- 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/
- 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 what action it is taking to encourage local authorities to use their powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to vary business rates, and which local authorities have used these powers since 2015, broken down by year.
Answer
The Scottish Government granted local authorities the autonomy to introduce local reliefs schemes through the Community Empowerment Act 2015. The Scottish Government continues to encourage local authorities to use these powers where they may deem it appropriate. Local Authorities are independent bodies, democratically elected and accountable to their local electorate, and the administering of all reliefs under these powers is a matter for them.
The following table sets out spend on local reliefs from 2016-17 to 2019-20:
Local Rates Relief (£000s) | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 |
Aberdeen | - | 1,740 | - | - |
Aberdeenshire | - | 2,140 | - | 39 |
Perth & Kinross | 124 | - | 30 | - |
Scotland | 124 | 3,880 | 30 | 39 |
The Scottish Government will receive provisional outturn figures from councils on the level of any local reliefs awarded for 2020-21 under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 later this summer.
- 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:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 3 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to return funds to Jamaica held by the Dick Bequest Trust, which were reportedly made in slave trading.
Answer
We recognise Scotland’s part in historic injustices like the transatlantic slave trade and Empire. We are determined to acknowledge and learn from our past and the role Scotland played. We must also focus on making sure we deliver positive outcomes for the minority ethnic people of Scotland now. A number of our Programme for Government 2020 – 21 commitments focus on recognising Scotland’s role, how we educate ourselves about our past and raise awareness of these events to the wider public.
Scottish Ministers are not aware of any powers that they have which would allow them to direct a charity such as the Dick Bequest Trust to require any return of money in the way that is being suggested. Scottish Ministers are actively considering the associated issues raised in a recent Press and Journal article as well as a letter addressed to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills and will respond in due course.
- Asked by: James Dornan, MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when the last meeting of the Oil and Gas and Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group was held.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with the land reform minister regarding measures to be put in place to introduce regional land use partnerships.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2021
- Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the LifeSEARCH Health, Wealth & Happiness Report 2020/21.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2021
- Asked by: Jenni Minto, MSP for Argyll and Bute, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support unpaid carers.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2021