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-32664

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 12 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how likely it is that it will be able to extend eligibility for the flu vaccine to people aged over 50, and, if it is able to do so, when it will be able to confirm this.

The Scottish Government recognise the importance of protecting as many as possible from the impact of seasonal flu. That is why we aim to vaccinate 50-54 year olds subject to vaccine supply.

The ability to protect the people of Scotland depends upon the global supply of vaccines. We will assess, using the best clinical evidence, once uptake rates in groups at the greatest clinical risk become clear, how we can utilise vaccine supply to protect those most vulnerable to seasonal flu. We are aware that NHS Scotland Boards have seen increased and earlier demand this year for the vaccine from eligible groups, including health and social care staff.

Question reference: S5W-32660

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 12 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce clear national guidance on the order in which priority groups should be invited for their flu vaccinations.

The flu vaccination programme officially began on 1 October, and a phased approach is being taken this year. The following groups are being vaccinated in Phase 1, and have been eligible for vaccination since 1 October:

People aged 65 and over
People who have an eligible health condition
Pregnant women
Healthcare workers
Social care workers who provide direct personal care
Household members of people who are shielding
Young and unpaid carers
Children aged 2-5 (and not yet at school)
Primary school children

The majority of people in these groups have now received their invitations for the seasonal flu vaccine.

Question reference: S5F-04546

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2020

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland's call for the introduction of a national support service for people with so-called long COVID.

Question reference: S5W-32467

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Ambulance Service has permanently closed its mobile COVID-19 testing site at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility and, if so, for what reason.

Question reference: S5W-32489

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 9 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in high-risk cohorts were eligible for the flu vaccination at the beginning of October 2020, and how many have received the vaccination so far.

This season, the Scottish Government aim to vaccinate more people than ever before. In total, we are aiming to vaccinate 2.4 million people, which is an increase of 800,000 vaccines from last year’s programme.

People aged 65 and over
People who have an eligible health condition
Pregnant women
Healthcare workers
Social care workers who provide direct personal care
Household members of people who are shielding
Young and unpaid carers
Children aged 2-5 (and not yet at school)
Primary school children

Question reference: S5W-32329

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 3 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31838 by Clare Haughey on 1 October 2020, when it will finalise and publish its national COVID-19 Dementia Transition and Resilience Plan.

Question reference: S5W-32323

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 29 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many vaccines have been procured for the 2020-21 seasonal flu programme by (a) NHS National Services Scotland and (b) UK-wide procurement methods.

The Scottish Government has worked with the UK Government and the other devolved administrations to take a four nations approach to procuring vaccine for the 2020-21 Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme.

The vaccines procured through this route make up a portion of the vaccines required to deliver this years proposed programme and the Scottish Government has procured significant additional doses of vaccine to deliver this year’s expansion and to increase uptake in the most at-risk groups. The table below outlines the amount of vaccines currently procured via NSS and the amounts which DHSC officials have confirmed will be assigned to Scotland.

Vaccine	Total procured
NSS – Fluenz (under 18)	480,000
NSS – aTIV (over 65)	1,000,000
NSS - QIVc	781,800
NSS - QIVe	33,200
DHSC - QIVe	551,400
Total	2,846,400

We have procured more vaccine than necessary to vaccinate those eligible in line with our uptake planning assumptions of 2.4m people. This is to mitigate against potentially higher demand for the vaccine in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and also to create resilience in the event of vaccine wastage.

Question reference: S5O-04723

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of COVID-19 on disabled people.

Question reference: S5W-32102

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2020
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the recommendations noted in the Salmon Interactions Working Group report have been implemented, and what action it is taking to implement any remaining recommendations.

Question reference: S5W-31900

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial support it has provided to (a) CalMac and (b) Northlink in each month since March 2020 to enable it to respond to the financial pressures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The additional financial support paid to ferry operators, CalMac Ferries Ltd and Serco NorthLink Ferries to enable it to respond to the financial pressures arising from the COVID-19 pandemic are detailed in the following table.

	CalMac Ferries Ltd	Serco NorthLink Ferries
	£	£
March 2020	1,279,000	651,628
April 2020	3,376,000	1,014,615
May 2020	4,102,000	1,756,498
June 2020	3,583,000	931,013
July 2020	2,973,000	2,255,621
August 2020	1,820,000	1,130,536
September 2020	#	636,518
	17,133,000	8 ,376,429

# CalMac Ferries Ltd request for additional financial support for September has not been received by the Scottish Government at this time. An update will be provided when details are available.

These emergency funding measures have been taken to provide support to CalMac Ferries and Serco NorthLink Ferries to allow them to cover costs whilst having lower revenues as a result of Covid-19 travel restrictions.