- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of the ventilation in night-clubs in response to the risk of the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and to what extent the findings of this assessment supports the reported comment by the National Clinical Director that these venues are "dingy, poorly-ventilated spaces".
Answer
We have considered the transmission risk associated with close contact and the mixing of individuals in such environments, including engagement between clinicians and nightclub owners and a visit to see the sector in operation.
We do not underestimate the severe impact this pandemic has had on nightclubs across Scotland, but we must move very carefully to ensure continued suppression of Covid-19. Ventilation is just one of the factors that needs to be considered in relation to nightclubs alongside dancing, loud music and alcohol which each add a compound factor to the risk involved. We will keep plans under review and accelerate the lifting of restrictions if possible, and we will continue engaging with the sector on this.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its position is regarding providing people with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate, similar to that offered in other parts of the UK, and what its response is to reports of some GP surgeries charging people money for such documentation.
Answer
I updated Parliament on COVID 19 Status Certificate on 26 May 2021 in response to question S6T-00019. I refer the member to that answer. The answer is available on the Parliament's website at: Official Report - Parliamentary Business : Scottish Parliament
Our Freephone COVID-19 Status Helpline on 0808 196 8565 can provide vaccination status certificate records free of charge. However, GP practices can charge their patients for the production of letters and reports at the patient’s request that are not covered by the GP contract.
To help ease the burden on GPs and to ensure people can access this information free we would encourage people to use our Freephone service, and not to ask their GP.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will give further consideration to extending the £500 bonus for health and social care staff to all private agency workers who have supported the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
We are hugely grateful to the efforts of health and social care staff across Scotland who have risen to the challenge of responding to the pandemic. This thank you payment recognised the particular debt we all owe to NHS and social care staff who have been on the front line of this crisis, helping to save lives and to protect us all.
For people working for private employers such as an Agency, it would be for their employer to determine their remuneration and any additions to existing pay which may be appropriate for these staff.
Agency staff are free to apply for and take up a post in the NHS or Social Care if they wish to enjoy the same benefits as the NHS or Social Care workforce. There are many flexible options available including working via the NHS Staff Bank, part-time and term-time working, all of which allow individuals to balance work and other commitments.
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much of tje revenue raised by the business rates incentivisation scheme has been retained by each local authority since its inception, broken down by year.
Answer
The Business Rates Incentivisation Scheme (BRIS) was introduced in in 2012-13 in recognition of the fact that the Scottish Government guarantees the combined General Revenue Grant (GRG) and distributable Non-Domestic Rates Income (NDRI) funding thereby reducing the incentive for local authorities to try and maximise their NDRI. The BRIS is focussed on incentivising local authorities to maximise their existing NDRI and also to grow their local business tax base. This is achieved by the Scottish Government setting annual locally based targets. All local authorities that exceed their annual target retain half the extra income achieved from growth in their tax base until the next NDR revaluation assuming they maintain the extra income in the subsequent years. The amounts to be retained are calculated from local authorities’ audited annual non domestic rates returns. The information requested is set out in the following table.
Local Authority | 2012-13 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 |
Aberdeen City | | 533,291 | 3,370,582 | | | |
Aberdeenshire | 188,983 | 471,198 | 932,087 | 79,448 | 241,742 | |
Angus | | | 70,615 | | | |
Argyll & Bute | | | | 38,799 | | 101,983 |
Clackmannanshire | 1,231,686 | | | | | |
Dumfries & Galloway | | | | | 1,481,766 | 1,592,095 |
Dundee City | | | | | 233 | 517,668 |
East Ayrshire | | | | | | 307,944 |
East Dunbartonshire | | | | | | |
East Lothian | 544,319 | | | | | 723,912 |
East Renfrewshire | 173,278 | 187,702 | | 124,893 | | |
Edinburgh, City of | | | | | 387,292 | |
Eilean Siar | 57,384 | | 71,571 | | | 17,707 |
Falkirk | | | | 272,112 | | |
Fife | 2,483,663 | 891,764 | | | | |
Glasgow City | | | 1,513,758 | | | |
Highland | 1,295,595 | 213,923 | 370,902 | | 1,095,060 | 227,963 |
Inverclyde | | | | 59,075 | | |
Midlothian | 365,758 | | | 111,361 | 176,277 | |
Moray | 1,267,263 | 136,837 | 16,243 | 299,153 | | 1,858,975 |
North Ayrshire | 860,843 | | | 239,573 | | |
North Lanarkshire | | | | | | |
Orkney Islands | | | | | | |
Perth & Kinross | 148,371 | | | 42,276 | | |
Renfrewshire | | 68,427 | | | | |
Scottish Borders | 385,084 | | | | | |
Shetland Islands | | | | | | |
South Ayrshire | | | 30,166 | | 163,086 | |
South Lanarkshire | | | | | 8,568 | |
Stirling | | | | 118,841 | | 291,594 |
West Dunbartonshire | | | | | 55,313 | |
West Lothian | | | | | 144,494 | |
Scotland | 9,002,227 | 2,503,142 | 6,375,925 | 1,385,531 | 3,753,831 | 5,639,841 |
Following the introduction of the scheme the Scottish Government and COSLA agreed to undertake a joint review of the scheme to take into account the lessons learned from the first year of operation, as a result the amounts to be retained in 2012-13 were provided as one-off retention sums and as a result could not be retained in subsequent years.
