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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-07322

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring access to day services provision for adults who have learning disabilities as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

The Scottish Government works in partnership with the Care Inspectorate, which maintains information on the operating status of social care services including day services. Decisions regarding access to day services are made at a local level by the relevant Health and Social Care Partnership, in line with Covid-19 Guidance issued by the Scottish Government. Services should undertake a risk assessment prior to re-opening, involving the Local Authority, Health Protection Support Teams and the Care Inspectorate. The Scottish Government is in regular contact with HSCPs and Local Authorities and encourages them to open services in line with Covid-19 Guidance where possible.

Question reference: S6W-07319

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been delivered to the providers of day services for individuals who have learning disabilities regarding re-opening safely as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

Covid-19 guidance regarding the provision of building-based day services, which includes services specifically for adults with learning disabilities, was published on 16 November 2020 and has been regularly updated. I wrote to the health and social care sector on 7 June 2021 encouraging the re-opening of day services. Subsequently a letter was issued in December 2021 by the Deputy Chief Medical and Nursing Officers to the care at home, building-based day services and supported housing sector highlighting measures that should be taken to minimise the risk of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant. Letters have since been sent to inform staff on policies related to self-isolation and meeting with other households.

Question reference: S6O-00935

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to support local authorities in providing adapted housing.

Question reference: S6W-07391

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 23 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide clarification and further details of the Changing Places toilets funding in its Programme for Government, and when the investment of £10 million, over the current parliamentary session, will be available.

The Scottish Government has committed to invest £10 million over this parliamentary term in our Programme for Government. As part of our commitment to increasing opportunities for disabled people, this funding will increase the number of changing places toilets across the country and support mobile changing places to allow people easier access to outdoor venues and events across Scotland.

Funding will commence in FY 2022-2023 and will be delivered in phases over the course of the parliamentary term. The first phase of work, currently being undertaken, is to develop the plans for the Changing Places Toilets Fund to ensure that the toilets which are built are fit-for-purpose. Further information will be available in due course.

Question reference: S6W-07320

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 March 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 23 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, aligning with the recent independent review it commissioned of the Scottish Strategy for Autism, what plans are in place to carry out an independent review of its Keys to Life strategy, which was launched in 2013, and the impact the strategy has had on the lives of people who have learning disabilities.

We have no plans to conduct an independent assessment of the Keys to Life Learning Disability strategy. We worked with people with a learning disability and autistic people in planning and publishing our Towards Transformation Learning Disability and Autism plan last year. This plan recognises the additional pressures of the pandemic as well as the aims of the Keys to Life strategy. The plan sets out key agreed actions to improve the lives of people with a learning disability and autistic people, to which we are fully committed and on which we have been working in partnership with our stakeholders.

Question reference: S6O-00865

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle antisocial behaviour on Scotland's railways.

Question reference: S6W-06594

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether everyone who has a learning disability has now been identified via GP practice data in relation to the COVID-19 booster programme, in light of the announcement in February 2021 that people with a learning disability were to be included in priority group 6 for the vaccine, and what steps have been taken since February 2021 to enable this.

Adults and children with a learning disability who were coded in their GP systems, have now been invited for vaccination as at-risk groups. Criteria from the Green Book (GB) was used to develop queries to run across GP IT systems to identify and extract data on those identified as being eligible based on GB criteria. In addition, the Scottish Government has worked across carers and disability policy areas to cascade information via the third sector to organisations who support people with a learning disability – to further highlight this offer.

Question reference: S6W-06597

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional support it is providing to ensure that anyone with a learning disability, who wishes to, can access the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme, including through home visits where required.

I refer the member to the answer to the earlier question S6W-06595 on 1 March 2022. In addition, procedures are in place for when the nature of an individual’s condition means they cannot travel, so that a home appointment can be organised. On the first instance, people should contact the number on their appointment letter. Further information on how to request support with interpretation, or get help with travelling to appointments offered by local health boards can be found here: NHS Inform site - https://www.nhsinform.scot/transport-and-interpreter

Local health boards have a list of people currently registered as housebound with their GPs, and are in the process of contacting them all to receive their flu and COVID-19 booster in line with eligibility.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-06595

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how accessible the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme is for people who have a learning disability, including on the accessibility of information about how to access the programme, and whether it will provide details of the system that is in place to identify people with a learning disability who are eligible for a vaccination.

Adults and children with a learning disability who were coded in their GP systems as such, have now been invited for vaccination as at-risk groups. Criteria from the Green Book (GB) was used to develop queries to run across GP IT systems to identify and extract data on those identified as being eligible based on GB criteria. In addition, the Scottish Government has worked across carers and disability policy areas to cascade information via the third sector to organisations who support people with a learning disability – to further highlight this offer.

It is vital for vaccination programmes to reach everyone and that no one is left behind, both for individual health and our collective community wellbeing. We have increased our efforts to ensure the vaccination programme reaches everyone and is fully inclusive with a range of outreach activities and partnerships to engage with under-served groups.

On 25 February 2021, a letter from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer offered the expertise of local learning disability nurses in providing reasonable adjustments for the COVID-19 Immunisation programme: Coronavirus (COVID-19): immunisation programme for people with learning disabilities - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

We have ensured our COVID-19 vaccination communications are suitable for everyone in Scotland, with the production of translated information and assets in multiple languages, a range of formats on NHS Inform and the development of a vaccine explainer video, informed by insights from organisations representing various under-served communities. Easy read versions of our leaflets are available from Public Health Scotland: COVID-19 vaccine information in Easy Read (healthscotland.com) . These include accessible social stories explaining the process from arriving at the clinic to leaving. Some of the larger vaccination centres also have access to a quiet area for individuals, including extended appointment times for example at The Event Complex Aberdeen. A number of health boards also have “vaccine clinic walk-through” videos to support people who are anxious about the experience.

We embed inclusion in our approach and ensure that people who may experience barriers, or feel less confident, are able to come forward for vaccination. This includes the provision of quieter spaces, smaller clinics and appropriate staff training to support the needs of people with Learning Disabilities and other conditions. Particular adjustments, such as quiet rooms, can be organised in advance of or at the appointment by contacting the local Health Board.

Question reference: S6W-06596

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that everyone with a learning disability has access to clear and understandable information about the COVID-19 booster vaccination programme, including the provision of easy read information.