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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: S5W-31211

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 21 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-30994, S5W-30995 and S5W-30996 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 August 2020, whether it was required to agree a service level agreement with the DWP for the purposes of using its data for the Invitation to Apply letters and, if so, whether it will publish this.

Question reference: S5W-30988

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the Chief Dental Officer's expert review of aerosol-generating procedures will be published, and by what date the dental profession will be advised of safety procedures.

Question reference: S5W-30986

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS and mixed dentists will be permitted to resume aerosol generating procedures.

The Chief Dental Officer (CDO) wrote to all dentists on 30 July confirming that from 17 August NHS dental practices will be able to re-introduce a range of aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). This move will be supported by the provision of enhanced PPE to dental practices which will require to be individually fitted to dental teams members to ensure they work effectively.

This decision has been taken after carefully and thoroughly considering the balance between the overall risk of infection with the needs of patients to be seen by dentists. This limited introduction, with care prioritised for patients in need of urgent care, replicates the arrangements in place in urgent dental care centres.

Question reference: S5W-30985

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many teeth extractions have taken place at each urgent dental care centre since the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Question reference: S5W-30987

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the procedures undertaken at dental hubs, in light of NHS dentists being prohibited from carrying out aerosol generating procedures

Question reference: S5W-31015

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 17 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to adopting the Northern Ireland Executive's guidance for venues and couples organising marriages, civil partnerships or other celebratory events during the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown.

In Scotland, we are currently advising that no more than 20 people should attend a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration, provided they can be accommodated safely with physical distancing in the chosen venue. Receptions or other celebrations related to a marriage or civil partnership must continue to comply with the restrictions on public gatherings under the Health Protection Regulations and in guidance.

This position will continue to be kept under careful review and we will continue to consider various approaches, including the approach taken by other jurisdictions such as Northern Ireland. Any further changes to the current restrictions will depend on public health advice.

Question reference: S5W-31017

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 17 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on allowing more than 20 guests to attend a wedding should the venue permit safe distancing.

With effect from 15 July, Scottish Ministers amended the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 to remove the restriction on the number of households allowed to be present at marriage ceremonies and civil partnership registrations.

At present, we are advising that no more than 20 people should attend a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration, provided they can be accommodated safely with physical distancing in the chosen venue. This limit will be reviewed again at the end of August.

Our position will continue to be kept under careful review and we will continue to consider ways to permit marriage ceremonies and civil partnership registrations to take place safely. Any further changes to the current limit on numbers will depend on public health advice.

Question reference: S5W-30995

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what information Social Security Scotland will collect to monitor the effectiveness of letters aimed at increasing take up of all financial support that families are entitled to, and how frequently it will monitor and publish this information.

Question reference: S5W-30994

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the data received from the DWP to actively inform families that they might be eligible for the Best Start Foods and/or the Best Start Grant includes all families that have claimed universal credit since the COVID-19 lockdown began.

Social Security Scotland uses data from the Department of Work and Pensions to send ‘Invitation to Apply’ letters. This does not mean that the Department of Work and Pensions supplies Social Security Scotland with data on every live Universal Credit claim in Scotland as it would not be appropriate for them to share data which we do not need to deliver our services.

Instead, the Department of Work and Pensions only shares data on live Scottish Universal Credit claims, where the client’s family includes a child or children under the age of 6 years old. This data does not cover claims that have ended, in the period since the last extract of data was shared, or any unprocessed Universal Credit applications.

This data enables Social Security Scotland to process Best Start Grant and Best Start Food applications. We compare the data received from the Department for Work and Pension, against our records of the payments we have already made and the applications we have received, so that we do not send an ‘Invitation to apply’ letter to anyone who has already had a payment or who has recently applied.

Question reference: S5W-30996

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many times Social Security Scotland will write to the same families to inform them that they might be eligible for the Best Start Foods and/or the Best Start Grant, and how regularly the DWP and HMRC have agreed to provide new data.

Social Security Scotland will write to families once for each Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods that they may be eligible for.

As part of operating the Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods, Department for Work and Pensions provides information monthly and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs provide information weekly.

Social Security Scotland will be reviewing the effectiveness of the letters and this will inform future use of Invitation to Apply.