- Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2021
Question to be taken in Chamber.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 May 2021
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Audit Scotland report, which highlighted that the gap between colleges funding and expenditure has grown to £54 million.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether the reported security flaw in the vaccination status letter has been resolved, and whether it will provide an update on the provision and use of vaccine passports for both international and domestic purposes.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
- Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the ongoing disruption to lifeline ferry routes served by CalMac.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 17 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason frontline police officers have reportedly been prioritised for their COVID-19 vaccination by age profile rather than their risk of contact with the public.
Answer
The Scottish Government follows the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) Guidance in the planning of vaccine delivery. This evidence-based guidance advises that the single greatest risk of mortality from COVID-19 is increasing age, and that the risk increases exponentially with age.
The Scottish Government greatly values the work of Scotland’s police officers and staff in keeping communities safe throughout this pandemic. They have been at the frontline of this public health response, and we are so grateful for the work they have undertaken.
Decisions to prioritise one population group over another are not taken lightly, nor are they straightforward. That is why our prioritisation decisions are guided by the independent expert advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
We are adhering to the priority list devised by the JCVI which has been designed to target those at greatest risk from COVID-19 and is estimated to address over 90 per cent of preventable mortality from the virus in Scotland. This is the priority rollout all nations of the UK are working towards and it is important that we adhere to these lists in order to avoid more lives being lost.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether, similar to Wales and Northern Ireland, it will produce guidance on school uniform supplies, regarding (a) reducing costs, (b) preventing exclusive suppliers and (c) making uniforms affordable for all, and if so, when the guidance will be delivered.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the cost of buying a school uniform can be considerable for many families. In 2018, in partnership with local authorities, we introduced the national minimum school clothing grant of £100 for all eligible children and young people.
We are committed to developing guidance to ensure consistency on school uniform policies across all of Scotland, ending expensive insistence on exclusive suppliers and to support the automation of school clothing grants in every local authority area in order to remove barriers to application and to boost uptake. We will work with our partners in local government on the development of guidance and on measures to support the automation of school clothing grants during 2021-22.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of cases of the so-called Indian variant of COVID-19 increasing, when it plans to offer vaccinations to under-16s, and whether it plans to prioritise young people who (a) have (i) cystic fibrosis and (ii) other serious lung conditions and (b) are otherwise clinically vulnerable.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to be guided by the science and independent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The Scottish Government vaccination programme adheres to strict medical guidance and JCVI advice and at present although this situation is constantly reviewed; the MHRA has not authorised any vaccines for those aged under 16 years old, across the Four Nations.
If there is a change for under 16 year old then the vaccination process will be in accordance JCVI advice and supply of authorised vaccines.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities with urgent priorities to build schools will be able to fund this through their own capital plans once their Scottish Schools for the Future awards are confirmed.
Answer
All schools within the Learning Estate Investment Programme are funded upfront by local authorities through their own capital plans. Scottish Government support is in the form of revenue funding, through the outcomes-based funding model.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date phase three of the Scottish Schools for the Future programme will begin.
Answer
The £1.8bn Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme is now complete, and delivered 117 new or refurbished schools across the country. Our current school building scheme - the £2bn Learning Estate Investment Programme - aims to build on the success of the Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme.
Officials are preparing options for Phase 3 of the Learning Estate Investment Programme which will be considered by Ministers. We hope to make an announcement on the timescale for Phase 3 later this year.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a ban on (a) enriched cages for hens and (b) farrowing crates for sows.
Answer
The Scottish Government takes the welfare of all animals very seriously; and provision is made for the keepers of all animals to provide for their welfare under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
The Scottish Government is aware of calls for the phasing out of enriched cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for sows across Europe and will consider these carefully.