- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the health secretary regarding the allocation of additional funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service to increase staffing and resources, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 15 September 2021
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00904 by Michael Matheson on 23 July 2021, whether it will provide further clarification of what is meant by the term (a) "principle contract owners" and (b) "officiate of a contract"; whether it meant "principal contract owners", and whether it will provide further details of how the role of "officiate of a contract" is defined contractually.
Answer
(a) the UKG are the principal contract owners of the Managed Quarantine Service contract. Any use of the term “principle” in this context would have been in error, for which we apologise. (b) The use of the term “officiate of the contract” is used to describe the Scottish Government’s role in relation to the use of the Managed Quarantine Service contract in Scotland. The Scottish Government, although not contract owners or signatories to the contract, act in the capacity of a beneficiary of services in relation to the Managed Quarantine Service contract and in addition, instruct the service delivery in Scotland through direct relationship management with the suppliers of services to the Managed Quarantine Service contract.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that documents confirming that COVID-19 vaccinations have been received in countries other than the UK are not being accepted for the purpose of granting visitors to Scotland an exemption from quarantining; whether it (a) can and (b) will issue guidance on the recognition of COVID-19 vaccination programmes and certification from other countries, and, if so, by what date.
Answer
People who have been fully vaccinated in the EU or the US will be able to travel to Scotland from amber list countries without quarantining from Monday (2 August).
"Fully vaccinated" means that it has been at least 14 days since receiving the final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
To count as fully vaccinated, travellers must also have been vaccinated in one of these countries:
- the UK, including as part of a UK vaccine rollout overseas - with an NHS approved vaccine.
- an EU member state - with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
- Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City - with a vaccine approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Swiss vaccination programme.
- the USA - with a vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
they must also:
The accepted documentation referenced is the EU Digital Covid Certificate and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s white card – known as a CDC card. We have updated our international travel guidance on the Scottish Government website to reflect this change. The most up to date information is available here : Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much remains to be distributed from the funding that it allocated to provide COVID-19 support grants to travel agents based on their rateable value.
Answer
The Contingency Plus Fund offered additional funding to Travel Agents, Breweries and Indoor Football Centres in recognition of the specific challenges that businesses operating in these sectors experienced as a result of COVID-19 restrictions and regulations. This fund closed on 31 March 2021 and as at 25 June 2021, £3,670,000 had been paid to 223 Travel Agent businesses who met the eligibility criteria for the scheme. Travel agents may also have been eligible for other funding such as the Strategic Framework Business Fund and associated hospitality retail and leisure top ups and Restart Grants.
For all covid business support funds, the level of funding paid out was determined by the level of eligible applicants, which may have been lower or higher than the original estimated budget. Where underspends have occurred in relation to specific funds these have been recycled into other business support schemes.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what advice is being given to people who are not able to access their COVID-19 vaccination record if they have received their first vaccine in England, and their second vaccine in Scotland.
Answer
Anyone who has received either their first or second dose of the vaccine in Scotland can access a physical copy of their record of vaccination. They can request their record for the dose received in Scotland via the helpline on 0808 196 8565 or the website www.nhsinform.scot/covid19status . We are working at pace to align vaccination records from different nations of the UK.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how many anaesthetists in training (a) were hired and (b) remained unemployed following the most recent recruitment process, and what measures it is taking to assist anaesthetic trainees who are facing problems in the recruitment process due to technical failures with exams and communication disruptions from numerous sources.
Answer
I would firstly like to thank the fantastic, flexible and supportive response from anaesthetists across the UK in supporting the pandemic surge requirements, particularly in Intensive Care, and as we now move to remobilise the NHS.
From the recruitment that has taken place so far in 2021, there were 67 posts advertised in Core Anaesthetics and 66 in ST3 Anaesthetics. All advertised posts have been filled. There were 5 appointable candidates who were not allocated a Core training post and 15 appointable candidates who were not allocated an ST3 post. This was a result of competitive entry and is similar both to previous years and the ratios seen in several other specialties. It does not automatically mean that these doctors are unemployed. This is because applicants ordinarily apply for multiple training posts and where an applicant is unsuccessful with one application, they may still be able to secure a post in another medical specialty or UK Nation. Unsuccessful applicants are also able to take up employment in alternative medical posts which are crucial to NHS Scotland, such as locum training posts (time which can count towards training), and are not prevented from reapplying for specialty training posts in subsequent recruitment rounds.
Where trainees are experiencing issues regarding their progression, NHS Education for Scotland are working with them and their educational supervisors on an individual basis to address these.
We are unaware of any alleged technical failures with Medical Royal College examinations and would encourage any trainee who feels that they have been disadvantaged to raise this matter formally with the College in question. We are also unaware of any alleged communications disruptions which have impacted on the specialty trainee recruitment process. Trainee recruitment this year has so far been an unprecedented success, with 94% of specialty training posts having been filled and one recruitment round still remaining.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01221 by Maree Todd on 23 July 2021, what consideration it has given to a voucher scheme that could be administered on a first-come, first-served basis, as opposed to an entitlement, in order to take the action outlined without the requirement for primary legislation.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed to the removal of all NHS dental charges in the lifetime of this Parliament.
All dental charges were suspended in the initial period of lockdown through to 31 October 2020. Pregnant women and nursing mothers who required urgent or emergency dental care would still be seen during this period.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 23 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide funding to cover the repair of vandalised defibrillators, to ensure this equipment can be returned to service as soon as possible.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not routinely provide funding for Public Access Defibrillators (PAD). The purchase of PADs is usually through fundraising in the community, from charitable sources or business resources. Charities and organisations including the British Heart Foundation provide access to subsidised defibrillators.
In March this year, the Save a Life for Scotland (SALFS) partnership published an updated Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest strategy and a key part of this programme of work is to ensure mapping, maintenance and accessibility of defibrillators.
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is committed to supporting and improving the use of defibrillators across Scotland. SAS support and advice on Public Access Defibrillators (PAD) is available to any council, community, organisation or business from their community resilience teams. Further information can be found at:
www.scottishambulance.com/YourCommunity/Default.aspx .
We would encourage anyone wishing to install a PAD to work with a community group, if possible a specific community PAD group, who will offer support should a PAD be vandalised.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to set a national standard for ventilation improvements and monitoring of CO2 levels in public buildings.
Answer
The Scottish Government has issued guidance emphasising the need to ensure good ventilation across all indoor settings.
Our Covid-19 ventilation guidance includes reference to the possibility of monitoring carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) levels in buildings, with a link to the more detailed information on CO 2 monitors provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
We are currently considering what further steps we can take to support good practice in ventilation across all settings and this includes consideration of the role of CO 2 monitors and standards.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Young Scot Card holders must pay in cash when using their card to receive discounted travel on a bus.
Answer
Due to a technical issue with some electronic ticket machines (ETMs), most operators can only accept cash payment when a Young Scot National Entitlement Card is used for discounted travel. This issue impacts across the UK and relates to the ETMs themselves as opposed to the Transport Scotland travel product on the card.
The ETM suppliers are working to enhance the payment facilities, however the launch of Young Persons Free Bus Travel Scheme in January 2022, will mean this functionality is not required as those aged under 22 will be provided free bus travel.
