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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: S5W-31696

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 17 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis has been undertaken to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autism diagnosis waiting times and the resulting restrictions on face-to-face appointments with health professionals.

The National Autism Implementation Team (NAIT) Team, commissioned by the Scottish Government, aims to support the delivery of the Scottish Strategy for Autism: Outcomes and Priorities 2018-2021, through facilitating evidence based actions in assessment and Diagnosis for children, young people and adults. In June 2020 NAIT scoped child and adult autism diagnostic services to understand the impact of Covid-19 on autism diagnostic waiting times. The diagnostic services who responded were concerned around an increase in waiting times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Most NHS health boards continued to receive referrals for autism diagnostic assessment. In response to autism diagnostic practitioners requests the NAIT team have developed Digital Guidance for completion of autism diagnostic assessment, which can be found at https://www.thirdspace.scot/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/NAIT-Guidance-on-Digital-Consultation-for-
Neurodevelopmental-Assessment-and-Diagnosis-August-2020.pdf .

This digital autism assessment guidance has been endorsed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and Scottish Government Digital Health and Care Scotland.

The NAIT team are now supporting national autism diagnostic services with their recovery of services.

Question reference: S5O-04631

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the support it is providing to local authorities in their response to COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-31515

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has published regarding (a) private piano tuition and (b) music tuition in schools during the COVID-pandemic.

All of the Scottish Government safer workplaces guidance can be found on our returning to work safely webpage:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-returning-to-work/pages/employers/ .

In particular, people offering private piano tuition are encouraged to follow:

the Coronavirus (COVID-19): general guidance for safer workplaces: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-general-guidance-for-safer-workplaces/ ;
the Coronavirus (COVID-19): small and micro businesses guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-small-and-micro-businesses-guidance/ ;
the Coronavirus (COVID-19: guidance for the performing arts and venues sector: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-performing-arts-and-venues-sector/
and, where children are being taught, the Coronavirus (COVID-19): organised activities for children provisional guidance: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-organised-activities-for-children/ .

Further guidance on music education in schools is currently being considered by Education Scotland and members of the Education Recovery Group, based on the scientific advice published on 10 September: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-advisory-sub-group-on-education-and-childrens-issues-advice-on-physical-education-music-and-drama-in-schools/ .

Until further guidance is published, we would encourage practitioners to follow the guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term in August 2020: https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-preparing-start-new-school-term-august-2020-version-2/ .

Question reference: S5W-31791

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-31439

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 10 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31181 by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 August 2020, whether it will provide (a) further information on the development of the LymeApp app and (b) indicative dates for when it anticipates the app will be rolled out in the Highlands for user testing; what discussions it has had with other NHS boards regarding the development of the app, and what plans it has to bring other NHS boards into its development.

NHS Highland, working with Scotland's Rural College and two commercial companies, are taking forward the development of LymeApp. The evaluation and testing of the app will start in September 2020 and will continue until the end of January 2021. In 2019, all NHS Health Boards were invited by the Director of Public Health for NHS Highland to take part in the user evaluation and testing process. One other Board, NHS Wester Isles, expressed an interest at this stage. Health Boards and other potential user groups are still able to take part during the testing / evaluation period. Further information can be obtained from NHS Highland.

Question reference: S5O-04566

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to the agricultural shows and fairs that have had to cancel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the rural communities and charities that rely on the income these generate.

Question reference: S5W-31328

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) voice tuition and (b) professional and recreational activities involving singing will be allowed to recommence.

Scottish Government guidance for the safe re-opening of performing arts was published on 21 August and is available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-the-performing-arts-and-venues-sector/pages/overview/. Although venues remain closed to the public for the time being, the guidance - including important steps to take on physical distancing and hygiene - can now be used by professionals, and by people training for associated professional careers, for a range of activities so long as they do not involve a public audience indoors. Non-professional singers should only sing in groups outdoors, not indoors. Outdoor activities, including rehearsals and seated live events, have been allowed to re-commence from 24 August in accordance with physical distancing and hygiene guidance for events – available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-events-sector-guidance/ . The remaining restrictions on groups’ indoor singing will be kept under review as the scientific evidence about the risks of virus transmission from singing is developed.

Question reference: S5O-04548

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the minister for older people has had with the health secretary regarding allowing more visitors and increasing social interaction for older people who are self-isolating.

Question reference: S5W-31031

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many visits the NHS Lyme disease webpage has had since it was created; how traffic is monitored on the website to measure its effectiveness of use; how it measures the effectiveness of the NHS Lyme disease webpage, and what data it can provide to show how it monitors this.

NHS inform is Scotland's national health information service, which aims to provide the people in Scotland with accurate and relevant information to help them make informed decisions about their own health and the health of the people they care for. The website contains two pages related to Lyme disease.

As at 13 August 2020, the main Lyme Disease page has had 343,421 views since 1 January 2017. An additional page, 'Avoiding bugs and germs outdoors', which also contains information relating to Lyme Disease, has had 12,525 views since 15 June 2017.

Additionally, the current Health Protection Scotland Lyme Disease web page went live on the 21 March 2019. Since that date, there have been 8328 visits to the page.

Both NHS inform and the HPS website use Google Analytics to collect information about how visitors use the websites. The Google Analytics data is used for trend analysis of traffic to the website.

Question reference: S5W-31181

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 24 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the NHS Highland Lyme App Project to other NHS boards.