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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: S5W-30079

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the guidelines are for visiting terminally-ill care home residents during the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether they have any flexibility to allow families to visit patients who are undergoing extended end of life care.

The National Clinical and Practice Guidance for Adult Care Homes in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic was first published on 13 March and recently updated on the 15 th May.

This guidance states that only essential visits should be permitted. Essential visits include visits by loved ones to care home residents receiving end of life care. The guidance sets out how visits to these residents should be supported by care homes and recommends that a risk assessment should be undertaken by the care home. However it is expected that care homes will balance any possible risks associated with the visit with the need to show compassion. The guidance also provides advice on how care homes may mitigate the risks of any such essential visits.

On the 25th June the Scottish Government announced a new four stage pathway for the easing of restrictions on visiting in care homes. The Coronavirus (COVID-19): adult care home visiting guidance, which was published on 25 June, notes that from the 3 rd of July, care homes that have been free of COVID-19 infections for at least 28 will be in a position, subject to the agreement of the local Health Protection and Care Home Clinical and Care Professional Oversight teams, to allow outdoor visits by a designated visitor to care home residents. This is in addition to essential visits including those for end of life.

Any further progression along the pathway will be dependent on when the scientific evidence indicates that is it safe to do so.

Question reference: S5W-30352

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the financial sources of the £27.5 million of recently announced funding to provide food to children over the summer holidays.

In addition to our original £70m Food Fund, on 16th June The Scottish Government announced £27.6 million in funding to local authorities to support those at-risk over the summer months.

Importantly, £12.6m of this funding will enable the continuation of free school meals to the start of the new term in August.

A further £15 million of this funding is being made available to ensure we continue supporting households who experience difficulty in accessing or affording food and other essentials during the coronavirus pandemic, including those isolating under Test and Protect.

Question reference: S5W-30353

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £110 million of funding for food security since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic has been allocated.

In addition to our original £70m Food Fund announced in March, we have now committed to supporting local authorities with a further £27.6 million over the summer months, and are providing a further £15m for an extension of the shielding programme.

The Supporting Communities and Wellbeing Funds have further bolstered this support, investing £5.2m and £2.6m respectively in food related projects.

These investments are in addition to our more than doubling of the Scottish Welfare Fund, which is placing money directly into the pockets of those who need it, and continue to provide support for a range of needs including for those experiencing financial or physical barriers to food.

Question reference: S5W-29845

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support the promotion of local and day-trip tourism in its work as part of its domestic visitor marketing campaign.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role domestic tourism will play in the recovery of the sector. To support this, an indicative reopening date of 15 July was announced in Parliament on 10 June. VisitScotland, as the national tourism agency, will be promoting local and day trip tourism and working with communities and destination organisations to provide reassurance on the safety of reopening of tourism. Their new marketing strategy will focus on reminding Scots that there is a lot to discover close to home, and will take a phased approach to ensure that businesses and communities benefit from tourism reopening, but are not overwhelmed by a sudden influx of visitors.

Question reference: S5W-29846

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, to help boost their local economies and further develop civic pride, what action it will take to encourage people to support their local hospitality providers, tourism sites and cultural attractions in the coming months as the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions are relaxed.

VisitScotland will launch a domestic marketing campaign, specifically aimed at driving local tourism and encouraging people to undertake activities and see the sights in their local area once tourism can safely reopen for business. Our date for reopening will be 15th July, subject to the health and science advice demonstrating that we have made sufficient progress in tackling the coronavirus. The Scottish Government will publish guidance on what businesses must do to prepare to reopen safely and comply with regulations.

Question reference: S5W-29869

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the owners of (a) Edinburgh and (b) Five Sisters Zoo regarding the (i) impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on the zoo’s operations and finances and (ii) requirements of the zoo ahead of reopening to the public.

Officials have been in close contact with senior staff at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland throughout the pandemic and have made direct contact with all Scottish zoos on several occasions. Data on the impact of the Covid-19 lockdown was gathered via a questionnaire issued to all Scottish zoos in April.

The requirements that zoos must meet in order to be able to re-open are clearly laid out in the Scottish Governments Sector Guidance for Tourism and Hospitality, which was published on the 18 June. This guidance covers comprehensively what the Scottish Government requires zoos, along with other tourism and hospitality businesses, to consider as part of their re-opening and operational strategies. There is also specific zoo industry guidance already in place, produced by the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which sets out further operational considerations.

Question reference: S5W-29868

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 19 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether zoos and other attractions will be eligible for bridging support following the reopening of the tourism sector to mitigate for the loss of income during the COVID-19 lockdown, and whether it will confirm when all such facilities will be able to reopen to the public.

On 10 June the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism gave an indicative re-opening date for tourism of 15 July. The First Minister Announced on 18 June that zoos and gardens may re-open to the public, for local visitors only, from 29 June.

On 18 June the First Minister announced a £2.6m funding package for emergency support for zoos. The criteria for the scheme will be based on need and the aim is to prevent animal welfare issues

Question reference: S5O-04449

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Food Fund is sufficient to support groups most in need over the summer, including families with children who are eligible for free school meals.

Question reference: S5O-04414

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the issues raised by the global Black Lives Matter protests, what steps it is taking to acknowledge and counter Scotland’s historic role in slavery and promote the contribution that can be made through its international development work with Commonwealth countries.

Question reference: S5F-04210

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2020

To ask the First Minister what concerns the Scottish Government has regarding the availability of food for children and low-income families during the summer months, in light of the reported rise in food poverty caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.