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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-06030

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been done to increase standardisation of ferries, since the publication of its Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Work to increase standardisation since the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26 was published, can be seen in the announced Invitation to Tender (17 December 2021) for two new ferries for Islay and the continuing work as part of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP) that will see up to 7 vessels replaced on the west coast as part of Phase 1 of the programme.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) are taking forward the SVRP and are currently working with the appointed naval architects (Navalue) who are providing consultancy services for the concept design stage as well as investigating and evaluating the feasibility of designing low emission ferries to be in line with the Scottish Government climate change and standardisation commitments.

We also continue to support the vessel resilience funding that can be spent on replacing obsolete equipment on existing vessels.

Question reference: S6W-06029

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent consultations it has held with stakeholders regarding the Arran ferry timetable.

We continue to engage extensively with the Arran Ferry Committee on timetable matters through the twice yearly timetable consultation process, which has recently concluded with regard to the Winter 2022 timetable, and additionally through the Ardrossan Task Force which met most recently on 23 February 2022.

In the coming months CalMac Ferries Ltd will undertake a public consultation regarding service continuity plans for Arran ferry services when they temporarily relocate to Troon.

Question reference: S6W-06323

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 23 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the provision of full fibre broadband across the KA24 postcode area in North Ayrshire.

There are a total of 3,374 properties in the KA24 postcode area. As of 11 February 2022:

3,061 properties are already able to access superfast broadband speeds of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps) or above and, therefore, are not included within build plans for the Reaching 100% (R100) Central contract.
205 properties are within R100 Central contract build plans, with that build expected to be completed by the first half of 2023. They may be eligible for an interim voucher – worth up to £400 – through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and people can check their eligibility using our online checker at www.scotlandsuperfast.com . The interim voucher portion of the R100 SBVS was recently extended to 31 March 2022, giving people more time to secure a connection.
101 properties are not included within R100 Central contract build plans and, therefore, are eligible for a main voucher – worth up to £5,000 – through the R100 SBVS.

The remaining 7 properties are expected to receive superfast connections as a result of commercial coverage – they may also be eligible for an interim voucher through the R100 SBVS.

Question reference: S6O-00760

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent reports of the third successful civil damages case for rape, whether it will review the reasons why these cases were not prosecuted in the criminal courts.

Question reference: S6W-05851

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how many items of PPE in the Scottish Government's national stockpile cannot be used by health workers because the items have passed their expiry date.

The following items were in the national stockpile, but have now been removed due to their expired shelf life:

FFP3 masks (individual masks) – 509,890
Hand sanitiser (litres) - 87,912

It is important to note that all of the listed FFP3 masks are from the original pre Covid-19 pandemic stockpile. Healthcare staff who were fitted to these have been migrated to the improved versions of the masks. Additionally, all of the listed masks will be used as part of a new re-cycling programme being undertaken by a Scottish company . Of the hand sanitiser listed, 21,000 litres will be re-worked as part of a recycling program involving a Scottish third sector supplier.

Question reference: S6W-05439

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether retail businesses are currently being advised to enforce social distancing of at least (a) one metre or (b) two metres.

Question reference: S6F-00752

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will give a commitment to keep ferry services in public ownership.

Question reference: S6W-05823

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of HEPA filters in school classrooms.

Expert advice from bodies including SAGE and the Health and Safety Executive indicates that air cleaning/filtration devices, such as HEPA filters, are not a substitute for efforts to improve ventilation in order to mitigate against the risks of COVID. Our guidance for schools reflects this advice, and makes clear that air cleaning/filtration devices should not be used as a substitute for natural or mechanical ventilation (including the opening of windows and doors).

Our updated guidance for schools does, however, make clear that air cleaning/filtration devices may be used as a temporary mitigation in exceptional circumstances when no other mitigations are achievable, while working to achieve a more sustainable solution.

The Scottish Government keeps its guidance under regular review in light of the latest expert advice, and will consider any necessary updates as research and evidence evolve.

Question reference: S6W-05825

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the methodology supplied to local authorities regarding carbon dioxide monitoring in schools.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on reducing risks in schools, which is published on the Scottish Government website, sets out the advice that local authorities should have regard to when undertaking CO2 monitoring in schools. This includes guidelines as to the actions that should be considered when CO2 readings are at certain levels.

The Scottish Government has not supplied local authorities with a detailed methodology on the use of specific models of CO2 monitors in schools. This is because, drawing on £10m of Scottish Government funding, a variety of fixed and mobile CO2 monitors have been procured by local authorities for deployment to their schools, in order to support local strategies and enable rapid procurement and assessment. Our guidance makes clear that relevant local authority teams should provide clear advice on the appropriate use of CO2 monitors in their schools.

Question reference: S6W-05822

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on the effectiveness of HEPA filters in reducing COVID-19 transmission rates in schools.

Our guidance for schools is informed by expert advice from bodies including SAGE and the Health and Safety Executive, which indicates that air cleaning/filtration devices, such as HEPA filters, should never be used as a substitute for efforts to improve ventilation. For example, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on air cleaning/filtration devices states: “ These units are not a substitute for ventilation. You should prioritise any areas identified as poorly ventilated for improvement in other ways before you think about using an air cleaning device.”

The Scottish Government keeps its guidance under regular review in light of the latest expert advice, and will consider any necessary updates as research and evidence evolve.