- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to support people with the financial costs of quarantining in a hotel.
Answer
We are actively working with the UK Government to ensure financial support can be provided to eligible travellers. The UK system that enables travellers to book managed isolation facilities and pay associated fees has been set up at pace and changes need to be made to that UK system in order to waive fees in certain cases. We have asked for those changes to be made urgently and are waiting for this to be actioned. This support will be available as soon possible.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has a planned end date to the current hotel-based quarantine rules.
Answer
New and comprehensive quarantine rules are essential to prevent new variants from entering the country and undermining the roll out of the vaccination programme. Restricting national and international travel allow us to lower the risk of new variants undermining our vaccination programme.
Any decision on ending the policy of managed isolation will be contingent on the epidemiological data and wider evidence about the rollout and success of our vaccination programme. Such a decision will be considered, in due course, in the context of a refreshed strategic approach to suppressing the virus.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 March 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether a security company has been contracted to work on the international quarantine policy, and, if so, (a) which company and (b) how much money it will receive from each person in hotel quarantine.
Answer
The UK Government has awarded a contract enabling the call-off of security services in respect of the managed isolation programme, including in Scotland. The company appointed through that contract to provide security services in Scotland is G4S. The costs of the security services provided are met by the UK Government, with no payment passing directly from guests in the managed isolation programme to G4S.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its (a) weekly and (b) daily target number is for the issuing of COVID-19 vaccinations.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34055 on 26 February 2021. 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/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its COVID-19 vaccine roll-out plan.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-34055 on 26 February 2021. 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/28877.aspx
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 December 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what modelling it has carried on the roll-out of each of the COVID-19 vaccines.
Answer
The Scottish Government has published its COVID-19 vaccination policy in its Deployment Plan which gives background to the decisions made, and different models. It also sets out how we will work as fast as supplies allow to vaccinate everyone over the age of 18 and those aged 16 and 17 who are frontline health and social care workers, young carers or have underlying health conditions in Scotland – estimated to be around 4.5 million people.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) recent discussions it has had and (b) discussions it plans to have with the UK Government regarding HS2.
Answer
I held discussions with the Minister of State for Transport on 19 May 2020 and 20 September 2020 regarding HS2.
Transport Scotland Officials and Department for Transport Officials are working in partnership with HS2 Ltd and Network Rail to identify further options that could improve Anglo-Scottish connectivity and the next Working Group Meeting is scheduled for 2 March 2021.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding the recent approval of the second phase, 2a, of HS2 and how this could benefit Scotland.
Answer
This Scottish Government has not made any specific representations to the UK Government regarding the recent announcement that HS2 Phase 2a between Birmingham and Crewe has gained Royal Assent.
We have consistently supported HS2 and welcome the increased benefit that Scotland will realise from the improved connectivity and additional reduction in journey times between Glasgow and London that the extension of HS2 will bring.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 February 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps will be required to automate the Scottish Child Payment in the next two years.
Answer
As set out in our October 2019 position paper and September 2020 response to the Scottish Commission on Social Security’s recommendations ; it would not be feasible to deliver an automated Scottish Child Payment until full roll-out of Universal Credit, which is currently scheduled to be 2024 at the earliest. To deliver an automated payment earlier, we would have had to build interfaces with all the legacy benefits, which would be complex, time-consuming and impossible to deliver within the timescales of the Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan (2022), especially given the already full programme of work to deliver the devolved benefits.
We remain committed to automation where possible, and we will review the feasibility again as part of the wider review of Scottish Child Payment after full roll out. However, an automated service would still be complex and require substantial work, as well as a significant level of support from the Department for Work and Pensions. We would be absolutely dependent on the UK Government to provide the necessary data we would need to automate the payment, which is not currently provided.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment is being made of the quickest ways of rolling out the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Answer
We are currently working through groups one to nine of the JCVI's prioritisation list and aim to have reached the whole of the JCVI priority list by early May. Vaccination of the rest of the adult population will follow thereafter. Prioritisation decisions for phase two of the vaccination programme will be influenced by any additional clinical considerations and further advice from JCVI. Before making any decisions the JCVI will review data on the impact that vaccines have on transmission and effectiveness, when considering how to prioritise vaccination amongst the rest of the population.
Additional information about vaccine delivery is available from NHS Inform and our COVID-19 Deployment plan .