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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: S6O-00721

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities in dealing with instances of bullying in schools.

Question reference: S6O-00674

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has made available for those business sectors that were impacted by COVID-19 restrictions required to control the Omicron wave of infections.

Question reference: S6W-05268

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what further consideration it has given to population-based recommendations and guidance on vitamin D supplementation, in light of Scotland's reported low vitamin D status and evidence that the vitamin may be able to play a role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the study, Therapeutic and prognostic role of vitamin D for COVID-19 infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 43 observational studies.

Our current advice on vitamin D supplementation is based on the consensus of the scientific evidence, as presented to all UK nations by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN).

On 19 June 2021, SACN published a paper summarising the monitoring of recent evidence on nutrition and COVID-19. It is available at

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/992875/SACN_Process_for_monitoring_evidence_on_nutrition_and_COVID-19__June21_.pdf.

SACN concluded that, to date, the monitoring exercise had not identified any new trials in relation to vitamin D and COVID-19 that would change current dietary advice or require the re-review of the rapid guideline published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Public Health England and SACN on 17 December 2020. The rapid guideline states:

people should continue to follow existing advice on vitamin D supplementation to maintain bone and muscle health
there is currently not enough evidence to support taking vitamin D solely to prevent or treat COVID-19

The rapid guideline is available at https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/NG187

The UK COVID-19 Therapeutic Advisory Panel (UK C-TAP) is continuing to monitor ongoing COVID-19 related Vitamin D trials. I understand the SACN secretariat is in contact with the NICE surveillance team and officials supporting UK C-TAP to ensure complementary approaches. Evidence on vitamin D in relation to COVID-19 is also being monitored by the multi-agency initiative ‘Research to Access Pathway for Investigational Drugs in COVID-19’.

We will continue to look to NICE and others who are closely monitoring this evidence base.

Question reference: S6O-00619

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to encourage people, who are able, to donate blood, particularly during the winter period and ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-04840

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to foster carers to enable a fostered young person to remain living with their foster family when they reach the age of 18.

The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution that positive, well supported transitions have on outcomes for care leavers and that the relationships care leavers build including with their foster carers are integral to these outcomes.

Since 1 April 2015, young people leaving care after their sixteenth birthday, and who have been looked after in foster, kinship or residential care have been eligible for Continuing Care and therefore able to continue in their care setting if that is in their best interests. The Scottish Government’s Continuing Care guidance stipulates that local authorities should carefully consider the financial implications for a carer offering a Continuing Care placement to ensure that a lack of financial support is not a barrier to the continuation of the placement.

Question reference: S6O-00571

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what further financial support it considers may be necessary to assist the hospitality sector as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

Question reference: S6W-04344

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03267 by Michael Matheson on 11 October 2021, while decarbonisation projects of any size can progress through the Marine Scotland Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) decarbonisation plan, whether innovation projects in Scotland that are not part of the oil and gas decarbonisation programme are subject to a 100MW cap; if so, what its position is on whether this curtails such projects in Scottish waters; what specific consideration it will give to raising the cap for these Scottish innovation projects through INTOG from 100MW to 300MW, to enable such projects in Scottish waters to compete with any similar pre-commercial projects in the English and Welsh waters of the Celtic Sea that are up to 300MW in size, and what its position is on whether this would provide an opportunity for innovative Scottish stepping-stone projects to be brought forward.

As per the previous answer to question S6W-03267 highlighted, a consultation has taken place on the Planning Specification and Context Report for the Sectoral Marine Plan for Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas Decarbonisation (INTOG). That consultation closed on 20 October 2021 and the Scottish Government is aiming to publish the results of that consultation alongside the Initial Plan Framework, which sets out all parameters and spatial components, shortly. This document will include definitions for both Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas components. It is, of course, the intention to ensure that projects delivered under INTOG are competitive.

Question reference: S6W-04535

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support insulation and sound mitigating measures for ceilings in flatted developments that do not currently have them.

The Scottish Government recognise the negative impact that noise disturbances can have on building occupiers. In response to queries regarding such issues Building Standards Division has previously published 'Noise - Guidance on Home Improvements' which provides advice to those considering the installation of hard surface floor coverings (such as laminates, wood, or tiles) and the benefits of providing suitable underlay materials.

Further guidance on improving sound insulation within homes can be found within 'Housing and Sound Insulation: Improving existing attached dwellings and designing for conversions' (Edinburgh Napier University) which sets out good practice on how to upgrade separating walls and floors to improve sound insulation performance. Individuals seeking to make improvements to the sound insulation of their properties are encouraged to seek advice from an acoustics professional to ensure appropriate solutions to reducing noise levels from their neighbouring properties.

Where noise from neighbouring properties is deemed excessive, individuals are encouraged to liaise with their local authority to seek specific advice on such matters.

Question reference: S6O-00484

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place for parents who experience stillbirth.

Question reference: S6W-04072

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected timetable is for NHS boards to access the long COVID support fund, to help them deliver a long COVID support service.

We anticipate that the long COVID Support Fund will be allocated over the next three financial years, providing Boards with additional resource to respond in a flexible and tailored manner to the needs of people with long COVID.

Our 2021-22 Budget takes the total health portfolio funding to in excess of £16 billion, with a further £1.9 billion of funding to address pressures related to COVID-19. This substantial additional investment is already benefiting a range of NHS services which are supporting the needs of people living with long COVID.