Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-00072

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many tenants have received loans from the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Question reference: S6W-00071

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 27 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been paid out from the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Question reference: S5W-35731

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35219 by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2021, what information it has on how much the UK Government pays for security for each person in hotel quarantine, and what this represents as a percentage of the overall cost of quarantine.

The Scottish Government has not yet received details from the UK Government of the costs of security associated with the Managed Isolation programme, and therefore does not yet know what this represents as a percentage of the overall cost of quarantine. However, the Scottish Government is aware that costs incurred are not charged to the UK Government on a per person basis in relation to the number of guests using Managed Isolation, as numbers of security personnel required can vary from location to location depending on factors such as number of flights to be met, journey times on transport services, and numbers of floors in occupation in quarantine hotels.

Question reference: S5F-04929

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that local authorities with the highest deprivation rates are least likely to approve Self-Isolation Support Grant applications.

Question reference: S5W-35940

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the annual homelessness statistics before the pre-election campaign recess.

The Scottish Government has announced it will publish its annual 'Homelessness in Scotland: Update to 30th September 2020' statistical publication on 23 March 2021. This publication covers data for the period 1 April to 30 September 2020, alongside data from January to March 2018.

In addition the Scottish Government will publish annual homelessness statistics covering data up to 31 March 2021 later this year. The publication date for this release is yet to be finalised.

Publications are published on the Scottish Government Homelessness Statistics Webpage: Homelessness statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Question reference: S5W-35367

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what advice has been given to GPs and vaccinators regarding how to identify people with underlying health conditions who are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination under JCVI priority group 6.

Vaccinations are taking place differently across Scotland to reflect the needs of local communities. NHS Scotland Heath Boards are responsible for the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, Health Boards are responsible for making decisions regarding local delivery in line with the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance. This includes how to identify people with underlying health conditions.

Information is provided to healthcare practitioners via the Green Book, which holds the latest information on vaccines and vaccination. The Green Book states for cohort 6, the JCVI priority list is not exhaustive and there may be people, with a particular underlying health condition, who would benefit from earlier vaccination based on the clinical judgement of a clinician looking after the person on a case by case risk assessment.

Question reference: S5W-35365

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with underlying health conditions are eligible for a COVID-19 vaccination as part of JCVI priority group 6, and how this compares with their eligibility for the annual flu vaccine.

Vaccinations are taking place differently across Scotland to reflect the needs of local communities. NHS Scotland Heath Boards are responsible for the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, Health Boards are responsible for making decisions regarding local delivery in line with the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance. This includes how to deliver vaccines to those with underlying health conditions.

Information is provided to healthcare practitioners via the Green Book, which holds the latest information on vaccines and vaccination. The Green Book states for cohort 6, the JCVI priority list is not exhaustive and there may be people, with a particular underlying health condition, who would benefit from earlier vaccination based on the clinical judgement of a clinician looking after the person on a case by case risk assessment.

Due to the flexibility of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation’s eligibility criteria for Cohort 6, it isn’t possible to provide a population size for Cohort 6.

As of March 2021, 162,881 people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable have received their first dose.

Those aged 64 years or under and considered to be at risk in the 2020-21 Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme, were 757,926. The Scottish Government encourages all those who are eligible for both the Covid-19 and the seasonal flu vaccines to accept their invitation when offered an appointment.

Question reference: S5W-35366

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each JCVI vaccine prioritisation group are considered to be housebound, and what proportion have received their (a) first and (b) second COVID-19 vaccination.

Vaccinations are taking place differently across Scotland to reflect the needs of local communities. NHS Scotland Heath Boards are responsible for the local delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine. As such, Health Boards are responsible for making decisions regarding local delivery in line with the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation guidance. This includes how to deliver vaccines to those who are housebound.

Patient information which would indicate whether a person is housebound is not held within the Scottish Government. We are therefore unable to advise what proportion of housebound people have received their COVID-19 vaccine.

As of 11 March 2021:

• 19,252 care home residents have received 2 doses of the vaccine (64% of residents in older adult care homes and 60% of all care home residents).

• 262,621 people aged 80 or over have received their first dose (97%).

• 194,675 people aged 75-79 (99%) have received their first dose.

• 278,452 people aged 70-74 (99.9%) have received their first dose.

• 289,008 people aged 65-69 (97%) have received their first dose.

• 151,828 people aged 60-64 (44%) have received their first dose.

• 145,496 people aged 55-59 (37%) have received their first dose.

• 121,830 people aged 50-54 (30%) have received their first dose.

• 162,881 people who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (91% of the shielding list) have received their first dose.

Question reference: S5W-35660

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether businesses offering mobile phone repairs and other similar businesses are eligible for COVID-19 business support funding, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

The Strategic Framework Business Fund offers grants only for businesses required to close by law, and grants for those businesses that remain open but are specifically required to modify their operations by law. Non-essential retail businesses are eligible for a temporary closure grant. Shops that are able to provide a permitted collection service under the Regulations are also eligible for a closure grant through the Strategic Framework Business Fund. The Regulations specify which businesses can provide a permitted collection service.

Question reference: S5W-35720

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 March 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35154 by Mairi Gougeon on 2 March 2021, what flexibility COVID-19 vaccinators have regarding the disposal of unused doses before they become unsuitable for use, including vaccinating people who attend the centres on an unscheduled "walk-in" basis.

Guidance has been issued to boards on the correct process for managing waste. This was circulated to boards at the end of January.

A contingency plan should be put in place to manage the risk when less vaccine than expected is used during a clinic. Examples include maintaining a reserve list to ensure vaccine is not wasted (e.g. care home or front line health and social care staff or second doses). Ideally this should be from within the same cohort however the JCVI has also indicated that there should be some flexibility in including other cohorts concurrently. If the remainder of the vaccine is in un-punctured vials, which are still in the fridge, consider whether subsequent orders can be reduced. Sites should be aware of local arrangements with other immunisation services who would be able to utilise the spare vaccine within short notice.

While at this stage there is little known with regard to projected uptake and attendance rates, scheduling teams and planners should liaise to monitor this closely in order to ensure the pharmacy is supplying an optimal number doses and maximising the use of the supply chain.

A copy of the guidance at present is not online, but is currently being prepared for publication and will be available at : Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

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