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-28655

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that people can continue to use cash safely as payment during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Scottish Government recognises that access to cash remains an important part of our society, especially for vulnerable groups. Like any other surface that large numbers of people come into contact with, banknotes can carry bacteria or viruses. However, the Bank of England and the World Health Organisation have confirmed that the risk posed by handling a banknote is no greater than touching any other common surface, such as handrails, doorknobs or credit cards .

To manage any risk, people are encouraged to use contactless payments where possible. Where that is not possible, the WHO advises that hand washing after touching coins and notes remains one of the most effective ways of preventing the spread of infection.

The Scottish Government’s advice on hand washing is repeated frequently at daily briefings by the First Minister with further guidance available at the Gov.scot website www.gov.scot .

Question reference: S5T-02138

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 May 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to regularly test all staff and residents in care homes for COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-28657

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 4 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on covering the cost of the 2020 annual registration fees to the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a token of appreciation for the efforts of nurses and midwives during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact and we salute and are hugely grateful for the extraordinary hard work, dedication, skill and commitment of everyone who is working across Scotland’s health and social care sectors during this emergency.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is a professional regulatory body with a legal responsibility to protect the public. Being independent of government, it is self-funded by the fees of its registrants and has powers to determine those fees from time-to-time at a level which enables it to carry out its statutory functions. The NMC has constrained its fees at their present level since February 2015.

Payment of registration fees would, in effect, cross-subsidise a UK-wide independent regulator. The Scottish government has, however, implemented significant measures to support staff at this difficult time. Steps taken include full access to enhanced overtime pay and ensuring that anyone working for NHS Scotland who becomes ill due to COVID-19 will receive sick leave on full pay, irrespective of their length of service, until they have recovered, and for as long as they are contracted to NHS Scotland. We have also stepped in to suspend parking charges for staff working at hospitals with privately-operated car parks for the next three months.

We continue to work closely on a daily basis with employers and staff side organisations to identify how we can continue to support all staff throughout this challenging time.

Question reference: S5F-04093

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 April 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 April 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-28008

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 2 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the (a) 18-week waiting time for and (b) provision of psychological therapies.

Question reference: S5O-04324

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 26 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking, in conjunction with local authorities, to ensure local council meetings can take place remotely while social distancing measures are in place.

Question reference: S5F-04077

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-27344

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional finance it is providing to alcohol and drug partnerships (ADPs) in 2019-20, also broken down by how much has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date, and what action it is taking to encourage the ADPs to spend all of this by April 2020.

In 2019-20 Scottish Government provided £53.8 million funding to Integration Authorities for Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs). In addition to this £20 million was provided through the 2017-18 Programme for Government. For 2020-21 we are increasing this by an additional £20 million.

Details of spend to date by ADPs is not available centrally.

The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Integration Authorities/Alcohol Drug Partnerships providing regular support.

Question reference: S5W-27345

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional finance it is providing in 2019-20 in response to the reported increase in deaths by overdose, also broken down by how much has been (a) allocated and (b) spent to date, and how much it will provide in 2020-21.

Question reference: S5F-04006

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020

Question to be taken in Chamber.