Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government continues to follow the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) guidance for the rollout of our vaccination programme.

The JCVI has from the start advised a rollout of COVID-19 vaccination targeting the most vulnerable first, resulting in an age based rollout, with the oldest, and those with conditions which make them susceptible to COVID-19 being offered vaccinations first.

COVID-19 vaccinations are now open to everyone over the age of 18, who can register for a vaccination online via NHS inform here : Registering for a coronavirus vaccine | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot)

Health boards are now also offering drop in clinics, with no pre arranged appointment required. Details of which are different per board area, with further information available here : Vaccine drop-in clinics | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot)

It is for local authorities to process an application to withdraw a child from school, and the home education guidance advises local authorities to note that home education is a key aspect of parental choice, and that consent to withdraw a child from school should not be unreasonably withheld.

The review of the home education guidance will emphasise the importance of all parties working together to develop mutual trust and respect, and a positive relationship that functions in the best interest of the child. This is inclusive of the process around requests to withdraw a child from school.

The Scottish Government do on occasion receive correspondence expressing dissatisfaction in relation to local authorities failing to take regard of the home education guidance. There have been 6 items of such correspondence in the period July 2018 – July 2021, some of which the Scottish Government were copied into for information, and were not the body responsible for addressing the complaint.

A complaint relating to the Scottish Government’s home education guidance would be made to the education authority in the first instance. Where an individual believes that a local authority has failed to carry out a duty in relation to education, the option of a complaint under Section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 is available to them. As set out in our publication Section 70 of the Education (Scotland) 1980 Act: guidance on making a complaint , “Scottish Ministers strongly believe that any issues which arise between parents, carers or young people and schools and education authorities should be resolved at as local a level as possible.” There have been no section 70 complaints received in the period July 2018 – July 2021 in respect of home education.

I refer the member to the answer to S6W-01413 on
‎ 26 July 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

As the Deputy First Minister set out in his answer to S5W-33331 on 2 December 2020, officials continue to actively engage a range of stakeholders on issues relevant to home education guidance, and will listen to the views of all stakeholders in the preparation of the guidance.

The guidance will set out the legal position on home education and further information on the roles and responsibilities for home educators and for local authorities in relation to home education; and to support and encourage the collaborative development of relationships based on mutual trust and respect that function in the best interests of the child.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Scottish Ministers intend to bring forward updated guidance on home education. As part of the follow up to the publication of this guidance, consideration will be given to what support is needed to ensure its successful application.

All residents should be able to enjoy meaningful time with loved ones (where local conditions support this) particularly given the beneficial impact which visits have on mental and emotional wellbeing.

Existing guidance, published in February, encourages care homes to resume good quality, meaningful contact between residents and loved ones in a flexible and person centred way, and with advice from local oversight arrangements as necessary.

Beyond the minimum starting point of two visitors per week and upper limits to group sizes as in the COVID-19 regulations, the guidance does not limit numbers, and instead encourages care homes to increase and embed support to meaningful contact in a person centred way. In June 2021, a review of progress with Open with Care reiterated that care homes should continue to increase the frequency and duration of visits, with local oversight monitoring and support. The vast majority of adult care homes are supporting indoor visiting with increased numbers supporting daily visits and multiple visitors.

On 15 July 2021, Scottish Government wrote to the care home sector encouraging care homes to increase opportunities for good quality and meaningful contact, in line with existing guidance, and setting out recommended relaxations in care homes from Level 0 on 19 July 2021. These include the removal of the ‘Designated Visitor’ status to support further flexibility in reconnecting, as daily and group visits become the norm. Looking ahead we hope to see care homes continue to strengthen all residents to have more meaningful lives and to have greater connection with communities. Advice will follow in coming weeks.

We will continue to monitor the situation and to work with the sector to support continued improvements to making good quality, meaningful contact the norm.

Whilst the UK Government (UKG) are the principle contract owners and managers of the Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) and its suppliers; the Scottish Government acts as officiate of these contracts with the service providers.

The Scottish Government has close working relationships with the services providers, including the hotel teams directly in Scotland. This enables issues to be raised locally, solutions agreed quickly and, where practical, special measures for guests being put in place at short notice.

Travellers who feel their needs are not being adequately met by the hotel; or where they wish to offer feedback on their experience; such as the things mentioned, food quality and noise disturbance; are encouraged to get in touch with the Scottish Government. We do all that we can in liaising with the hotel to ensure that the traveller’s needs are met and that their stay is as comfortable as possible. This can include liaising with Corporate Travel Management directly on behalf of the traveller and signposting the traveller to the range of health care support resources and services that are available through NHS Scotland, including out of hours services.

The UK Government (UKG) are the principle contract owners and managers of the Managed Quarantine Service (MQS) and its suppliers. The UKG are therefore best placed to provide information in relation to the costing model of allocation of managed isolation facilities to travellers.

Free NHS dental treatment for expectant mothers or those who have borne a child within the previous 12 month period is part of The National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978. The 12 month period is fixed by primary legislation and would require a primary legislation amendment (i.e. a Bill) to change this. Therefore it is not possible to change the exemption entitlement for free treatment at present. However, the Scottish Government has committed to the removal of all charges for NHS dental treatment within the lifetime of this parliament.