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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-04857

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 20 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will develop a stand-alone strategy for carers, and, if so, when the strategy will be published.

We recognise the incredible contribution that Scotland’s unpaid carers make to our communities and know that the pandemic has added significant additional pressures. We are committed to giving a strong voice to unpaid carers, listening to their needs and acting on what they tell us.

We will develop and publish a stand-alone Carers Strategy with a focus on recovery and improving carer support in a meaningful and sustainable way. The strategy will focus on carers and their needs, setting out how policies across the Scottish Government can work together with other public bodies to support carers as we recover from the pandemic and beyond.

We will engage with unpaid carers about the strategy’s scope and purpose in the coming months, and this will inform its development. Our approach to the development of the strategy will be both a collaborative and an iterative one which will draw on the knowledge and lived experience of unpaid carers so that the strategy is shaped by those who best understand the many challenges faced. We will seek to publish the strategy as soon as possible to provide a clear vision for how we will respond to the challenges faced by so many carers.

Question reference: S6O-00537

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many tenants in the West of Scotland have used the Tenant Grant Fund and Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Question reference: S6O-00491

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the Omicron variant on the implementation of its COVID-19 recovery strategy.

Question reference: S6F-00531

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report, Towards a Scotland that cares: a new National Outcome on Care for the National Performance Framework, by the University of the West of Scotland, which is supported by Oxfam Scotland, Carers Scotland, Scottish Care, the Scottish Women’s Budget Group and One Parent Families Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00475

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an Equality Impact Assessment following reports that it plans to cease funding for the Schools Programme as part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

Question reference: S6W-03230

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many times an ambulance has been dispatched single-crewed in each year since 2019, broken down by (a) Scottish Ambulance Service division and (b) NHS board area.

Ambulances are not single-crewed other than in exceptional circumstances, such as short notice unplanned staff absences, and every effort is made to double crew ambulances through rostered and relief staff, overtime or our bank staff. Ambulance Technicians are able to deliver high quality care to patients, but where a paramedic skill set is required, paramedics will be tasked to calls.

Unfortunately as a result of COVID-19 there has been occasions where single crewing has had to be used as a result of late notice staff abstractions, however we are continuing to work with the Scottish Ambulance Service to reduce this where possible.

The following table outlines the number of ambulance that have been dispatched single-crewed in each year since 2019, broken down by (a) Scottish Ambulance Service division and (b) NHS board area, as requested.

Financial Year	Qtr	East	West	North	Scotland
Financial Year	Qtr	% Single Crewed Shifts	% Single Crewed Shifts	% Single Crewed Shifts	% Single Crewed Shifts
2019-20	Q1	1.23%	1.30%	1.99%	1.43%
2019-20	Q2	1.44%	1.94%	2.85%	1.99%
2019-20	Q3	1.63%	1.70%	3.25%	2.03%
2019-20	Q4	1.58%	1.52%	2.93%	1.86%
2020-21	Q1	0.71%	1.18%	0.59%	0.90%
2020-21	Q2	1.13%	1.28%	2.60%	1.53%
2020-21	Q3	1.18%	1.26%	2.36%	1.48%
2020-21	Q4	0.87%	0.95%	1.81%	1.12%
2021-22	Q1	1.29%	1.16%	2.23%	1.44%

* 2021-22 Q1 figures are reference to April - June.

Question reference: S6W-04039

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of some people aged over 60 who are not in the shielding category reportedly being invited to receive their COVID-19 booster vaccine, whether people in this group are receiving this invitation ahead of people who are in the shielding category, and who received their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine over six months ago, and, if so, for what reason people in these groups are being invited to receive their booster in this order.

The primary objective of the booster programme is to maintain protection against severe COVID-19 disease, specifically hospitalization and deaths, over winter 2021-22, and is aimed at maintaining protection in those most vulnerable and to protect the NHS. The autumn/winter vaccination programme also includes the biggest ever flu vaccination programme.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) is clear that both of these programmes are important for individual and public health. So, wherever possible, eligible people will be offered COVID-19 and influenza vaccines together.

Booster vaccines will be offered to the same groups who were prioritized at the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in winter and spring 2020-21, and JCVI have advised that at least 6 months should have passed since a second dose before a booster is administered, however there is some flexibility to offer a booster vaccination to the most vulnerable groups after five months.

The Autumn/Winter vaccination programme continues to roll out in line with advice from the JCVI. The JCVI priority groups are based on either vulnerability to COVID-19, or on interacting with, and therefore possibly spreading to, people who are vulnerable to COVID-19. When someone received their invitation will depend on a number of personal circumstances.

Decisions to prioritise one population group over another are not taken lightly, nor are they straightforward. That is why our prioritisation decisions have been, and will continue to be, guided by the independent expert advice from the JCVI.

Question reference: S6W-03162

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many people who had previously received (a) zero doses, (b) one dose and (c) two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have been hospitalised due to the virus.

Question reference: S6W-03789

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the National Childhood Bereavement Coordinator has made on developing a curriculum on bereavement.

Includem, the charitable organisation who were awarded the contract for the National Childhood Bereavement Coordinator, facilitated roundtable discussions earlier this summer exploring the theme of ‘Training & Education’. These roundtable discussions were open for attendance to any individuals with experience of working with bereaved children and young people under the age of 25 in Scotland and attendees came from a wide range of backgrounds.

The Project will continue to work with those with lived experience of childhood bereavement, practitioners working to support them, and with schools, to make progress in this area and to work with schools on improving how they support bereaved children and young people. A full report, including final recommendations, will be delivered to the Scottish Government later in 2022.

Question reference: S6F-00433

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports of an increase in turnaround times for ambulances offloading patients at A&E departments.