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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: S6F-00261

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 September 2021

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the preparations for COP26.

Question reference: S6O-00144

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding continued ATM use and accessibility.

Question reference: S6O-00103

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to dental practices to alleviate pressures specifically related to COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-36019

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 March 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jeane Freeman on 22 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on publication of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Oversight Board final report and the Case Note Review overview report.

The Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) Oversight Board is being published today [ https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800047815 ]. The final report covers the operation of the Board’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and the governance and risk management of IPC within the NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHS GG&C). The report sets out the recommendations for the Health Board – and for NHS Scotland more generally – to address the issues that led to escalation to Stage 4. The clear view is that the Board should remain at Stage 4 and I agree with that. Efforts have been made to improve IPC within the Board and to adopt the culture of transparency, openness and clinical leadership I expect, these need to be demonstrably embedded. We will continue to work with NHS GG&C to consolidate further the progress already made.

The Case Note Review overview report is also being published today [ https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800047372 ]. The report examined the individual cases of the children and young people who experienced infections in this part of the QEUH and the Royal Hospital for Children. It sets out a series of findings and recommendations for the Health Board. Importantly, the publication of the report will be followed by a period of engagement with the families of those patients affected by the infections at the QEUH, which will include the production of individuals reports and the opportunities for the patient families to meet with a member of the Expert Panel to discuss further.

The publications of these reports today are the next important step in our commitment to identifying improvement actions for IPC, not just for NHS GG&C, but more widely across NHSScotland, in our aim to provide a safe healthcare environment for all who need it.

Ensuring that affected families are supported and fully engaged is of paramount importance. It is very welcome that the Public Inquiry has appointed a Family Liaison Officer who will play an important role in ensuring full engagement and communication with families as the Inquiry progresses. The Scottish Government as a core participant is committed to assisting the Inquiry and respond to its findings and recommendations.

Question reference: S5O-05153

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage women and girls to participate in organised sport.

Question reference: S5W-35512

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, following the recently announced publication of the revised Strategic Framework, whether it will provide an update on the steps being taken to support further and higher education and to support students.

Our colleges and universities are national assets, providing our students with opportunities for personal development and making a critical contribution to Scotland’s economic success. They are essential in developing the talent, research and innovation to drive our economic recovery.

The revised Strategic Framework, published on 23 February, sets out our initial priorities, and an indicative timeframe, for cautiously easing and reviewing restrictions and restoring greater normality to our lives, just as quickly as it is safe and sustainable to do so.

Education is our priority and although we are operating within these continued restrictions we informed colleges and universities on the 23 February that they are able to bring back more students, up to a limit of 5% in person learning at any one time, whose learning is critical and time-sensitive to them progressing or graduating which cannot be delivered remotely or postponed. Importantly, those students on work placements, which are essential for our future workforce needs, in areas such as health and child care, are able to undertake these placements. We are continually reviewing the data to assess when we can consider easing these restrictions even further.

We realise these continued constraints remain very challenging. However, they are currently necessary to help reduce the impact of Covid. I have said in Parliament several times that I am grateful to both staff, students and our institutions for all their efforts and I would like to again convey my gratitude and appreciation.

I wish to assure all our students who may be concerned about the implications for their education that we are urgently working in partnership with colleges, universities, and staff and student representatives to investigate all practical solutions available to help and support as many of them as possible complete their courses.

We will endeavour to support any student who may not be able to complete their course to the original timescale and we will consider what further financial assistance may be required for both learners and their institutions.

We are also continuing to work with the sectors on the issues students are facing including as part of the Student Hardship Task force, which will assess the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on student hardship and determine if the mechanisms and measures currently in place are sufficient. We have already committed additional £17 million this year to help alleviate the financial burden and stress facing our students, which alongside the additional £5 million for student hardship announced in December is now being issued to the sector. For Further Education students, the Scottish Government has committed an additional £3 million and this is being supplemented with a further £5 million from SFC budgets.

I am also very aware of the mental health and well-being challenges faced by students at this time. We have already invested £3.645 million to support our existing commitment to introduce more than 80 additional counsellors in colleges and universities and have also provided additional funding of £1.32 million for this financial year to help students deal with the mental health impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

I can now announce a further £4.4 million of support specifically for our college students and staff as they deal with and respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. This builds on our Programme for Government investment of £1.9 million to support the sector recruit and access additional counsellors and our investment of £1.1 million to support colleges to deal with impact of Covid-19 and college student associations to provide vital wellbeing services to students.

As plans for the phased return of students develop, I urge all students to keep up to date with current advice by visiting the Student Information Scotland website at https://www.studentinformation.gov.scot/ . Students who are part of the phased return and who will be changing households as a consequence, will now be able to book a test prior to making that change.

Question reference: S5O-05050

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it plans to have with colleges and universities regarding the grading process for students who have been adversely impacted by recurrent lockdowns in their final year of study.

Question reference: S5O-05001

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what environmental measures it has in place to support Scotland’s transition to become net-zero.

Question reference: S5O-04925

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 January 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to businesses in the food and drink sector whose operations have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5W-34447

Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 January 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 8 January 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the staggered return of college and university students in Semester 2.

Given the current prevalence of the virus, and in light of the restrictions now in place to help control the spread of the new variant of COVID-19, learning will be online-only throughout January and February for the vast majority of university students. There will be some exceptions: where critical learning cannot be delivered remotely; for a very small number of students who have remained in student accommodation over the winter break; or for student wellbeing reasons.

The vast majority of university students are not therefore not expected to return to campuses and student accommodation until the start of March, as advised by their university.

Colleges must continue to follow the rules that apply to their own area’s protection level guidance. In level 4, that means learning and teaching will be predominantly online with exceptions only for the delivery of critical and time-sensitive learning, assessments and work placements that cannot be delivered remotely or postponed. The number of students attending colleges should be kept at the absolute essential minimum.