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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: S6W-06222

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to ensure the permanent protection of the critically endangered flapper skate at the Red Rocks and Longay Urgent Marine Protected Area.

The Red Rocks and Longay MPA which is located in the Inner Sound of Skye was designated as an Urgent MPA in March 2021, following discovery of the largest flapper skate nursery area in Scotland, with the site being deemed nationally important for the conservation of this critically endangered species. The protected area was further extended in December 2021 following survey work to establish the extent of the nursery. This MPA is being strictly managed using an urgent Marine Conservation Order.

An urgent MPA can only last for a maximum of two years, unless it is made permanent. In order to do this a public consultation needs to be undertaken. Today the Scottish Government will launch a consultation on proposals to make Red Rocks and Longay a permanent MPA with an associated Marine Conservation Order. The public consultation will seek views on the designation of the site and the management measures to be adopted. Following statutory advice from NatureScot that recreational and commercial hand diving for scallops do not impact on flapper skate, these activities will not be prohibited under the proposed permanent measures.

The public consultation will run for 12 weeks and can be responded to via https://consult.gov.scot/marine-conservation/red-rocks-longay-marine-protected-area

The Urgent Marine Conservation Order that is currently in place can only be in force for one year, unless extended for a maximum of one year. An Urgent Continuation Order, to ensure management measures for the Red Rocks and Longay urgent MPA remain in force whilst the public consultation is undertaken, will be laid in Parliament on Thursday 03 February 2022.

As NatureScot have advised that for flapper skate recreational diving and commercial hand diving for scallops are considered not likely to have an affect (other than insignificantly), the Scottish Government will take steps in due course to remove the prohibition of these activities under the Urgent Marine Conservation Order that is currently in force.

This means that the required protections for flapper skate and their eggs will remain in place at the Red Rocks and Longay Urgent Marine Protected area whilst the public consultation on the permanent site and final measures is undertaken. Following the public consultation, Ministers will make a final decision on the designation of the MPA and the adoption of measures to protect it through a Marine Conservation Order.

Question reference: S6W-05480

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provided to NHS boards regarding the suspension of the flu vaccine programme in light of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.

The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Gregor Smith, wrote to health boards on 15 December regarding the COVID-19 vaccination programme and the de-prioritisation of the flu vaccination programme.

To summarise, on the basis that data from Public Health Scotland (PHS) suggests that the vast majority of those in high risk groups have already been offered the flu vaccine, and that uptake rates were already higher than the entirety of last years’ programme, health boards should cease co-administration of the flu vaccine alongside the COVID-19 vaccine programme within community COVID-19 vaccination clinics.

Health boards continue to offer the flu vaccine to those at risk who were routinely offered it prior to the pandemic. Flu vaccinations for these individuals should be offered through community pharmacies, midwives, GP practices as appropriate and opportunistically through domiciliary care and/or care home settings as appropriate.

The full contents of the letter can be viewed at: CMO(2021)37 - COVID-19 vaccination programme: supporting further acceleration of the booster programme (scot.nhs.uk) .

Question reference: S6W-05479

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people had flu vaccination appointments cancelled due to the re-prioritisation of the COVID-19 booster vaccine.

Question reference: S6W-05482

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when people who had their flu vaccination appointments cancelled due to reprioritising the COVID-19 booster vaccine will receive their flu vaccines.

Question reference: S6W-05481

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of people with underlying health conditions had received their flu vaccine before 17 December 2021, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6O-00592

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its cross-government co-ordination of Covid Recovery policies incorporates the outcomes from recent COBR meetings to discuss the impact of the Omicron variant.

Question reference: S6W-05362

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the current estimated date is for when works will be complete to allow roads to open to traffic on the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project.

The construction of the A92/A96 Haudagain Improvement project is well advanced.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to combat the impact of the pandemic, it was confirmed in the publication of the Infrastructure Investment Plan in December 2020 that completion was anticipated in Winter 2021, noting that this date was subject to any unforeseen circumstances.

The latest information received from the Contractor now indicates an anticipated date for completion of works allowing roads to open to traffic by the end of March 2022. The Contractor has reported impacts to programme critical work within the previous month due to adverse weather from Storm Arwen and Storm Barra. Until these recent events the Contractor had been able to maintain an expected completion date within the Winter 2021 period, despite the challenges posed throughout 2021 by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and industry-wide supply chain issues. However, the risk of such events causing delay to the expected completion date has always been highlighted, to indicate that any estimated date must be understood to be subject to an element of uncertainty. Although this revised date remains subject to no further disruption occurring due to events such as adverse weather and the COVID-19 pandemic, Transport Scotland continues to engage with the Contractor as they work to mitigate any delays on site.

Question reference: S6O-00496

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support families on low incomes to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00465

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support that is available to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00452

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards the R100 commitment to superfast broadband for all.