The Deputy First Minister announced details of the revised BRIS to the Scottish Parliament on 11 December 2014. The details of the revised scheme together with the 2014-15 targets and the provisional 2015-16 targets were published in the Local Government Finance Circular 9/2014 published the same day.
Due to the impact of COVID-19 on Non Domestic Rates Income, the operation of the BRIS has been temporarily suspended.
- Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to enable timely alternative appointments for people who, for health or work reasons, have been unable to attend their second COVID-19 vaccination appointment, in order to ensure maximum efficacy and given the rising number of cases being attributed to the so-called Indian variant.
Answer
Given the risk that the 02 variant may spread quicker around Scotland, having people fully vaccinated is important in reducing risks of morbidity and mortality.
In line with the latest JCVI advice, where vaccine supply allows we will bring forward the second dose of vaccine from 12 to 8 weeks. This will be prioritised in areas which are affected by the 02 variant.
Constituents that have received an appointment that is unsuitable are able to rebook via the portal detailed in their blue letter. Alternatively they can call the covid-19 helpline on 0800 030 8013. Vaccination centre availability and opening hours are co-ordinated by the individual NHS trusts.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much the Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit Programme (BEAR) has given to bus companies in each year since 2017-18.
Answer
The Low Emission Zone Support Fund has made grant funding to bus companies through the Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit Programme as set out in the following table:
| Year | Amount |
Phase 1 | 2018-19 | £1.6 million |
Phase 2 | 2019-20 | £1.577 million |
Phase 3 | 2020-21 | £9.75 million |
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the role played by private agency workers in supporting health and social care systems during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
The Scottish Government is deeply grateful for the role that all health and social care workers have played during the Covid-19 pandemic, whether employed directly or through agency contracts.
Our health and social care systems have experienced extraordinary levels of service demand during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although permanent recruitment is always the primary solution to NHS staffing needs, we have encouraged NHS Boards to make full use of NHS bank, agency and locum staff where necessary, to address immediate staffing needs during the emergency stages of the pandemic.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work regarding COVID-19 vaccine certification for international travel; what consideration it has given to the use of vaccine certification in the domestic economy; in what formats it expects to provide vaccine certification, and what engagement it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) other devolved administrations regarding the development of vaccine certification.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00019 on 26 May 2021. The answer is available on the Parliament's website at: Official Report - Parliamentary Business : Scottish Parliament
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date dog and puppy training classes can resume under the COVID-19 protection levels system.
Answer
Dog and puppy training businesses have been permitted to be open for normal operation of training classes since the easing of restrictions on 26 April 2021. Those participating in any dog or puppy training should practice physical distancing and preventative hygiene to protect themselves and the persons with whom they are working.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many professional private agency staff have supported the health and social care response to the COVID-19 pandemic, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of private agency staff employed by NHS Boards. Data is published annually, in June, by NHS Education for Scotland on the total medical agency spend by NHS Scotland Boards; and the total WTE hours and cost for Nursing and Midwifery bank and agency staff. This data is not broken down by the number of individual staff members involved.
This information can be found in the ‘Medical and Dental’ and ‘Nursing and Midwifery’ dashboards, available through the following link:
https://turasdata.nes.nhs.scot/workforce-official-statistics/nhsscotland-workforce/publications/01-june-2021/