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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-32205

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the intended impact is of the new household visiting ban and coronavirus restrictions on the fathers and partners, considered as essential and designated visitors, from visiting their partner and child in maternity and post-natal wards.

Question reference: S5W-32204

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the current guidance is for fathers and partners wishing to stay with the mother and their child in maternity wards after birth, and when it will next update the Coronavirus (COVID-19): hospital visiting guidance.

The hospital visiting guidance was updated on the 13 July 2020 and allows for women to have one birth partner present throughout their entire labour, and an additional birth partner if they wish and if local arrangements allow. One birth partner and another supportive person (restricted to one other person) can also visit the postnatal ward after delivery. One person can also accompany women to antenatal and postnatal appointments including clinic or scan appointments.

If there is an increase in Covid-19 cases in a certain area the decision may be taken to introduce further restrictions for a period of time in these areas. This means that hospital visiting may be restricted to ‘essential visits’ only during the time of further restrictions. This is currently the case in seven local authority areas across the country. However, a birth partner can continue to support a woman during hospital visits, including labour and birth and support thereafter as these visits are essential and will continue as long as the period of local restrictions are in place.

This guidance remains under review and will be updated as we move through Scotland’s COVID-19 Route Map.

Question reference: S5W-31860

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the UK Government consultation on changes to the Human Medicine Regulations to support the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines, and whether it will publish any representation it has made to the Department of Health and Social Care on this matter.

Licensing of medicines, as set out in the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, is reserved to the UK Government. It would be preferable if any medicine that was to be deployed for use was subject to full licensing. However, the Scottish Government makes decisions on immunisations informed by the independent scientific advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations. If their recommendation was that any vaccine was safe and effective, it is important UK legislation allows for it to be deployed as quickly as possible.

The proposed changes include provision for a wider range of persons to be permitted to administer some vaccines, to be set out via a protocol to be approved by Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government welcomes these proposals which offer scope to support both the expansion of the seasonal flu vaccination programme and delivery of a COVID-19 vaccine, in the event that a safe and effective vaccine is found.

The Scottish Government officials have liaised with their UK Government counterparts to seek information about the proposed changes.

Question reference: S5W-31896

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Office of the Public Guardian will accept an Access to Funds procedure application for adults with incapacity who are unable to access a matured Child Trust Fund.

Question reference: S5W-31916

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 21 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what protections it is putting in place to ensure that the Best Start Grant and Scottish Child Payment Invitation to Apply system is not targeted by scammers or phishing schemes.

Invitations to Apply for benefits take the form of letters from Social Security Scotland. These letters notify clients that they may be eligible for a benefit and ask them to apply through one of our existing secure application channels. Social Security Scotland communications are clear that these are the only official contact points for clients, including that they would never ask for personal or financial details on social media, by SMS or by web chat. As part of our continuous improvement work these letters will be kept under review and wording tested with users.

Question reference: S5W-31835

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Advisory Group last met, and whether the published minutes for the group are up to date.

The Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit Advisory Group last met in December 2017. Minutes for this meeting and previous meetings of the Advisory Group can be accessed here:

https://www.gov.scot/groups/industrial-injuries-disablement-benefit-advisory-group/#:~:text=The%20Industrial%20Injuries%20Disablement%20Benefit%
20%28IIDB%29%20Advisory%20Group,the%20Scottish%20Government%
20and%20UK%20Government%20policy%20landscapes

Question reference: S5W-31834

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28018 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 30 March 2020, when the consultation will begin.

Question reference: S5O-04633

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how its planned disability assistance benefits will support people experiencing the long-term health impacts of COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-31338

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will begin sending Scottish Child Payment Invitation to Apply letters, in light of applications opening in November 2020 and payments starting by the end of February 2021.

The launch of the Scottish Child Payment will be supported by a communications and marketing campaign outlining the early application approach. Once Scottish Child Payments start to be made from the end of February, Social Security Scotland will begin the next phase of that campaign promoting all Best Start benefits and the Scottish Child Payment. All communications and marketing activity will build upon what we have learned through the promotion of Best Start payments and wider benefit take up activity.

We will continue to review take up of the Scottish Child Payment and consider what other measures will be needed and when, including invitation to apply, following go-live of the benefit.

Question reference: S5W-31337

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 31 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of payments starting by the end of February 2021, what its expenditure on the Scottish Child Payment will be in 2020-21, and how many children will be eligible.

The Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) will publish an updated forecast of how many children they expect will be eligible and expenditure when the Scottish Child Payment Regulations are laid in parliament in September. The update will account for payments starting from the end of February 2021 and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of COVID-19, the SFC expect there to be more eligible children than previously projected due to the increase in numbers of families applying for qualifying benefits, such as Universal Credit.

As a demand led benefit, the Scottish Government guarantees that all those who are eligible and apply for the payment will receive their entitlement.