiting the numbers of people that can meet indoors and outdoors. Our aim in doing this is to reduce the chance for the virus to spread, while allowing households the opportunity to socialise. Even at the strictest level, 6 people from a maximum of 2 households can socialise outdoors and in public places.

The Regulations also permit extended households to be formed at all levels of restrictions. This is a key mitigation to allow those who live alone to have social contact with another household, balanced against the risks of transmission of Covid 19 when different households interact.

An EQIA evaluating the impact of these measures has been published to accompany the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 and provides more detail on these matters. It can be found here: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ssi/2020/344/pdfs/ssieqia_20200344_en.pdf .

Question reference: S5W-32843

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the evidence it considered to reach its decision to close bingo clubs at level 2 of its COVID-19 restrictions framework.

Question reference: S5W-32845

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it carried out on the contribution of venues such as bingo halls in serving as community hubs that can help alleviate social isolation, particularly among older people, when determining the levels of the COVID-19 restrictions framework.

Question reference: S5W-32844

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason bingo clubs will now be closed at level 2 of the new framework, including those operating outside of the Central Belt in areas with no reported COVID-19 outbreaks at the equivalent of this level of restrictions.

Question reference: S5W-32841

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of bingo club members being considered to be typically women aged over 50, many of whom see their membership as a social lifeline, what its position is on having a more specific approach to these venues to keep them open at level 2 of its COVID-19 restrictions framework, particularly venues that offer two-metre social distancing.

We recognise the important role that Bingo Halls play in communities and in the wellbeing and mental health of many people across the country. After feedback on the Strategic Framework published on 23 October, the revised Framework issued on 29 October permits bingo halls to be open at level 2. This has been reflected in the regulations which came into force on 2 November. While suppression of the virus is our key objective, decisions on the Framework also reflect supporting broader health and wellbeing, mitigating social harms and supporting the economy.

Scottish Government officials have worked closely with the Bingo Association to agree the mitigations that are necessary to help restrict the spread of the virus within bingo clubs. This has ensured that many Bingo halls have been able to open, when it has been safe to so, with the relevant restrictions in place to help protect staff and customers alike. We will continue to work with the Bingo Association to monitor and review the impact of the restrictions.

Question reference: S5W-32846

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason outdoor bowling clubs that have had to close due to being classified as licensed premises are ineligible for a Business Closure Grant whereas indoor bowling clubs are.

Question reference: S5W-32606

Asked by: Elaine Smith, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has provided guidance to local authorities indicating whether children entitled to free school meals should be provided with access to the equivalent of those meals during term time in the event they are unable to attend school through self-isolation as a result of COVID-19.

Under the provisions of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, education authorities are required to provide a free school lunch to any to any child or young person who is eligible for them, even if they are absent from school. The Act states that a pupil is designated as being "in attendance" at school if they are registered on the school's roll.

Therefore, if an eligible child or young person has been instructed to self-isolate at home, due to either themselves or a member of their family displaying symptoms of COVID-19 (or having tested positive for it), they would still be entitled to a free school lunch if they requested it. However, local authorities have the discretion to decide for themselves about the most appropriate method of provision.